by B R Snow
“Can we open presents tonight?” Camila said, glancing at her sister for support.
Teresa glanced at Rocco who smiled and shrugged.
“Sure. Why not?” Teresa said. “What do you have to say to Mrs. C. and the girls?”
Both girls approached us individually, offered their thanks, and gave us warm hugs. Then they said their goodbyes to all the dogs.
“Thanks, again,” Teresa said. “We’ll see you in the morning. You ready to go, Rock?”
“I’m ready,” Rocco said, standing up. “Thanks so much. This was great. Merry Christmas.”
“Same to you, Rock,” I said, grinning at the nickname.
“As in, he’s my rock,” Teresa said, squeezing his hand.
“Got it,” I said, nodding. “See you guys tomorrow.”
We watched them head across the lawn toward their car. Rocco grabbed the bag of gifts, seemed surprised by the weight and glanced back at my mother with a shake of his head at her generosity, then put the bag in the trunk. They drove off, and we all sat back to enjoy the sudden quiet. A gentle breeze had kicked up and carried the scent of a wide variety of plants and flowers that surrounded the property. I closed my eyes and let my senses run wild.
Even if this place wasn’t actually paradise, I’d be willing to bet I could see it from here.
A few minutes later I opened my eyes when I heard my mother collecting the plastic bowls and spoons we’d used for the ice cream. She stacked them up in her arms and then began heading for the house. She seemed to miss a step, stumbled forward, then dropped the bowls. They bounced off the tile work surrounding the pool, and she scooped down to pick them up. Without thinking, I hopped up from my recliner.
“Let me help you, Mom,” I said, bending down to grab one of the bowls.
“Why thank you, darling,” my mother said, taking a step to one side to give me room.
As I brushed past her, she gave me a hip-check, and before I knew what hit me, I was suspended in mid-air, then fell into the pool with a loud splash. The dogs took it as an invitation for a late-night swim and jumped in to join me. Soon, I was splashing and trying to fend off six dogs who all wanted to play and were vying for my attention. I stood up in the shallow end and brushed my soaked hair away from my face as I glared at her.
“You’re really not funny, Mom.”
“Disagree,” all three of them said in unison, roaring with laughter.
Chapter 6
We ushered all four dogs outside to the patio and turned on the overhead misting system we’d had installed that lowered the external temperature by almost twenty degrees. We filled several water bowls, made sure there was an ample supply of dog toys nearby, double-checked to make sure all the gates were secured, and then said goodbye to them.
“Okay, guys,” Josie said, opening the patio door. “Try to stay out of trouble.”
“Do you think they have any idea how good they’ve got it?” I said, laughing as I followed her back inside.
“You bet they do,” she said. “You don’t see any of them trying to get away, do you?”
We headed for the garage and hopped into the jeep my mother had lent us. I waited for the garage door to open then backed out and headed down the driveway that was surrounded on both sides by multicolored bougainvillea. We made our way through the traffic that was light and dominated by tourists in rental vehicles who seemed unsure of where they were going. Ten minutes later, I pulled into a parking spot in front of the one story concrete and stucco structure that was still gleaming white in its newness. We hopped out of the jeep and glanced up at the sign that read Cayman Animal Care and nodded, liking the way it looked.
I was about to climb the short flight of steps when I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. I stopped and turned around.
“What is it?” Josie said, following my eyes.
“Over there,” I said, nodding my head in the general direction. “Somebody is watching us.”
Josie stared, then frowned.
“He’s got binoculars on us,” she said, putting her hands on her hips.
“Yeah, so I see,” I said. “That’s just rude. Let’s go check it out.”
We both started walking across the parking lot, then the man holding the binoculars lowered them and tossed them aside. He started the car and did a quick U-turn. Soon, the car disappeared from sight.
“Weird,” Josie said, glancing over at me.
“That’s the word for it,” I said, my neurons firing with no particular destination in mind. I shook my head to clear it. “Why would anybody be following us?”
“I have no idea,” I said, heading back toward the steps, deep in thought. “Maybe he wasn’t watching us.”
“You think somebody might be keeping a close eye on Teresa?” Josie said.
“I guess it’s possible,” I said, shrugging. “But why would anybody do that? She runs an animal shelter.”
“Maybe an unhappy customer?” Josie said.
“Like what? A disgruntled chicken owner?” I said, laughing.
Josie glanced back at the spot where the car had been parked. “Disgruntled. Good word.” She continued to stare off into the distance deep in thought.
“What’s the matter?” I said.
“I’m just wondering if gruntled is a word.”
“I guess it must be, right?” I said, shrugging. “You really couldn’t be disgruntled unless it was also possible to be gruntled.”
“What does it mean?”
“The opposite of disgruntled, I imagine.”
“Thanks for clearing that up,” she said, reaching for the front door. “Allow me to get the door for you. I’ll be most gruntled to do that.”
We stepped inside and glanced around the spacious registration area that was similar to the one at the Doggy Inn back home. The walls were bright white and adorned with several framed photos of animals and people enjoying their company. We heard noises coming from the back of the building, and we made our way down a hallway. We found Teresa chatting with a couple of workers who were putting the finishing touches on the section of the shelter devoted to cats. I knew this because of the sign above the door that read Cat Land.
My powers of deduction are matched only by my ability to read signs.
Several spacious cages, each one outfitted with a litter box and a scratching post, stretched out along one wall. There was also a common area for the cats that was basically a huge cage that contained multiple levels of resting places that would comfortably house dozens of felines.
“Hey, I didn’t hear you come in,” Teresa said, turning toward us. “Frank, why don’t you and Wally head outside and check on the bird sanctuary? I’m expecting a couple of peacocks to be delivered soon.”
“You got it,” the man called Frank said. He nodded at his co-worker, and they disappeared through a door.
“Peacocks?” Josie said, raising an eyebrow at me. “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
I laughed.
“Somebody found them on the side of the road the other night,” Teresa said. “They’re supposed to be pretty tame, but apparently they had a heck of a time catching them. The owner was probably someone who thought it would be a great idea to have pet peacocks, but then didn’t have a clue how to take care of them.”
“Or the birds lost their cool factor, and they lost interest,” Josie said, shaking her head. “People do some of the strangest things when it comes to animals.”
“Speaking of people doing strange things,” I said. “Somebody was watching us through a pair of binoculars when we got here.”
Teresa flinched then glanced back and forth at us.
“Did you get a good look at him?”
“How did you know it was a he?” I said, frowning.
“Let’s call it a lucky guess,” Teresa said, shaking her head. “What kind of car was it?”
“It was an old Mercedes,” I said.
“A silver one?” Teresa s
aid.
“Yeah. You know who it was, huh?” Josie said.
“My ex-husband,” she said, glancing down at the floor. “He showed up a few weeks ago.”
“He’s been away?” I said.
“Nothing gets past you,” Josie said, snorting.
“Shut it.”
“Yes, he’s been gone for over a year. Supposedly working on some big real estate deal in the Bahamas.”
“He works in real estate?” I said.
“Man, you’re on fire today,” Josie said, chuckling.
“I said, shut it.”
“Gavin likes to think so,” Teresa said, heading for a door that had a sign on it that read Dog World. “He’s always working on some deal he thinks is going to make him rich and famous.”
“Why is he keeping an eye on you?” Josie said. “You said you’ve been divorced for years.”
“We have,” Teresa said, stepping inside the section of the shelter designated for dogs. “And he’s always kept his distance. He’s never even been interested in seeing his daughters.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “Your girls must be devastated by that.”
“They were at one point,” she said, frowning. “And we’ve had many tearful nights. But now, they seem to have accepted it. Or at least resigned themselves to it.” She exhaled loudly and sat down on a large box. “I do my best not to trash him in front of the girls, but sometimes it’s hard. How do you explain to two young girls that their father is a self-centered loser who is only concerned about himself?”
Josie and I let her question pass without comment. Teresa stood and began giving us the tour of the dog area. It was spacious, and I was impressed with how it had turned out. She then led us outside where a fenced paddock, about an acre in size, sat directly behind the shelter.
“For horses, donkeys, whatever,” she said, shrugging. “And maybe the occasional pig. I’m still not sure how many large animal strays we’ll get, but the girls have horses, and we couldn’t leave them behind.”
“It looks great,” Josie said. “And you’ve got the contract done with Dr. Seltzer?”
“Yes, we got it done over the phone and on Skype. And she seems wonderful,” Teresa said. “Where on earth did you find her?”
“I went to vet school with her. She was working in Florida, but I’d heard she wasn’t very happy where she was. And as soon as I mentioned moving down here, she was all over it. You two are really going to hit it off.”
“She should be here in a couple of days,” Teresa said. “I can’t wait to meet her.” She led us to an area next to the paddock that had a massive netting over it that reminded me of a batting cage. “And this is the bird and reptile sanctuary. In my old place, people were always bringing wounded birds to me, and I felt bad that I didn’t have a way to take care of them. But this should do the trick.”
“It’s really nice,” I said, taking the space in. “You’ve done great work, Teresa. What do you need from us?”
“Not much, really, Suzy,” she said. “You’ve both done so much already. But you’ll be here for the grand opening, right?”
“Of course,” Josie said, nodding. “We wouldn’t miss it.”
“Especially since it’s a catered event,” I said, glancing at Josie.
“Funny.”
“Can I ask you why your ex-husband is keeping such a close eye on you all of a sudden?” I said.
“I think it has something to do with the fact that he showed up at your new restaurant a couple of nights ago looking for me.”
“Okay,” I said, frowning. I had no idea where the conversation was going. The restaurant wasn’t even open for business yet.
“He came in right after the work crew went home, and Rocco and I were sitting at the bar getting…a little friendly. If you know what I mean.”
“Got it,” I said. “And your ex didn’t like the fact that you were with another man?”
“No, not at all,” Teresa said. “He flipped out, started screaming in my face, then grabbed Rocco by the arm.”
“Uh-oh,” Josie said.
“That was a big mistake,” I said, shaking my head at Rocco’s probable reaction.
“Rocco really didn’t hurt him, although I didn’t know an arm could bend that far without breaking,” she said, grimacing at the memory. “But more than anything, Rocco embarrassed him. And Gavin’s ego simply couldn’t handle it. He left, but he made it clear that he’d be keeping a close eye on me. I’ve seen him lurking around a couple of times since then, but I didn’t know he was hanging around the shelter.”
“Would you like us to have a chat with the police?” I said. “My mother is pretty tight with them.”
“No, I’d rather not at the moment,” she said. “I’m sure he was just blowing off steam. Gavin’s pretty harmless.”
“How can you be so sure of that?” Josie said.
“Because he’s always been all talk and no action,” Teresa said. “And Rocco definitely made quite an impression on him.”
“Yeah, Rocco’s very good at that,” Josie said. “But don’t be shy about asking for help if you need it.”
“I won’t,” she said, brushing her hair back and looking around. “I can’t believe we’re ready to open.”
“The place looks amazing,” I said, unable to shake the idea of Teresa being stalked by her ex-husband. “Why is he back on Grand Cayman?”
“I have no idea,” she said, shrugging. “But I’m sure he’s working on some deal that’s destined to bring him fame and fortune.”
Then she laughed, but I couldn’t help but notice the hint of despair that was mixed in.
“We need to get going, Teresa,” I said. “We’re supposed to meet my mom at the vet’s office.”
“Thanks for stopping by,” she said. “And please thank her again for me. You guys and your mother went way overboard on the girls’ presents.”
“Hey, we were delighted to do it,” I said. “I’m glad they enjoyed them.”
“It was way too much,” she said, smiling. “But thank you. By the way, was Santa good to you?”
I glanced at Josie and shook my head.
“I knew there was something we forgot to do.”
Chapter 7
Dr. Yuri Wallace was a tall, jovial gentleman with a Colonel Sanders beard and a piercing look that drew you in and made you pay attention. We found him in one of the exam rooms at his clinic chatting and laughing with my mother. The King Charles Spaniel was resting comfortably on a padded exam table, and he stood and wagged his tail when we entered the room. We both said our hellos to the dog then shook hands with the elderly vet I placed anywhere between sixty and eighty. Josie and I gave my mother a hug, then sat down and looked around the room. Photos of Dr. Wallace with a wide variety of people and their pets adorned the walls, and it appeared that the smile he was giving us might be permanent.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” he said, glancing back and forth at us. “And I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it to the barbecue yesterday. I had an emergency surgery on a Dachshund who thought it would be a good idea to pick a fight with a Blue Iguana.”
I remembered reading about the native lizard that had almost become extinct but had recently been making a comeback due to the work of some organizations dedicated to saving the species.
“Gotta love the Dachshunds. Those little guys can be fearless,” Josie said, shaking her head. “How big was the lizard?”
“Almost four feet,” Dr. Wallace said. “Usually, the lizards will do everything they can to avoid trouble, but the dog got him cornered.”
“And?” Josie said.
“And the dog almost got his face bit off,” he said, shrugging. “But the Dachshund got a few good licks of his own in.”
“Are they okay?” Josie said.
“I’m happy to report that both the dog and lizard are resting comfortably,” he said with a booming laugh. “But in separate cages. You must be Josie Court.”
“I am,” she
said, bowing slightly.
“I’ve been doing some research on you,” he said, studying her closely.
“Why would you do that?” Josie said, raising an eyebrow at him
“As soon as I heard that you and Suzy, it is Suzy, right?” he said, smiling at me.
“It is,” I said, returning his contagious smile.
“Your mother has told me so much about you.”
“I wouldn’t put too much stock in what she says, Doc. She’s a drinker.”
“Funny, darling.”
Our banter got another burst of laughter out of him.
“As I was saying, as soon as I heard the two of you were building a new shelter, a magnificent gesture on your part, I decided to take a look into your background. It isn’t often a new vet shows up, and I’m always on the lookout for talented people to help me out when I get overloaded.”
“How sweet,” Josie gushed.
“There’s really nothing sweet about it,” he said, shrugging. “You graduated top of your class, I can’t even count the number of awards you’ve won, and you could have gone anywhere, but you decided to open your practice as part of…what do you call it, a dog hotel?”
“Doggy Inn,” Josie said.
“And now you’re opening an animal shelter here on Grand Cayman,” he said, beaming at both of us. “You’re obviously not doing that for the money. I’m impressed by that. With both of you.”
Josie and I blushed. If this guy acted this way with people, I could only imagine how good he was with animals. Then he focused on the King Charles that continued to sit quietly on the table and stare up at us with those big brown eyes.
“Now, about this little guy,” he said. “I think your initial observations were correct. He appears to be mildly concussed, but the good news is that I don’t think his retina is detached. And his left pupil appears to be returning to normal.” He rubbed the dog’s head then looked at Josie. “Why did you feel the need to bring him to me?”
“I don’t do much work with eyes,” Josie said, suddenly uncomfortable. “And I certainly don’t do eye surgery, so I thought an ophthalmologist should take a look at him. Just in case.”