Robin Alexander - The Secret of St. Claire

by Robin Alexander

  “It would’ve been three years this spring.” Deana folded her hands and put them in her lap.

  “What about plans for college?” Lindsay could tell that Deana had almost made a face but caught herself. “You don’t like school?”

  “No, ma’am, I don’t, but I know that if I want a job with a decent paycheck, I’m gonna have to learn to like it. My parents are letting me work for a while, so I can understand just how hard it is.”

  Nicole nodded in understanding. She’d been the same way. By the time she graduated high school, she would’ve favored a beating over a classroom. It took her about a year of flipping burgers and ringing up groceries to appreciate the opportunity for education. “What’re your hobbies?”

  “I love to play Call of Duty.” Deana smiled shyly. “That’s a videogame. I ride horses and fish. That’s pretty much what everyone my age does around here.”

  Nicole nodded and took a sip of her coffee. “Tell me what makes you the best candidate for the job.”

  Deana didn’t hesitate. “I have experience in this office. I know all the filing and computer systems. I’m great with animals. I’m the only person that Mrs. Berthalot’s rabbit Nibbles will come to besides her. And I have only called in sick once the entire time I worked for Dr. Gary.” Deana folded her hands and held them in front of her face like she was praying. “And I really, really want this job.”

  Nicole grinned. “It’s yours on a few conditions. First, you must always be polite to the customers. Second, I expect you to be on time. And third, I need you to tell me about the people and the animals that come in. I’m not asking about gossip, but if you know something that’ll assist me in my job, I’d like you to apprise me of it.”

  “Well, for starters, Nibbles is a hypochondriac. Well, not the rabbit, really. Mrs. Berthalot is. She’ll bring him in once a week for some illness she read about at the library. Dr. Gary said she’s just lonely, but she’s pretty mean. Nobody in town wants to spend a lot of time with her because she loves to argue.”

  Nicole pointed at Deana. “That’s exactly the kind of stuff I want to know.”

  Deana thought for a few minutes. “Mr. Piper’s kinda crazy, but he’s really nice. He has an old beagle named Chip, and every now and then, Chip will tangle with a raccoon.” Deana shook her head. “Chip never wins. But Mr. Piper falls in love with every woman that comes into town. A lady moved in last year, and he sent her roses every day until she had to tell him to stop. The funny thing is the lady was like ninety, and I think Mr. Piper is like sixty or something.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Nicole said with a grin.

  “Oh, and there’s Mrs. Crantz. Did Dr. Gary mention anything about her?”

  Nicole nodded. “He said she was a shut-in with a lot of dogs and cats.”

  “Yes, ma’am. She doesn’t come into town. Dr. Gary always went to see her, and if the animals needed to be neutered or spayed, he’d bring them back to the clinic. Never—” Deana jumped when a car horn blared. “I’m sorry, that’s my mom. She wants me to ride with her to Houma, and she’s in a hurry because there’s a sale at Bed Bath & Beyond.”

  “That’s all right. I’ll see you Monday at eight.”

  Deana squealed with delight and pumped her fist. “Thank you so much! I won’t let you down, I promise.”

  “You’re welcome,” Nicole said, but she doubted that Deana had heard. She watched the exuberant young woman race down her driveway and jump into the waiting silver minivan. With a stretch and a groan, Nicole tried to persuade herself to leave the sunny spot on the porch and attack the mountain of boxes inside. The sunny spot won out at least for a few extra minutes.

  The grass was still green; trees still had leaves, though most were brown, red, and yellow. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear a lawnmower—sounds and sights so foreign to her this time of year. Back home, there was already snow on the ground and the trees long barren. People on the sidewalks wore sweatshirts and a few light jackets, but to Nicole, it felt like a summer day. She’d miss the snow at Christmas, but the prospect of never having to pick up another shovel was worth it.

  It was the Southern summer she feared. Her previous visit to St. Claire had been in June, and when she walked out of the New Orleans airport, a heat so oppressive fell over her like a heavy wet blanket. Her normally straight hair was untamable. It curled in some places and grew wavy in others. And sweat she did. Her clothes were wet anytime she spent more than five minutes outside. “There’s no time to acclimate,” Gary had said. “We go from what we consider cold to hot in a matter of days. Spring here is hotter than July in Montana.”

  But still this odd place felt like home, and for the life of her, Nicole could not figure out why. The second Gary drove them down Main Street she felt an inexplicable feeling of familiarity, as though she were coming home from a long journey. Sometimes, she wondered if perhaps she somehow inherited her father’s love for Louisiana. Maybe all the talking he did about the food and the places he loved had somehow become a part of her like a memory. Whatever it was didn’t matter. She was far away from Montana and all the problems there, and that made Nicole extremely happy.

  Chapter Three

  “But, Momma, I can’t go to school, not with Peepers lost somewhere. Let me stay home and help you look for him.”

  The forlorn look in Alexis’s eyes had almost convinced Lindsay to agree, but Alexis had missed a week of school the month before with a case of strep throat. “Honey, I’m off today. I promise I will turn this town completely upside down until I find that cat.”

  A tear slipped down Alexis’s cheek. “He’s my first cat. I’ve had him as long as I can remember.”

  Lindsay wiped the tear away and hugged Alexis tight. “I’ll find him, baby.” She watched as Alexis descended the steps, shoulders slumped, and ambled slowly to the bus stop. They had searched the entire weekend, and the cat was not in any of his usual haunts. Lindsay ran a hand through her hair. Alexis would be inconsolable if Peepers was not found—alive.

  When the bus pulled away from the curb, Lindsay hit the pavement and walked the entire block. She talked to anyone who was outside, and no one had seen Peepers. He was Alexis’s cat, but the white beast, as Lindsay was fond of calling him, had a place in her heart, too, and it was beginning to break as she rounded the corner toward home. By chance, she stopped a couple of older kids walking to school, one of whom was Maddie, her occasional babysitter, and showed them a picture. Cade shook his head immediately and started walking as he called over his shoulder, “Sorry, Ms. Juneau.”

  Maddie looked at the picture sadly. “The McCreedy kids were joking about… I didn’t know it was Peepers.”

  “Maddie,” Cade said in a warning tone.

  “You know how important Peepers is to Alexis. If you know anything, please, tell me.”

  “Check the old Mortensen house. The McCreedys were there late on Halloween.” Maddie began walking away, then turned. “Please don’t tell anyone you heard this from me.”

  Lindsay nodded and began jogging in the direction of the abandoned house. Repossessed two years earlier, the old two-story sat empty on a corner lot. St. Claire’s finest did a good job of keeping it from being vandalized, but the property was surrounded by fifty-plus-year-old azaleas that formed a thick hedge, providing the perfect hiding place for the mischief-makers of St. Claire.

  Lindsay picked up a stake from an old real estate sign and moved slowly up the driveway. The grass was high, but the house was still intact, no windows broken, and the doors appeared to be locked. The old rollup door on the free-standing garage caught her eye. It was open about two feet. She got down on her hands and knees, calling softly, and nearly cried when she heard a mournful meow in response.

  Fear of spiders and other creepy things was pushed into the recesses of Lindsay’s mind as she flattened herself and crawled beneath the door. Dim light shone through the dirt-encrusted windows as she waded through debris littering the floor. Boxes of discarded
belongings had been left behind by the former owners. The contents had been rifled and emptied throughout the garage. She followed the sound of another soft mewl and found Peepers in a wire cage. He was in bad shape.

  *******

  “Deana, does Dr. Gary have time to see Peepers? It’s an emergency.”

  Deana was on her feet in an instant and came around the counter. She knelt and looked inside the cage. “Oh, Peepers, you poor boy.” She stood abruptly. “Dr. Gary retired, but Dr. Allen is in, and she’ll see you now. Let’s take him to exam room one.”

  Lindsay followed Deana down the hall feeling foolish. “I went to Dr. Gary’s retirement party. It just slipped my mind when I found Peepers. Is the new doctor nice?”

  “Oh, yes, very nice.” Deana opened the door to the exam room, and Lindsay walked inside. “I’m going to go get Peepers’s chart and let Dr. Allen know you’re here. We’ll only be a minute.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate it.” Lindsay blew out a breath and talked softly to the cat, who had curled into a very tight ball in the back of the carrier.

  Dr. Allen was the first to arrive. Lindsay had grown up knowing Dr. Gary. His hair had been white as long as she could remember. She liked the way his bushy white eyebrows peeked out over his black-rimmed glasses. And even though she knew he’d retired, she still expected to see that image come into the room, not a woman around her age. Black hair was pulled up in a haphazard knot and held in place by a clip. Instead of the white coat and black slacks that Dr. Gary favored, she wore a navy blue cable-knit sweater and a pair of faded jeans. Her gray-blue eyes twinkled as she smiled. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Juneau. What’s going on with Peepers?”

  “Ah.” Lindsay pointed to the kennel. “Some kids I think—”

  “The McCreedy boys, I bet.” Deana walked into the room with a chart. “They’re the only ones mean enough.”

  “He’s been gone since Thursday,” Lindsay said as Dr. Allen pulled the cat from the carrier. “I found him in an abandoned garage in a cage…looking like this.” Peepers cowered on the exam table covered from head to toe in multicolored paint. “There were busted balloons all over the place. I think they filled them with paint, and he was the target.”

  Dr. Allen spoke softly to Peepers as she felt around his body for injuries. “It’s okay, big boy, I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Lindsay fought the urge to pace. “I took him home first, and he drank like a gallon of water. He ate some food but not as much as he usually eats.”

  The doctor looked into the cat’s mouth and tugged on his lower eyelids. “I was worried about dehydration. He didn’t throw up after the food and water, did he?”

  Lindsay shook her head. “No, he kept it all down. It’s the paint that worries me. What if it’s toxic?”

  “We can get him cleaned up, and I’ll take a closer look at him.” Dr. Allen turned to Deana. “Why don’t you get the kitty bath ready, and I’ll look over his chart?” Deana gave Lindsay’s shoulder a squeeze and promptly left the room. “What would you be more comfortable with, Ms. Juneau? Would you like to hold Peepers, or shall I put him back in the carrier for now?”

  “I’ll hold him.” Lindsay gathered the cat into her arms. “And it’s Lindsay.”

  “I’m Nicole, and I’m not big on formality.” She scanned the chart. “He was in for vaccinations a month ago. Aside from being overweight, he was in good health then. I’ll draw some blood and check for toxins.”

  Lindsay nodded. “My daughter spoils him.”

  Dr. Allen grinned. “This is going to take us a few minutes. You’re welcome to wait here, but there’s fresh coffee in the reception area.”

  Lindsay put a reluctant Peepers back into the carrier. “I’ll wait up front.”

  “I’ll call you back as soon as I’ve checked him over. I think he’s going to be fine.”

  Lindsay nodded with relief and exited the exam room. Coffee was exactly what she needed. She poured herself a cup and sank into one of the chairs opposite the TV that was playing CNN. She sipped and stared, her mind uncomprehending what she was seeing on the screen. Instead, she mentally debated on how to deal with the McCreedy boys. They had not only painted her cat, but also the inside of the garage. She’d report it all to Steven Miles, the police chief, but doubted he’d be able to do more than give the kids a speech, which was normally how he handled them. The three boys who ranged in ages from fourteen to seventeen…she’d find a way to deal with them.

  A tinkling bell on the door caught Lindsay’s attention. Mary Berthalot walked in with a carrier of her own, and Lindsay groaned internally. The morning had been traumatic enough without having to deal with an eternally pissed off old crow. “They’re in the back with Peepers, my cat,” Lindsay said when Mary looked at the empty desk, then back at her.

  “Dr. Gary always had adequate staff. I hope this new doctor isn’t going to be one of those ‘cut the corner’ types.”

  As far as Lindsay knew, Gary had only had one assistant. Either Mary was delusional and imagined more people, or she just wanted a reason to dislike the newcomer. She suspected the latter.

  “It’s a woman.” Mary took a seat next to Lindsay. Nibbles looked at Lindsay out of the wire mesh of his crate curiously. “If women would just go back home where they belong, we wouldn’t have all the unemployment.” Mary raised a gnarled finger. “I’ll tell you something else, we wouldn’t have a problem with today’s children if women were real mothers. They all want their own careers nowadays and forsake the most important job of all—raising their young. That’s what women’s lib does for you, puts women in the workforce and on the battlefield.”

  Lindsay stared up at the TV and mentally went to her happy place where she was pelting the McCreedy boys with paint-filled balloons. Mary droned on as though she had Lindsay’s full attention. A balloon with purple paint sailed through her mind and caught the eldest McCreedy boy upside his redhead.

  “…and you. You have no business running a hardware store. What do you know of farming equipment and machinery? You should be making a home for a husband and your child.”

  “Do you vote, Mrs. Berthalot?” Lindsay met the old woman’s gaze.

  “Every election,” Mary said indignantly.

  “You have women’s lib to thank for that.” Lindsay grinned and stood. “I’ll check in with Deana and let her know you’re here.” She walked away before the stunned woman could wind up for a new tirade.

  Lindsay stepped into the hallway and followed Deana’s voice and Peepers’s yowls to the bathing room. “I’m sorry to inform y’all that Mary Berthalot and Nibbles are in the waiting room. You’re going to need a tranquilizer and a muzzle.”

  “Nibbles is out of control?” Deana looked stunned.

  “No, Mrs. Berthalot is. I wasn’t in the mood for her usual gripe session, and I’m certain I’ve pissed her off.” Lindsay grinned at her own choice of words. Alexis would be shocked.

  Peepers was white again and anxious to be out of Dr. Allen’s arms. He mewled and carried on. “I’ll dry him if you hold him. The dryer doesn’t make a lot of noise, but they’re still frightened of it anyway.” Dr. Allen set Peepers on a table and kept a grip on his scruff.

  “I’ll handle Mrs. Berthalot,” Deana said with a roll of her eyes. “Happy face, Deana, happy.” She practiced her smile before leaving the room.

  “I’m sorry that your first experience with Mary Berthalot is going to be a negative one, Dr. Allen. You might as well get used to it, though. She’s a hateful old biddy.”

  “It’s Nicole, unless you’re hell-bent on Dr. Allen,” she said with a smile.

  Lindsay grabbed Peepers’s scruff, allowing Nicole to let go. The cat calmed under a familiar pair of hands.

  “I didn’t see any burns in his mouth, and his preliminary blood work looks fine. His pride was wounded, but that’s about all.” Nicole turned on the dryer and began slowly working it across the cat’s fur.

  “Alexis will be so relieved. She was cryin
g this morning when I put her on the bus.”

  “How old is she?”

  “Seven,” Lindsay said with a smile.

  “That’s a sweet age.”

  “She’s a sweet kid. I’m very lucky. Maybe she’s storing up for the teen years.”

  Nicole laughed. “Were you cursed by your mother? The one where she tells you that she hopes you have one just like you?”

  “Absolutely. I guess that means I have a wild ride ahead.” Lindsay grinned. “I wasn’t really bad, just curious and adventurous.”

  “And her dad?” Nicole asked.

  Lindsay raised her brow. “He was bad. The next time I see him, I’ll have to ask if his mother cursed him, too.” Lindsay gazed up at Nicole. “How about you—kids?”

  “No, no little ones for me, much to the chagrin of my mother and father. I have four nieces and three nephews, so that takes some of the pressure off.”

  “Big family?”

  Nicole nodded. “I’m the youngest of five.”

  Deana poked her head around the doorjamb. “Nibbles is in exam room two. Mrs. Berthalot says there’s something wrong with his teeth.”

  “Thanks, I’ll be right there,” Nicole said with a knowing smile. “I think Peepers is relatively dry now. I cleaned out the carrier and put in a warm towel. He’s probably chilled from his bath. If he stops eating or drinking, I need to see him again. Call me day or night if there’s a problem. The clinic phone rings in the house, too.”

  “Thank you, Dr….Nicole. I really appreciate you taking care of him.”

  Nicole scratched the cat behind his ears. “I enjoyed meeting you and Peepers. Now while we have Mrs. Berthalot captive, you can sneak out the front. Deana will mail you an invoice.”

  “Thank you big-time for that. I owe you.”