The Case of the Graceful Goldens

by B R Snow

  “Hop in,” Rooster said, opening the driver door.

  I did, and I was immediately enveloped by the plush seat. I looked at the dashboard and decided the SUV probably contained more technology than some of the earlier space flights. I glanced over my shoulder and nodded at the ample room it provided for the dogs. I hopped out of the vehicle and did a couple of slow laps around it.

  “There they are,” the owner said as he approached. “How are you doing, Rooster?”

  “Hey, Roger. I’m good.”

  Roger looked me with a big smile on his face.

  “Finally,” he said, laughing and spreading his arms wide. “It’s a miracle.”

  “Hi, Roger. Yes, I’ve succumbed to public pressure.”

  “What do you think?” Roger said.

  “It’s perfect,” I said.

  “Then hop in, and we’ll take it out for a little test drive.”

  “No,” I said, glancing at the vehicle, then back at Rooster. I shook my head. “That won’t be necessary.”

  “Well, all right then,” Roger said, clapping his hands. “Let me go get the paperwork started. If you want to bring your trade-in around to the back, we’ll get a number worked up for it.”

  “No, I won’t be doing a trade-in.”

  “Even easier,” Roger said, now beaming. “It’s such a pleasure doing business with a woman who knows what she wants.”

  I put my hands on my hips and stared at him.

  “Tell me something, Roger. Do you get the same pleasure dealing with men who know what they want?”

  “I’m sorry, Suzy. I misspoke. I wasn’t trying to make any gender comparisons,” he said, backtracking as fast as his little legs could carry him. “I apologize.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Roger,” I said, glancing at the window sticker that outlined the vehicle’s features and price. “Just knock three grand off the sticker price, and I’ll write you a check.”

  “Three grand?” he said, giving me a look like I’d just shot his dog. “Geez, Suzy. I don’t think I can do that.”

  “That’s okay, Roger,” I said. “I’m sure I can find it online.”

  Roger’s smile faded a bit, and he stared at me.

  “You really are your mother’s daughter, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah. But try not to spread it around. So, I’m assuming you can do the three grand?”

  “Yeah, I can do the three grand,” he said. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Right after I stop the bleeding.”

  He walked away, and I refocused on my new car. I began imagining myself behind the wheel, and then yet another thought popped into my head.

  “Rooster?”

  “Yeah?”

  “My mother called Roger this morning and told him to park it right here, didn’t she?”

  “Actually, that was my idea,” he said.

  “I see. And you thought you’d take a quick trip down memory lane over breakfast before we came out here?”

  “No, that was your mother’s idea.”

  “You do know how incredibly manipulative that was, right?”

  “I do,” Rooster said, nodding. “But we did good, didn’t we?”

  “Yeah, you did good.”

  Chapter 22

  The weatherman had been right, and around five in the afternoon, it started snowing. And just so we didn’t miss her latest reminder that winter was just around the corner, Mother Nature included strong winds out of the north and a forty-degree temperature drop. On my drive home, I’d been forced to close the sunroof as well as turn on the heater as the cold front swept in.

  But the SUV hugged the highway like I held puppies, and I knew that my dad would be happy to know that I was now both safe and comfortable whenever I was on the road. Once I got home, I kept sneaking peeks out at the window at the sparkling SUV parked in the driveway and, at times, felt giddy. I’d never had a brand new car before and was beginning to understand what all the fuss was about. It would take me forever to figure out how all the different buttons and features worked, and I knew that the new car smell would soon be replaced by the scent of musty dog. But I had all the time in the world, and the dogs were more than welcome to make themselves comfortable.

  We fed and let the dogs outside earlier than usual, and by six-thirty, they were all back in their condos and settled in. Chief Abrams and Jackson arrived at the same time shortly after that, and we convened in the condo area to discuss our plans for the evening.

  “The state police actually said they didn’t want to help out?” I said to Chief Abrams.

  “They certainly did. And my request was met with a rather rude rejection. The new commander of the station is a real tough nut to crack. And I think he might be a bit of head case as well. He seems to get that crazed commando look whenever anybody disagrees with him. I think I got out of there at the right time. He’s a lot different from Shorty.”

  Chief Abrams had been one of the state police lead detectives for years before leaving to become our new chief of police. Shorty, recently retired, was the former commander and someone Chief Abrams had worked with for years.

  “I can’t believe he wasn’t interested,” I said. “What did he say?”

  “He said that if he wanted to send his staff on wild-goose chases, he’d just wait for hunting season,” Chief Abrams said.

  “That was kind of rude,” I said.

  “But he did say that if our idiotic idea somehow happened to pan out, he’d be more than happy to swing by and arrest somebody.”

  “I don’t think I like this guy,” I said.

  “Join the club,” Chief Abrams said. “So I called Jackson, and he kindly agreed to help us out.”

  “At least it gets me out of the store for a while,” Jackson said. “This afternoon I caught myself talking to a box of tomatoes. I think I’m starting to lose it.”

  “Thanks for coming,” Josie said, patting his hand. “And I’m sure the tomatoes understand.”

  “Are you going to be like this all night?” Jackson said.

  “Tired and grumpy?” Josie said. “Yeah, I like the odds.”

  “Thanks for the warning,” Jackson said. “What do you need me to do?”

  “We’d like you to handle the outside perimeter,” I said.

  Josie snorted. I ignored her, but Jackson reacted.

  “Outside perimeter?” he said.

  “She wants you to walk around the fence line of the dog’s play area all night,” Josie said.

  “In this weather?” Jackson said.

  “Why not?” I said, shrugging. “You’re dressed for it.”

  “Gee, Suzy, that sounds like a lot of fun. And the state police didn’t want to join in? I’m shocked.” he said. “Maybe we should do it in shifts. You know, take turns handling the outside perimeter.”

  “Well, don’t look at me,” Josie said, yawning. “The only reason I’m down here is because I need to keep a close eye on a Lab puppy that just came out of a very tough surgery.”

  “How is she doing?” I said.

  “She should be fine,” Josie said. “But if Mrs. Frey hadn’t called when she did, I don’t think the little girl would have made it. That reminds me, we need to check the house to make sure we don’t have anything like those scouring pads stored where Al can get at them.”

  “Chef Claire already did it this afternoon,” I said. “We’re good.”

  “So, getting back to my idea about taking turns handling the outside?” Jackson said.

  I looked at Chief Abrams who nodded.

  “Okay,” I said. “I don’t mind. You take the first shift, Jackson. One of us will relieve you at ten.”

  “Ten? That’s three hours,” Jackson said, frowning. “I’m gonna freeze my butt off.”

  “Oh, you’ll be fine,” I said, waving his protest away.

  “The tomatoes are looking pretty good right about now, huh?” Josie said.

  “We should probably come up with some sort of signal,” Jackson said. “I’v
e been working on some bird calls in my spare time.”

  All three of us stared at him.

  “We really need to get you a girlfriend, Jackson,” I said.

  “Tell me about it,” he said. “I’ve got my Snowy Owl call down pretty good. How about if I hoot three times if I see anybody coming?”

  “Sure, sure,” I said. “Or you could just text me.”

  Embarrassed, Jackson nodded and checked his phone, then headed out the back door.

  “See you at ten,” I said. “And don’t forget to text me if you see anything.”

  I closed the door but left it unlocked.

  “I’m sorry I’m a bit late,” Rooster said, walking from the reception area into the condo area.

  Titan, his German shepherd, stood at his side and looked around at us.

  “No, you’re right on time,” I said, kneeling down to greet the shepherd. “How are you doing, Titan? Rooster, he looks great.”

  “Thanks,” he said, beaming at the dog. “I gave him a light supper just to make sure he’s got a bit of an appetite in case anybody shows up. How does the new car handle?”

  “It’s amazing. And thanks again for the nudge.”

  “Happy to do it, but you know who you need to thank.”

  “Don’t remind me.”

  “Okay, Chief. What do you need from me?”

  “Hopefully nothing,” Chief Abrams said. “Provide a little muscle if necessary. And if you could get Titan to snarl and growl at the right time, it might encourage them to talk.”

  “So, we’re just going to sit here in the dark and wait until somebody shows up?” Rooster said.

  “Pretty much,” I said. “But we were able to come up with a spot near the supply closet where we can keep a light on without it being visible outside.”

  “That’s great,” Rooster said. “I’m glad I remembered to bring the cribbage board. How about two dollars a point?”

  “Sure, why not?” I said, laughing. “I’ve spent a ton of money today. I wouldn’t mind winning back some of it.”

  “Fat chance,” Rooster said, setting up the board and handing a deck of cards to Chief Abrams.

  “Where’s the lady dog judge?” Rooster said.

  “Alexandra’s up at the house with her two Goldens keeping an eye on our guys,” Josie said, glancing at her cards.

  “How’s she doing today?” Chief Abrams said, also studying his cards.

  “She’s been pretty quiet,” Josie said. “And still pretty rattled about the idea of somebody trying to kill her.”

  “Can’t blame her for that,” I said, setting my phone on the table. “My cards don’t look very good.”

  “They look okay from here,” Josie said.

  “Stop peeking at my cards.”

  “I wasn’t peeking. They just happened to be in my line of sight.”

  “Are we going to play cards, or are you two going to pick at each other all night?” Rooster said.

  “Probably a lot of both,” Josie said, playing a card. “Fifteen for two.”

  Over the next two hours, Rooster’s grin grew wider as his winnings increased. By the time he was up four hundred, it looked like he was about to break into his happy dance. And despite my constant checking, I didn’t receive any texts from Jackson and the time passed quickly.

  Just after nine, I was shuffling the cards when I heard a noise near the back door and paused.

  “Shhh,” I said, flipping the light off. “Did you hear that?”

  “Yup,” Rooster said.

  In the darkness, Rooster was hard to see as he stood and gave Titan a soft whistle. Then I heard him tiptoe his way toward the back door. Titan’s toenails clicked softly on the polished cement floor.

  “Easy, Titan,” Rooster whispered.

  Despite the potential danger, knowing that I was here with Rooster and Chief Abrams, I felt a sense of calmness come over me. Then I remembered an important detail.

  “Rooster, wait,” I said in a controlled whisper.

  “Stay there,” he whispered back.

  Then he heard the back door squeak as it began to open and his voice got loud.

  “Get him, Titan!”

  The shepherd growled and snapped his jaws as he bounced through the door on his way out. Seconds later, we heard screams rising above the dog’s vicious guttural growls. I got up and started to head for the main light switch, stumbled over Chief Abrams’ chair, but eventually managed to get the lights on as the screams from outside the door increased.

  “What the heck?” Rooster said, staring down at the man Titan had by the ankle. “What are doing here, Jackson?”

  “At the moment, fighting for my life,” Jackson said, doing his best to fend off the shepherd that seemed determined to remove the leg from its socket.

  “Titan. Release,” Rooster snapped.

  The dog immediately let go of Jackson’s leg but continued to hover and snarl.

  “Titan. Sit.”

  The dog again complied and sat down at Rooster’s feet and replaced the snarl with a low growl.

  “Jackson, I’m so sorry,” I said, racing outside. “Are you okay?”

  Jackson sat up and removed his boot to examine his foot.

  “I think I’m okay,” he said, pulling his boot back on. “Lucky for me I’m wearing my winter boots.”

  “Lucky for you, Rooster didn’t train him to go for the face,” Josie said, shaking her head. “What were you thinking trying to walk in without letting us know?”

  “Well, just before I got attacked, I was thinking about how bad I needed to pee,” Jackson said, standing up. “But I think we can cross that one off the list.”

  “I’m sorry, Jackson,” I said. “I probably should have mentioned that Rooster was bringing Titan with him.”

  “Ya’ think?” Jackson snapped.

  “And it probably would have helped if you had told me that Jackson was out there,” Rooster said, glaring at me. “Titan could have done some real damage.”

  “Yeah,” I said, embarrassed. “I kind of whiffed on that one.”

  “Come inside, Jackson. I want to take a look at that foot,” Josie said.

  “Okay, thanks,” he said, glancing at Titan then at Rooster. “Should I pet him on my way past?”

  “You might want to wait a few minutes,” Rooster said, holding the growling Titan by his collar.

  Jackson carefully limped his way around the dog and came inside. Josie examined his foot and didn’t find any damage. But the boot had certainly seen better days.

  “Well, I guess it’s nice to see Titan that hasn’t lost his edge,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Maybe he can give you a few tips,” Rooster said, still grumpy.

  “I said I was sorry,” I said. “How many times do you want me to apologize?”

  “Just get started, and we’ll let you know when to stop,” Rooster said.

  “It’s really not my fault,” I said, pouting.

  “Disagree,” all four said in unison.

  Chapter 23

  Right after breakfast the next morning, we helped Alexandra load her car. I held the door open, and Lucky and Lucy hopped effortlessly into the backseat. Alexandra closed the hatchback and glanced around deep in thought.

  “I have the strangest feeling that I’m forgetting something,” she said.

  “Car keys, wallet, and your dogs,” Josie said. “That’s the important stuff. Anything else can be easily replaced.”

  Alexandra laughed and gave Josie a warm hug.

  “You’re too much,” she said, then frowned again. “I know I’ve forgotten something. And it’s driving me crazy.”

  “If we find anything, we’ll mail it you,” I said.

  “Thanks. If you do, please send it to my sister’s place in Saratoga Springs. My husband’s upcoming travel schedule is very heavy, so I’ll be staying with her until we get all this trouble sorted out. You’ll find the address on her website.”

  “Got it,” I sai
d, hugging her. “Thanks for everything, Alexandra.”

  “It was my pleasure,” she said. “I’m sorry you got dragged into my mess. And I’m especially sorry that all your efforts last night didn’t bear any fruit.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” I said. “If it had, Josie would have just eaten it all.”

  “You were so sure they were going to show up,” Alexandra said.

  “Yeah, well, it’s not the first time I’ve been wrong about something like that,” I said, shrugging. “But it was worth a shot.”

  “Well, I appreciate all the effort.”

  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” I said.

  “I’ll be fine,” Alexandra said.

  “I wish you’d reconsider our suggestion about hiring some security people to keep an eye on you.”

  “I’ll think about it,” she said, climbing into the driver seat. “But since they didn’t show up last night, maybe they’ve lost interest.”

  “Maybe. But just promise us that you’ll be extra careful,” Josie said.

  “I will,” she said, starting the car. “I need to get on the road if I’m going to get Lucky to his appointment on time.”

  “Have fun, Lucky,” Josie said, reaching through the window to stroke his head.

  “Stay in touch, and I hope we see you back here for next year’s show,” I said.

  “I would love that. Bye now.”

  She waved and headed down the driveway. We watched until the car disappeared from view and then started to walk toward the Inn.

  “She’s such a nice woman,” I said.

  “Yes, she is. But I can’t decide if she’s oblivious to the danger she’s in, or is just choosing to ignore it and hope it goes away.”

  “Yeah, I was wondering the same thing,” I said. “Would it be too much for us to call the people putting on the dog show in Massachusetts and give them a heads up?”

  Josie thought about it for a few seconds, then shook her head.

  “I think that might be crossing the line,” she said. “Alexandra’s a big girl, and, when you boil it all down, it’s really none of our business.”

  “That sounds a bit harsh,” I said.