by Mimi Barbour
As Liam followed behind the other two, he scanned the rest of the house to find it in a terrible mess. As they passed the kitchen, he glanced in to find it was the worst. Dishes were everywhere; the floor needed a good clean, and the smell of burnt food lingered to add a sourness that made his nostrils react. Whew! Not good!
The patio area was altogether a different story. The various reds and lush pinks abounding from the potted geraniums were beautiful, and the table clean. An opened newspaper lay next to a cup of steaming coffee and a small plate with toast crusts. A little idiosyncrasy of his dad’s that Liam remembered. In fact, it would drive his mother into one of her numerous tirades, and to stop that from happening, Liam had taken to eating them himself just to stop the screaming—a secret he and his dad had shared. Now that she was no longer alive, who cared if they got eaten by a man or the nearby noisy birds?
Once they sat, coffee in front of each man, Paul made small talk with Angelo while Liam dealt with his inner conflicts. His guts hurt, and he needed a headache tablet. Automatically, he massaged his stomach until he spotted his dad’s gaze riveted to his hand and he stopped instantly. Old eagle eye never did miss a thing.
Strange how any minute now, he expected to see his mom ranting at them from the doorway and, as was usual, sarcastically reaming out his dad. If he concentrated, he could hear again the woman’s vitriol that had made him lose all respect for the man he couldn’t help loving.
Anger rose just as it always did when he let himself remember. Following the anger was the shame that burned in his soul. Shame for loving his mother and hating his father’s wife.
Shaking it off wasn’t easy, but he had something he needed to do, and do it he would. Breaking into the others’ conversation, he said in a firm voice, “Dad, this place is too much for you. You need help. And Angelo here needs a job. I thought we could work something out so you’d both benefit.”
A pin could have dropped and been heard in the silence that only a slight breeze disturbed. First his dad looked at him, mouth open and eyes blinking rapidly. Then he turned a questioning glance to Angelo, whose hands white-knuckled the arms of his chair.
“You think I need some help here, son? I do believe you’re right. Mrs. Brown passed away over a year ago, and I haven’t been able to organize myself into finding another housekeeper or someone to look after the gardens. As you know, Mr. Brown used to look after the yard, but he moved into assisted living after she passed on.”
“Angelo has a wife and two children, and they need a place to live. Is the apartment you built for me over the garage still free? It was roomy and had a separate entry. Maybe they could use that for a while.”
“Sure they could. As you know it’s furnished and needs a good clean, but I haven’t disturbed anything since you left. If his wife doesn’t mind, they’re very welcome to the place. It would be wonderful for me to have company. The gardens are huge, and the kids will have lots of room to play.”
Happiness is such a visual thing, thought Liam as he looked at his father. The old man had always been this way, every emotion plastered across his features and open to the world. Open to anyone who wanted to slap him down and walk all over him, take advantage of his good nature to the point of being brutal and mean and horrible. Stop it! Don’t go there!
Plans were made, wages discussed, and arrangements organized for the family to move over in the next few days. Liam would rent a small truck and, between the three men, the move would happen.
“Can you stay for lunch?” Paul looked first at Angelo and then at Liam. The yearning on his face said it all. But his words had Liam checking his watch, and he jumped up from his chair and exclaimed, “Where the hell has the time gone? I have to go to work. Look, Angelo, I’ll drop you off on my way, but we have to leave now.”
Glad shock rang in his father’s voice. “You’re staying stateside? No more army? Son, I’m so…so glad.”
“Nothing’s been decided yet. I still have a few weeks.” The harsh tone shouldn’t have been used, and he regretted it as soon as he heard what he’d said and how. But he couldn’t unsay it. That had always been the worst thing about words. They couldn’t be unsaid.
Chapter Fifteen
Sadie stopped watching the traffic and finally broke the silence. “Liam, you’re very quiet today. Are you mad that I called you on being late? Because if so, get over it. Pouting isn’t at all manly. You knew that time was important in this job. If we get behind in the first run, the rest of the day is out of whack. You can shut off my babbling anytime you want to cut in.”
The blank look he threw her way stopped her muttering. She realized her normally chatty companion had something on his mind, and her feminine instincts told her that he’d be better off talking about it than brooding.
“Don’t take this as an open invitation, but if you need to talk about something, I’m a good listener.” There, she decided. She’d said it plain out, and if he didn’t take her up on her offer, then the heck with him. This man had used up far too much mind space already today—and last night too, if she was being honest.
Why he hadn’t kissed her when she’d stood there with her lips all but flapping in front of his face as an offering, she’d never know. Rubbing noses was for kids, for heaven’s sake. Yeah! But then why had it woken every rotten little sexual inclination in her body, all those aroused cells screaming at her all night long?
She looked up to see his cheeky grin, and relief flooded. He’s back, she thought.
“You want me to tell you here, or can we take it to a couch? Like later in your apartment?”
“Like—not in this lifetime. You just looked…well, upset, and since we’re friends…sort of…I thought I’d ask.”
His voice lost its sassy note, and leaving one hand on the steering wheel, he reached over with the other to grasp her fingers. He squeezed them gently and said, “Thank you. I appreciate your caring—”
“Didn’t say I cared.”
“No, you didn’t, but that’s what friends do, right? They care. I care about you, and so you should care about me.”
She pulled her fingers away and shrugged. “Fine, whatever. What’s wrong?”
A grin slashed across his features, and she’d never seen him look more handsome, or so downright sexy. And this was the man who radiated sex like a Heatdish radiated heat.
“I’m worried about the baby.”
If a heart could drop from its original location to the bottom of a stomach, then hers did. A baby! The asshole had a baby and never thought to tell her? The son-of-a-bi… She spit the words out before the screech got loose. “What baby?”
“Isobela Ruiz’s baby. Oh, I never told you, did I? The day after the accident, I went back to visit them, to see if the boy Pedro had any repercussions from what happened, and I arrived in time to help the father, Angelo, while he delivered the baby. It was a girl. They called her Teresa.” Strange, she’d swear she heard pride in his voice.
You went back to visi…? I’ve been wanting to do that but didn’t have the energy or the nerve. Figured I’d be intruding. But I worried about the boy. I’m so glad you did. That was really very thoughtful.” She finally ran out like a cell phone whose battery power just ended. And this time, it was she who reached for his hand.
“Yeah, well, you saved him. It was me who hit him. A bit different. Plus you’ve been laid up some, and I haven’t.”
Awwww! He was trying to make her feel better. Maybe the hotshot wasn’t such a jerk after all.
“Tell me about the baby. How did you just happen to get there in time for her birth? And what did you do?”
“You don’t want to know. Suffice it to say, it seems to be my talent, lately. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“So! Was she beautiful?”
“Who, the baby? Nope! She was wrinkly and red, and she screams a lot. Pedro’s opinion not mine. But once she’d arrived, and this is my view, I thought her the most adorable female I’d ever laid eyes on
.”
By the sound of his voice, she figured he’d revisited those moments, and she could understand his sentiments. A baby’s birth must be something to see.
Gosh, I’m an idiot, a flat-out bubblehead. Linking all males together. Look at Stan. He’s really nice. And Liam’s turning out to be a man I could admire. Maybe some guys aren’t so bad. Sadie didn’t know what to do with all the gushy feelings rampant inside her body. Urges smoldered. She wished she could throw her arms around his shoulders and squeeze.
And kiss him all over his face.
And rub her nose gently against his.
***
“He’s gone! My baby’s gone!”
“Mrs. Brill, calm down. Giorgio must have decided to take a walk or something like…” Nope. That didn’t make sense. Sadie knew the dog hated walking. “Did you call the police?”
“Call the police? Pah! They didn’t care. Asked me few questions and then told me to check with the SPCA. I informed them that my Giorgio’s worth was over $50,000 since he was an American champion for two years running, and you know what they said?”
Sadie shook her head, knowing the woman was on a roll. The flying spittle was only one of the clues. The wildness in her eyes another, and the biggest hint was the way she’d grabbed Sadie and shook her every time she spoke.
Intimidating, Liam stepped close, and the crazed lady had no choice but to let go and back away. Thank goodness, Sadie thought. Her arms were starting to feel numb. Which was a bit of an oxymoron if she ever heard one.
“They told me they had k-killers to find and drugs to get off the streets.”
Her words broke through Sadie’s distraction, and she zeroed back in time to see Liam catch Mrs. Brill just as she began to collapse. “My beautiful baby! How will he ever survive? All his precious things are here, his doggy bed, his special food, and the treats he loves…”
Before she could launch into another crying jag, Liam spoke harshly, snaring her attention.
“Show us where he was before he disappeared.”
Swiping at her globby eyes with tissues that mysteriously appeared from inside her sleeve, she blew her nose, stiffened her backbone and said, “This way. I’ll show you.”
As they walked through the sumptuous apartment that had never been opened to her before, Sadie made out like a bobble doll—she couldn’t see enough. What a palace! But way overdone for her taste, which didn’t run to wine-colored velvet swag drapes and lavish carpeting to match.
Now the artwork? Well, that was a different matter altogether. She could have spent hours analyzing the picturesque landscapes and family portraits.
“Here.” Mrs. Brill pointed to the luxurious patio enclosure with tall jungle-like plants, wonderful cascading flower baskets, and a plush mat that surrounded an enclosure which resembled a miniature castle. Oh, my god, thought Sadie. This was Giorgio’s doghouse? At least she had the class to keep her thoughts to herself. Not so Liam.
“That’s his doghouse?” Shock vibrated in his loud voice.
“Yes, I had it specially designed for him. He liked to come and lay in the sun sometimes, but I worried about his skin. He did use this house occasionally. Mostly, when he slept, he stayed near me. Which is why I’m so upset. I went to Greta’s to get my hair done earlier, and my housekeeper had to go to the pharmacy to pick up some prescriptions. Giorgio refused to go along. Poor baby doesn’t have a lot of energy left after his walks everyday. So, she left him here on the patio, as we do occasionally. But when she returned, he’d disappeared. We’ve looked everywhere.” Tears gushed as soon as she’d finished her explanation.
Liam jerked his head at Sadie, and she knew he wanted out. With a heartfelt hug for the distraught woman, Sadie started towards the door. At the entrance, she stopped.
“Mrs. Brill, I have a few good shots of Giorgio that I can post around the neighborhood, and I’ll warn the store owners that he’s missing. Also, when I pick up my other dogs today, I’ll pass out the word to their owners to take extra precautions with their own animals and to keep an eye open for him. If you hear anything at all, please let me know.” Before she stepped out, from the corner of her eye she watched as Liam patted the old dear’s shoulder, grinned one-sidedly, and left her trying to smile.
This guy was getting to her…digging his way through her walls of resistance. If she didn’t want her heart broken, she’d better take care. After all, she’d only known him a short time. But then why did it feel as if she’d known him forever?
As he helped her back into the van, he swore. “Bastards! Stealing someone’s pet. Should be shot.”
“A little drastic, but I know what you mean. Giorgio’s all she has, no children and no other interests, just the dog shows. I guess you could say he’s her whole life.” Sadie bit her lip to stop nattering as she tended to do when emotional.
“Has this ever happened before?”
“You mean dogs being stolen? Sure, especially these dogs. Most of them are worth a bundle. And they have to be untouched in order to be allowed into the conformation dog shows.”
“Untouched?”
“Not spayed or neutered.”
“Gotcha. I guess it makes sense. They’re probably used for breeding purposes.”
“Exactly. As Mrs. Brill explained, Giorgio himself is worth a lot of money, but his puppies would be worth a fortune. Not for showing, because they’d have to be registered, but there are people who don’t care about the shows. They just want bragging rights. If only there was someone who might have seen what happened.”
“Even though the patio is ground floor, I didn’t notice any neighboring windows overlooking the space. It’s pretty private.”
“No help there, then. I’m going to ask around, Liam. Just the thought of some thieving jerks ripping off these people makes me want to scream.”
“I might know of someone who could help. No promises, but he does have unusual powers of…of perception.” He turned and held up his finger just as she intended to pose the next obvious question. “Don’t ask!”
Chapter Sixteen
Two more dogs were gone. As they went from place to place to pick up their brood, the story was the same and had Liam scratching his head. The common denominator happened to be obvious. They all lived within a mile of each other, in the rich district with homes where every dog’s worth more than tripled the norm.
“Nicky? How in the world did they capture him? He hates men and wouldn’t let a stranger anywhere near him. I don’t get it.” Sadie had become more upset with each dog-napping tale. Their day’s schedule had to be re-organized, and as she worked the cell phone to call her clients, he saw her hands shaking.
Poor doll! He hated to see her so distressed, but he couldn’t do anything until he contacted his mysterious apparition, who seemed to always be around when he didn’t need him and disappeared during times when he could use his help.
“No!” Shock took over her voice as she spoke into the phone.
Liam pulled over to the side of the street and shoved the gearshift into park. “What?” As he watched Sadie’s eyes fill, he felt like a size eleven had just kicked him in the guts. “Breathe. Stop crying. Tell me.”
“Peppi! They took Peppi, my favorite of the bunch. He’s such a little trooper, and so affectionate.”
“Affectionate? He’s a sugar-cube. Licked me all over when I finally caught up with him the other day.” He used sarcasm on purpose to coax a smile, and it worked.
“I know he likes to run away, but he’s the smartest of the bunch. Learned how to count before the rest, and will fetch anything I throw for him. Oh, Liam. Will we ever see them again? What do people do with stolen dogs? Where do they take them?”
“Logic tells me that they either sell them or use them for breeding—like in puppy mills.”
“How horrible! Last night Stan, you remember Greta’s boyfriend, mentioned that he was a cop. Do you think he might be able to help us solve this mystery, or at least give us some direction on w
here to start?”
He coughed, and then prattled on as though he were in a sit-com trying to draw a laugh. “Oh, good idea! Now why didn’t I think of him?”
“I get it!” She chuckled. “That was who you had in mind earlier. I’ll call her and make arrangements for after work, see if they’re free. Maybe we can order in pizzas and discuss it over dinner?”
“Great. In the meantime, we’d better walk the rest of your mutts.”
She scrutinized his smile and eventually returned it. Glad to be able to ease her spirit without having to go into explanations, he breathed a sigh of relief. After all, how could a guy tell the girl who’d begun to mean way too much that he intended to pick the brains of his elusive guardian angel?
At their next stop, Liam waited in the van while Sadie approached the owner who waited at the gate with the dog sitting at the end of its flashy leash.
“Hey, Johnny? Angel? If you’re hovering around I’d appreciate a moment.”
“Hello, Mate. Just having a bit of a nap, I was. What can I do for you?”
Sure enough, there was the spitting image of Johnny Depp lounging in the back seat, head bolstered on his hand, elbow down on the seat.
“Sorry to disturb you.” Liam could do sarcasm so well.
Shrugging nonchalantly, the angel yawned and answered, “You’re having me on, right?”
Liam let his sigh last longer than usual and figured even an angel would get it. And it seemed he was right, by the cheeky grin he picked up through the rearview mirror.
“You want to know about the puppies?”
“Yes. The owners aren’t the only ones upset with their disappearance. Sadie is heartbroken, and I want to help. Only I have no idea where to start.”
As the phantom started to fade, he left behind the message, “Stan is your man. He can find out what you need to know. And Liam, your first guess was right about puppy mills. And Oklahoma is a puppy mill Mecca. One more thing…follow the money.”