Bold and Blue in Dog Town: (Dog Town 9)

by Sandy Rideout

  “Now that is a beautiful dog,” Kinney said, when Trina came in. “Although he moves too fast to get a good look.”

  “That’s my boy,” Trina said, using a high-end coffeemaker to pull the best cup of coffee Kinney had ever smelled, let alone tasted. They sat at a heavy glass kitchen table, with Whiskey curled at her feet, ignoring Chester’s clamor in the distance.

  “Joey, my husband, has tried everything,” Trina said. “The doggie playground was his idea and he’s never complained about the cost of trainers or anything else. I think he might feel guilty because I wanted a dog I could carry around with me but he was embarrassed by froufrou dogs. Now the ridgeback he wanted is causing trouble—but I’m so in love with the dog that I could never even think about parting with him.”

  “It’s a recipe for conflict, all right,” Kinney said. “What’s brought things to the breaking point now?”

  “The neighbors complaining, I think,” Trina said, getting up to pour two glasses of ice water for them. “He worries about people talking about us, whereas I worry about Chester getting hurt when he’s gone.”

  “That’s not all I care about,” a male voice said.

  Kinney turned and saw a tall, handsome man in the doorway. His brow was furrowed and his face flushed. He certainly didn’t like his wife talking about their personal problems to strangers.

  “Joey!” Trina jumped up and ran over to him. “I’m sorry. I know how this must sound.”

  “It sounds like you’re oversharing,” he grumbled, although he let her tow him to the table. “I don’t understand.”

  Kinney half rose and shook his hand. “I’m Kinney, and this is my dog, Whiskey. He’s tied to me because he has behavioral problems I’m trying to work out. I basically lost my job at the CCD because of him, so you’re not alone in having a dog with challenges.” She sat back down. “How’s that for oversharing?”

  Joey’s hackles settled but he still looked confused. “Why exactly are you here, Kinney? You’re obviously not a trainer.”

  “That’s for sure. Trina thought I might be able to offer some insight from the City’s perspective. But then we got to talking about how managing a difficult dog can stress you out and put pressure on relationships.”

  He nodded. “Yeah. Suddenly your whole world revolves around the dog. There’s no room for anything else. It’s not ‘how was your day’ anymore, but ‘what did Chester do now?’”

  Trina made him a coffee and he gave her a half smile as she slid it in front of him. “How was your day?” she asked, smiling.

  “Good,” he said. “It’s always good till I get home.”

  Trina’s smile faded as she sat down. “Is that how it feels?”

  He stared down at his hands. “Not always. But lately.”

  “The fences are getting higher inside and out,” Kinney suggested. “You don’t feel heard.”

  “Sometimes it feels that way,” he said. “If I show I’m upset, she gets so defensive about the dog. I don’t know how to fix the problem.”

  Kinney looked at Trina. “You know that’s what he’s trying to do… fix the problem. So that you can go back to being a happy family again.”

  She nodded slowly. “But Chester’s my baby.”

  Laughing, Kinney said, “That’s why you need to see Cori Hogan. First thing she’s going to tell you is that he’s a dog, not a baby. A lot of us do that. It’s actually doing Chester a disservice to treat him that way. The dog has some needs that aren’t being met, and she’ll tell you how to help. First thing she’ll suggest is getting him neutered, of course. Then maybe flyball or agility or herding. I don’t know. But there’s a solution, I’m quite sure.”

  Both of them brightened. “I hope so,” Joey said. “Because I want my happy wife back.”

  Trina reached out and grabbed his hand. “I’m still right here.”

  “It doesn’t feel that way. You’ve been so withdrawn. It’s like you’re avoiding me.”

  “I’m just avoiding the arguing. When you’re frustrated and angry I kind of shut down.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “You can always talk to me. Just don’t avoid me.”

  “When’s the last time you had a vacation together? Just the two of you?” Kinney asked. “It would really help ease the stress.”

  “Since Chester,” Joey said. “No boarding facility could hold him.”

  “I can hook you up with a good dog sitter,” Kinney said. “She specializes in challenging dogs.”

  “That would go a long way,” Joey said. “I’m just tired. My patience is short.”

  “I’d love it, too,” Trina said. “I feel so guilty all the time. And scared. I’m worried you’re going to make me give Chester up.”

  He shook his head. “I would never do that to you, Trina. Even when that guy offered me three times what the dog’s worth, I didn’t consider it for a second.”

  Trina’s jaw just about hit the table. “Someone offered you money for Chester? Who?”

  “I don’t know. Just some guy. He called me at the office one day and offered me 10 grand for him.”

  “Did he know Chester? I mean, did he know what he was like?”

  “He knew all about him. Said the neighbors had been gossiping. He told me he could take the dog off my hands and end the hassle.”

  Kinney wanted to question Joey herself but Trina was doing a fine job.

  “I don’t get it,” Trina said. “Who would want him? I mean, he’s the love of my life—aside from you—but even I can admit he’s not a prize for someone else.”

  “I just gave him the brush-off and that was that. Selling him wasn’t an option. I want my wife to be happy, no matter what.”

  They gazed at each other, and Kinney suspected only her presence was deterring a beautiful make up session. She cleared her throat and they jumped, as if they’d forgotten she was there. “Joey, do you have the number of this guy? I’d really like to speak to him.”

  “I deleted it. Why?”

  “It’s just a really weird and random thing, don’t you think? When did this call happen?”

  “Maybe two weeks ago.” Joey downed the rest of his coffee. “Honestly, I wanted to put it out of my mind. I had this strange feeling he must be watching us.”

  Kinney stood up. “I don’t want to worry you, but it’s probably a good idea to keep Chester on leash for the next while. Just to be safe.”

  “You don’t think someone would try to steal him?” Trina asked, clutching Joey’s hand, her blue eyes wide with fear.

  “We have security cameras, honey,” he said.

  “As long as he doesn’t get out again, I’m sure you’re fine,” Kinney said. To lighten the mood, she added, “Besides, it’s one thing to know about Chester and another to try to contain him.”

  They watched the dog doing another power cycle on the jungle gym, as if training for his big break. Suddenly Whiskey didn’t seem like such a problem after all.

  “Well, I’d better get going,” she said. “Joey, please let me know if you remember anything more about this call. I just find it all so interesting.”

  She got to her feet and Whiskey stood, too, on his umbilical cord. As she turned, somehow the leash snagged her water glass and tipped it off the table. It hit the marble floor with a loud crash.

  Whiskey flinched and started to shake but Kinney took a deep breath and turned to Trina and Joey. “Just ignore it, please. He’s noise-sensitive and his trainer said that if something like this happened to act like nothing is wrong. It’s business as usual, even if you broke a glass in someone’s lovely kitchen.”

  They laughed and chatted for a few minutes before Trina calmly cleaned up the tinkling glass so they could safely cross the kitchen floor.

  By the time they reached the front hall, Whiskey’s tail was up and his tongue lolled in a happy smile. Similar smiles were on Trina and Joey’s faces and she couldn’t help smiling too, even though the stolen puppy plot had taken an unexpected turn.

&
nbsp; “Good luck with Chester,” she said, as they walked out to the porch. She scanned the street, but the only car passing was a grey Prius similar to her own. “I bet you’re a huge success story in a few months. But take that vacation before the next phase, okay?”

  “Done, Dr. Kinney,” Trina said, hugging her. “But we’ll be there to cheer you on at the Fourth of July festival, I promise. You and Whiskey are going to ace it.”

  Looking down at him, she saw he was looking up at her. His beautiful eyes didn’t flick away for a good few seconds. “I hope so,” she said. “Because he’s turning into the new love of my life.”

  Chapter 18

  Runaway Farm on a late June afternoon was balm to Kinney’s soul. She’d grown up in Seattle, and never imagined enjoying small town life, let alone time on a farm. Yet she found herself heading out to lend Hannah a hand even more often now. Keeping the prankster goats out of trouble was better than a sitcom marathon for boosting her spirits. Besides, Whiskey was always welcome and could have a good run.

  Hannah stood with her arms crossed over the fence, laughing as Kinney chased the two newest kids around. One had stolen her work glove, and goats were notorious for consuming non-consumables.

  “How’s it going with the missing puppy problem?” Hannah asked when Kinney returned to the fence, triumphantly waving the glove.

  “We haven’t caught much of a break yet,” Kinney said. “After all the mysteries we’ve solved in Dog Town, this one’s really stumping us.” She hopped up on the fence. “Sadly, I think that’s because it’s bigger and deeper than all the rest.”

  Twisting long wavy hair into a messy bun, Hannah sighed. “I wish I could be more help. I owe all of you so much. But this farm is kicking my butt.”

  Kinney spun around on the fence so she was facing the farm as it unfurled over glorious green fields. “It’s going well, though, right?”

  “Overall, yes. But there’s always something going on.” She reached over the fence and swatted a brown and white goat with her hat as it tried to get at Kinney’s pant cuff through the slats. “Whether it’s the animals or the contractors, there’s not a second’s downtime.”

  “And yet I’ve never seen you look happier,” Kinney said. “Hard work agrees with you, princess.”

  Hannah swatted her with the hat, now. “How about you, my friend? Are you managing to stay happy, given all that’s happened?”

  “Up and down,” Kinney admitted, leaping off the fence and landing lightly. “There’s a lot of pressure with Cori’s Miracle Makeover Program. I’m looking forward to the fourth like you would a stampeding pig.”

  “At least you’ll have James helping you through it,” Hannah said.

  Kinney looked at her quickly. Hannah was grinning as she scanned the sheep pen for misbehavior.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Kinney asked.

  Hannah’s shoulders shrugged under the straps of her overalls. “I just hear about practice sessions in excruciating detail. The way he tells it, you’re some kind of superhero, rescuing dogs in dangerous situations.”

  Heat rose quickly in Kinney’s cheeks. “It’s nothing the Mafia doesn’t do every day. He hasn’t seen Cori hanging from a zipline.”

  “I don’t think it’s Cori he wants to see.” Hannah climbed another fence and moved among the sheep. She shoved some out of the way so the shyer sheep could get a chance at the hay. “It’s Kinney-this and Kinney-that. Oh, and you have really nice hair, too.” Hannah stroked a sweet lamb. “Someone’s got a crush.”

  Now Kinney felt like the fence and the hay were at risk of catching fire from her flaming face. “I didn’t realize it was quite like that. James must have a lineup of… normal women.”

  “Normal?” Hannah stood laughing among the sheep. “I don’t even know what that is anymore. I can certainly say there’s been no lineup of women since he came back to Dorset Hills. I’d know because he’s still living here.”

  She was about to climb back over when Nick shouted from the barn. “There’s a gate for a reason, Hannah.”

  Saluting him, she walked along the fence. “He’d like to roll me in bubble wrap, but it’s really not feasible on a farm.” Once she’d latched the pen behind her, she continued, “I haven’t known you that long, Kinney, but I get the sense you’re like me—a little slow to trust. All I’m going to say is that giving Nick a chance was my second smartest decision ever.” She patted her slightly rounded belly. “Right after this.”

  “Point taken. And thank you,” Kinney said, hoping to end the discussion. “Where is James, anyway? We’re heading over to the Wolff County fair to expose the dogs to crowds, noise, and fireworks.”

  “With Alvina, if I had to guess. That’s where I usually find him.”

  Sure enough, James was inside the pen with the fluffy brown alpaca. The two white llamas who kept Alvina company had moved to the other end in apparent disgust. The last time Kinney had seen them together, James had run up and down outside the pen while Alvina cavorted and high kicked inside. It seemed that their relationship had progressed nicely. Today they were actually playing tag around an obstacle course of barrels and benches. He took a running leap onto a picnic table and leapt off the other side, only to find Alvina in front of him spinning in circles. Laughing, he took off again, and then stopped dead when he saw the women at the fence.

  “Hey,” he said, while Alvina nibbled at his hair and collar. “You’re early.”

  “Didn’t want to miss the show,” Kinney said, grinning.

  He jumped the fence easily. “It’s a good workout. I’ll grab a shower and be back in five.”

  “Isn’t it amazing that guys can grab a shower and be ready in five?” Kinney said. “It took me nearly an hour to get ready, and it’s only a county fair.”

  “Farm life pares down your routine,” Hannah said, giving her a sideways glance. “But you look nice.”

  “I feel pressure to keep myself up after Sasha’s makeover,” she said, following Hannah to the farmhouse. Half a dozen guys were working on a large addition on one side. “I’ve seen that tall, redheaded guy around.”

  “Tanner Glenn? Yeah. He has projects around town. He’s known for high-end craftsmanship. Sullivan Shaw recommended him.” She eyed Kinney again. “You cheating on my brother already?”

  “No! I mean, I don’t even think that guy’s cute.”

  “Oh, he’s cute all right,” Hannah said, laughing. “Now I’m surrounded by cute all day and I’m out of commission anyway.”

  James came out looking fresh and handsome, in jeans, a white T-shirt and denim jacket. He was surprisingly adaptable, going from suits to country causal without missing a beat. His personality was like that too—good with anyone, and always accommodating. It seemed effortless, whereas Kinney had to work hard to be social. Then she had to refill her tank in the hills or out here on the farm.

  There was little need for chitchat on the way to the Wolff County fair, and once there, they both needed to focus 100 percent on their dogs. Whiskey was on a regular leash, weaving through the crowd, and sometimes falling behind to nudge her in the right direction, like a true herding dog. There were plenty of loud noises, and she made sure to keep her shoulders back, her eyes up and her arms loose. He managed the deafening games area like a champ, even with all the ding-ding-ding of prizewinners.

  James and Rocky were doing well, too. Luckily, the tripe was no longer needed and the big dog parted the crowd confidently. People naturally fell back to stare, and while Rocky didn’t welcome the attention, he didn’t avoid it, either. He was basically indifferent, which was about as good as it was likely to get given his breed traits.

  They reached the other end of the fairground and found a quiet place on a hill to rest. The dogs lolled on the grass, comfortable now in each other’s company. Kinney and James split a huge pastrami sandwich and sipped soda.

  “What now?” James asked, around a mouthful. “Do we need to repeat?”

  “I think we�
�re good.” She chewed thoughtfully and swallowed before saying, “Would you mind going on a little mission with me?”

  “Sure,” he said. “As long as you fill me in first. I never know what to expect with you.”

  “It’s just a drive-by,” she said. “I heard about a building project over here in Wolff County that Dorset Hills is funding.”

  He tipped his head. “That sounds odd.”

  “It does, indeed. I have my suspicions about what it might be, and while we’re here, I figured we’d check it out.”

  Crunching on potato chips, he asked, “What do you think it is?”

  She eyed him, wondering whether or not to be honest. Finally she took the leap. “I think it’s an illicit dog kennel for stolen puppies.”

  James gasped, inhaling some potato chip crumbs and spraying others around when he coughed. “Pardon me?”

  She gave him the broad brushstrokes of what they already knew about the puppy situation.

  “This is all confidential, of course.” She ate the last bite of her sandwich and swallowed, finding it had turned to sawdust. “I trust you.”

  He brushed potato chip crumbs from his shirt and Whiskey came over to help with the cleanup, snuffling loudly. “Do you think the mayor’s aware of all this?”

  “He knew about the first missing puppies, so yes. Besides, there’s a ton of money invested in these kennels. I don’t know if it’s taxpayers’ dollars or his own private sources. Either way, someone is backing this in a big way.” Taking the straw out of the soda, she downed half of it and then hiccupped. “All that I can find is vague records with no details. And who knows what else isn’t even listed?”

  Brow furrowing, he stared at her. “How are you finding all this out? I thought you were on suspension.”

  Now she hesitated. James was an honorable guy and her techniques might very well put him off. But since she didn’t plan to stop doing what she considered the right thing, she might as well be honest. If it pushed him away, so be it. He needed to know the worst.