“Allie, don’t put me between you and Des.”
“I’m not. I’m just asking you not to discuss my business with my sister or anyone else.”
“All right.” Cara sighed. She didn’t like keeping secrets, but Allie had a point. It was her business. “I promise.”
Cara pulled the quilt over Allie and closed the door. She went back into her room and got into bed, still uncomfortable with the promise she’d made. Eventually she fell asleep, the bears, the falling rocks, and Allie’s late-night, one-woman, backyard party forgotten.
Cara was up early the next morning, so she went through her yoga routine and had a good long run through town in the brisk March air before either of her sisters or her niece made it downstairs. Barney was off on her walk, and the house was pleasantly quiet. Cara was trying to decide what to have for breakfast when her phone rang.
“Hey, Cara. It’s Joe. I hope it’s not too early to call.”
“I’m up. What’s going on?”
“I’m over at the theater, and . . . well, you need to come down here.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Remember that hole in the back wall that Eddie said something had been getting into the building through?”
“Yes.” Cara held her breath. Please, God, not a wild animal. Mountain lions. Or bears. Especially bears.
“Looks like a couple of stray dogs have been using the theater as their home. When we went to board up the hole, they were trying to get out, but once they saw us, they went back inside the building. They don’t seem vicious, but I can’t get near them. They look pretty ragged, like they’ve been on the road for a while. I’m not sure what you want me to do, and we don’t have an animal control officer. I called Ben to see what he suggested, but he said I should talk to you, since they’re in your building.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She hung up and went straight up the steps to knock on Des’s door. “Des. Des, are you up?”
“What?” A sleepy-eyed Des opened the door.
“Joe just called. They found a couple of stray dogs that have been making their home in the theater, and they want to—”
“Five minutes.” Des slammed the door in her face.
Cara turned toward the stairs just as Nikki came around the corner.
“What’s going on, Aunt Cara?” she asked.
Cara explained Joe’s call.
“I’m coming, too. I’ll be right back,” Nikki told her. “Don’t leave without me.”
“What the hell is going on out here? Sorority meeting?” Allie’s door opened.
Cara told her.
“There are dogs living in the theater?” Allie shook her head. “Call animal control. I’m going back to bed.”
“We’ll see you when we get back, Mom.” Nikki returned, her bag over her shoulder, her phone in her hand. “I’m going to take pictures. I’ve decided I should be documenting my visit so I can show Dad and Court.”
“Great. ‘Here’s a picture of me chasing mangy dogs down Main Street.’ He’ll love that.” Allie yawned. “If everyone else is going, I might as well go, too. I’m assuming the Dog Whisperer is on the case.” Allie pointed to Des’s door.
“I heard that.” Des emerged, fully dressed. “And we’re leaving now. If you want to come, you have three minutes to get dressed. I’m not waiting for you.” Des went to the steps. “Actually, I’m not waiting for anyone. I’m going now before some yahoo gets the idea to do something stupid to get the dogs out.”
“Something like what?” Nikki was right on her heels.
“Like something that could result in the dogs being injured. Or worse.”
“Joe wouldn’t let that happen.” Cara went into her room and grabbed her bag. She was still dressed in her running clothes, but there was no time for vanity. Cara heard the front door open and close. When she got to the front hall, she saw Des and Nikki sprinting across the wide yard to the sidewalk. They were already crossing the street by the time Cara got outside. Already sweaty, her hair a mess, she figured she couldn’t look much worse. She broke into a jog and arrived at the theater in time to see Des shooing everyone away from the hole.
Des sat back on her heels ten feet from the wall and seemed to be observing. Cara started to approach her, but Des held up her hand.
“Get everyone back on the sidewalk, please,” Des said in a low voice. “The dogs are getting spooked.”
“What are you going to do?” Cara whispered.
“Whatever I need to in order to get them safe. Will you wait back at the sidewalk, please? If I need you, I’ll let you know.”
Fifteen minutes later, when the restless dogs hadn’t emerged from inside the wall—scared off, no doubt, by Allie’s arrival in Cara’s car—Des asked that someone run across the street to the Bullfrog and get a couple of hamburgers.
“Allie, you go. Tell them no bread, and definitely no onions,” Des said.
“Des, I don’t think they sell burgers at eight thirty in the morning.”
“Actually, they do. At least, they can.” Ben pulled up in his cruiser, turned off the engine, and got out of the car. “They’ve cooked burgers for me after I’ve worked all night.”
“Well, since you apparently have some pull with them, why don’t you go?” Allie suggested without looking at him.
“I’ll go.” Before Allie could react, Nikki was on her way to the bar.
“They’re not going to let her in: She’s just fourteen.” Allie went after her daughter.
“How many dogs are in there, Des?” Cara asked quietly.
“I saw three. Two medium black-and-white dogs and a small white one. At least, I think it’s white. It’s pretty dirty.” Des never took her eyes off the wall. Every few minutes, one of the dogs would check to see if Des and the others were still there; then it would duck back into the hole.
Nikki and Allie returned, Nikki carrying a white bag, which she handed to Des.
“The guy behind the bar said no charge,” Nikki whispered to Des. “He wanted to know what was going on, so I told him. He said he’s seen the dogs around for about a week and he’s been feeding them. He said they come to his Dumpster in the mornings.”
“Thanks, Nik. You’d make a great sleuth. Now do me a favor and go into my bag and see if you can find that list of shelters that you made the other day,” Des instructed.
Nikki did as she was told and located the list.
“I have it, Aunt Des.”
“There’s a number there for a woman in Harlow. Maria something.”
“I see it.”
“Can you call her, tell her what we have here, and ask if she has a couple of loop leashes we can borrow?”
“Will do.” Nikki pulled her phone from her pocket and walked to the front of the building to make the call.
In less than three minutes, she was back.
“She’ll be here in twenty minutes,” Nikki whispered to Des.
“I really appreciate your help, Nik.” Des smiled up at her niece. “Now, see how well you can keep everyone back so I can try to coax at least one of these babies out with a burger.”
Nikki shooed everyone back onto the sidewalk and asked them all to please be quiet so Des could do her thing.
Cara watched as Des scooted just a little closer to the wall, an unwrapped burger in her outstretched hand. It wasn’t long before a black-and-white nose appeared in the opening. It sniffed wildly and grew more restless but didn’t venture out. Des began to coo to the dog in a low, calm voice.
“Come on, pup. I know you’re hungry and scared. But we’re here to help you, I promise. Come on out and get a snack, and let me at least see that you’re okay.”
The dog’s head stuck out from the wall. It appeared to Cara that the dog was actually listening and trying to decide whether or not to trust the voice.
Des kept up her soft chatter, and before long, one dog ventured out tentatively. Warily watching Des, its tail down and its ears flat to its head, the dog crept
closer by a step or two at a time, never taking its eyes off Des.
Finally, Des pulled a chunk off the burger and tossed it to the dog, who snatched it and chewed, its eyes now on the rest of the burger. Des threw it several more pieces, each aimed to bring the dog closer to her. All the while, she was speaking in that low, reassuring voice. When the dog had gobbled down the last of the burger, it stood looking at Des for a long moment before turning and jumping back into the hole.
“Oh, he’s gone, Aunt Des,” Nikki moaned. “You could have caught him.”
“He’s not ready to be caught yet, honey, and I’m not ready to catch him. Once Maria gets here, we’ll try again.”
“You’re going to need a few more burgers if you’re going to get all three of those dogs out.” Nikki got up and went to the curb. “I’ll get more.”
By the time Nikki returned, Maria, a chubby middle-aged woman with short hair and a sweet face, had arrived and was in quiet conversation with Des. Nikki unwrapped the burgers for Des, then sat back with the others on the sidewalk, taking pictures with her phone the whole time. Maria knelt behind Des, a loop in one hand, and Des called to the dogs again. At the sound of her voice, the dog who’d eaten the first burger returned to the opening. After a moment, it jumped out.
“You’re such a handsome guy,” Des crooned. “Let’s get you to the vet and make sure you’re okay.” She drew the dog closer with the food. “You’re wearing a collar, so you must have belonged to someone. Do you have a tag on?” Des peered closer. “I don’t see one. Did you lose it, or did someone take it off before they let you go?”
The dog’s tail began to wag, slowly at first, but it came close enough for Maria to get the loop around its neck. To the surprise of everyone except apparently Des, the dog did not struggle but lay down and ate the last bit of burger from Des’s hand.
“You’re a very smart and good dog,” Des told it. “Now let’s get your buddies out here and see if we can wrap this up.” She turned and looked over her shoulder. “Joe, where’s the nearest vet?”
“Dr. Trainor over on Winter Street. You need him?” Joe asked.
“If you could just call him and tell him we have three strays that we’d like to bring over for evaluation and testing, I’d appreciate it.”
With Maria’s help, all three dogs were soon lured out of their hiding place, leashed, and were sitting in the back of Ben’s police car.
“Des, that was amazing,” Cara told her. “We really will have to call you the Dog Whisperer from now on.”
“Oh, dear God.” Allie rolled her eyes. “They’re just dogs, people.”
“They were just scared and hungry. As soon as they realized they were going to be fed and not hurt, they were fine.” Des stood up and stretched. “Trust me, it usually isn’t this easy.”
“I want to go to the vets with the dog,” Des told Cara. “But I doubt I’ll be allowed to ride in the police car.”
“Since Allie drove my car over, we can drop you off at the vet’s, and if you want to stay for a while with the dogs, I can come pick you up later,” Cara offered.
“That’d be great, thanks.”
“Let me get the keys from Allie and we can go.” Cara signaled for Allie to join them. “I’m going to take Des to the vet’s office,” Cara told her.
Allie handed over the keys. “I’ll ride over with you. I don’t feel like walking home. I still haven’t had breakfast and I’m starving.”
“I’m coming, too, Aunt Cara.” Nikki headed for the car and jumped into the backseat. “And I’m going to stay with Aunt Des at the vet’s.” She leaned into the front as Des got into the passenger seat. “You were awesome, Aunt Des. Totally awesome. You saved those dogs. I was so proud of you.”
“Well, I’m grateful to you for the part you played. You got the bait that convinced them to leave their shelter.” Des turned around, and she and a smiling Nikki high-fived.
“Hey, Cara,” Joe called to her. “I’m assuming you want me to board up the wall so that nothing else can make a home in there.”
“Yes, please.” She reached for the driver’s-door handle. “You might want to just check to see if there’s anything else in there, but boarding it up is definitely the way to go. Thanks.”
“Sure.”
She slid behind the wheel and he closed the door for her.
“He’s really cute, Aunt Cara.” Nikki turned to watch Joe walk away. “And he really does have the hots for you—I can tell.”
“Nikki, you’re scaring me,” Allie told her. “How do you even know what ‘the hots’ are? Or what it looks like when one person has said hots for another?”
“Mom.” Nikki sighed with apparent great patience. “I’m fourteen.”
“That’s the part that scares me.” Allie snapped her seat belt as Cara took off.
The vet’s office was two blocks down and three over, and they were there in minutes. Des thanked Cara for the ride and got out of the car.
“Wait for me,” Nikki called to her. “I want to stay with you.”
“Nikki, have you even had breakfast yet?” Allie got out of the car and stood next to it. Nikki was already halfway up the sidewalk.
“I’m not hungry. We’ll be back later.” Nikki’s voice faded as she followed Des inside the clinic.
“Honestly, that child gives me a headache sometimes.” Allie slammed the car door and started around to take the front passenger seat.
“I’ll bet she says the same thing about you.” Allie didn’t need to turn around to see who was behind her. “I bet it’s not easy being your kid.”
“Sheriff, you have a lot of nerve. You don’t know my child, you don’t know anything about our relationship, and you know nothing about me.”
“I know you’re a snob from California who likes her vodka.” Ben crossed his arms over his chest. “You still have my card?”
“No. I burned it.” She got into the car and slammed the door. “After I ripped it into a thousand tiny pieces.”
“Allie, what was—” Cara started to ask, but Allie gestured for her to drive.
“Just go.”
“What did he mean, he knows—”
“He thinks he’s smart and he thinks he knows something but he doesn’t. Just drive, will you?”
All the way back to Hudson Street, Cara wondered what in the world was going on between Allie and the police chief. But judging by the death-glare on Allie’s face, now wasn’t the time to ask.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Des brought the little white dog back to the house once it had been given a clean bill of health and a bath by the vet’s staff. She’d desperately wanted to foster the dog at least until she could arrange for someone to adopt it, but she knew that’d be up to Barney. She practiced her plea to keep the little dog, but she needn’t have bothered. She called home while the dog was being groomed, and Barney picked up on the first ring.
“Cara already told me all about how you rescued those dogs from the theater and got them over to Doc Trainor’s to be checked out. When Nikki came back for lunch, she said they were getting ready to give the little white one a bath.Good job, Des.” Barney had sounded pleased. “So what’s happening now?”
“They’re going to keep the two larger dogs at least overnight. But the little white one will be released as soon as they’re finished grooming her. She’s a really good dog, and she’s—”
“So you’d like to bring her home, right? I’ve always liked dogs. Yes, bring her home and we’ll see how she likes living with the Hudsons for a while.”
“Thanks, Barney.” Des had breathed a sigh of relief. She went back into the clinic and told the vet, “I’ll check back with you in the morning about the other two.” Des had left the clinic with the little white dog on a new red leash.
Des talked to the dog all the way back to Hudson Street. Once at the house, the dog ran across the yard and squatted once to pee before taking off for the front porch. By the time Des caught up with her, the dog was st
aring at the front door as if willing it to open.
“Now listen, little one.” Des knelt down next to the dog and unsnapped the leash. “Be really nice to Barney. She can send you away if you’re not. You have to mind your manners and understand that Barney is in charge. You make nice with her, you’ve got it made.”
Des stood just as the door opened and Barney stepped out onto the porch.
“Oh my, she’s just a little thing, isn’t she?” Barney sat on one of the rocking chairs and snapped her fingers to get the dog’s attention. “No idea what her name might be?”
Des shook her head.
“We’ll have to come up with something suitable,” Barney told the dog.
Nikki stuck her head out and squealed when she saw the dog. “OMG, she’s adorbs!” She sat on the porch deck and the dog climbed into her lap. “Who knew you were so stinking cute under all that dirt?”
“I can’t believe you brought it home with you.” Allie followed Nikki outside.
“Mom, stop!” Nikki looked horrified. “She’ll hear you. You don’t want her to feel unwanted.” To the dog, Nikki said, “Aunt Allie didn’t mean it.”
Allie stared at her daughter for a moment. “I’m wondering if this week in Hidden Falls was a good idea after all. You’re starting to sound like your Aunt Des.”
“I’m going to take that as a compliment,” Nikki told her.
“And you’re starting to sound like our mother,” Des said to Allie. “And that wasn’t a compliment.”
Allie watched her daughter cuddle the dog.
“All right, it’s . . . almost cute. Now that it’s clean.” The dog looked up at her, tail wagging, tongue lolling, and Allie sighed. “Okay, you’re cute. You’re no Lassie, but you’re cute.”
“Yep, cute as a button, Mother would’ve said.” Barney rocked back and forth rhythmically in the chair.
“Oh, can we call her that? Buttons?” Nikki laughed as the dog climbed higher to lick her face. “She should have a cute name.”
“ ‘Buttons’ isn’t cute. ‘Buttons’ is . . . common,” Allie said.
The Last Chance Matinee Page 29