Lost and Found

by Margaret Lake

  “I read your ad about the dog. Is it still available?”

  “Yes. May I have your name, please?” the woman asked quietly.

  “Michael. Michael Broderick. I work for the newspaper.”

  “Oh, yes. I’ve read some of your stories.”

  “Then you know who I am. I promise, I’m reliable and trustworthy and everything a good scout should be.” Even though he knew the woman couldn’t see him, he made the scout’s honor sign out of habit.

  “Do you live in an apartment or a house?” she asked.

  “Oh, a house. With a big back yard. Fenced and everything.”

  “Sammy is small, only twelve pounds, but he does like to run.”

  “Sammy. I like that. So, just what is a mini-poo-chi?” Michael asked.

  “Why don’t you come over and see for yourself?” she laughed.

  “I’ll do that,” Michael smiled, liking the woman’s voice and her laugh. “I’m free right now.”

  Michael wrote down the directions and said he’d be there in fifteen minutes. As he turned away to spruce himself up … needed to look his best if he was going to convince this nice lady to give him her dog … he realized he hadn’t even asked her name.

  Reporter. Sure, he snorted to himself. Sap is more like it. Well, impulse or not, I have a good feeling about this.

  * * *

  Less than an hour later, Michael was home with Sammy. Now he knew what a mini-poo-chi was, but could he explain it to his sister? Yup, she was home, and he knew she wouldn’t approve of his latest snap decision. Then again, Mia would be moving out pretty soon and this decision would only concern her for a couple of weeks.

  “Mims!” he yelled as he walked through the door. “Hey, Mimsey. We’re home!”

  Michael held the twelve-pound bundle of fluff in his arms, but as soon as Sammy saw his sister, he whined and struggled to get down.

  “Oh, a puppy!” Mia squealed, dropping to the floor to let Sammy crawl into her lap. “Is he for me? What’s his name? Wherever did you get him? The girls will just adore him.” Mia paused her exuberant rush of questions. “Oh, but Michael, you shouldn’t have. I mean, a puppy will take a lot of care and we’ll be very busy getting things set up.”

  “Then it’s a good thing I got Sammy for me,” Michael laughed. “I’m the one who’s going to be left all alone in this big house.”

  Her hands stopped petting for a moment. “Oh, Michael, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think. But still, a puppy is a lot of work.”

  “Not a puppy at all. He’s three years old and completely house trained. His owners got transferred overseas and won’t be able to take him. They’re absolutely heartbroken, but I promised I’d take the best care of the little guy.”

  “And you’d better,” Mia threatened, her eyes narrowed. “Or I’ll be snatching him away from you.”

  Sammy had thrown himself onto his back, his fluffy tail fanning the air, whining for a belly rub.

  “He is just so adorable,” Mia gurgled. “But what is he? I mean, his coloring, all cream and brown and tan, is so beautiful, and that long, silky hair. What kind of mix is he or do you even know?”

  “Sammy is a mini-poo-chi and before you ask, they had his DNA done. Miniature poodle, chihuahua and some terrier thrown in.”

  “Wow! That’s some mix. He’s going to require a lot of grooming, you know.”

  “I know.”

  “And a lot of attention.”

  “I know that, too. They told me he’s very vocal. I said that he just needs someone to talk to and since communication is my business, we’d have no problem getting to know each other.”

  Suddenly, Sammy rolled back onto his feet, dancing and whining as Michael laughed.

  “Okay, little guy. Outside it is.”

  Sammy raced through the farmhouse style kitchen, heading by instinct to the back door. He was so cute, sitting there patiently with his curly tail going a mile a minute. As soon as Michael opened the single French door, Sammy raced outside to either do his business or lay claim to the back yard. Or maybe both.

  “See? Communication.”

  * * *

  The next morning promised to be a busy one. It seemed Sammy was not an early riser. In fact, it looked like he was a bit of a lazybones. He was content with a good scratching until Michael was dressed and ready to let him outside.

  Coffee was brewed and Michael brought his first cup outside to sit on the back porch, happy to watch Sammy explore. When it was time to go inside, Sammy stood on his hind legs, resting his paws on Michael’s knee and butting his head under Michael’s hand.

  When they went inside, Sammy sat patiently while Michael filled his food and water bowls. When Sammy didn’t move after his breakfast was ready, Michael scratched his head wondering what he was waiting for.

  “Are you off your feed, little buddy? Missing your folks?”

  Sammy just laid down, his head between his paws, but he didn’t look unhappy. He looked … expectant … like he was waiting for something.

  “It’s okay to eat, Sammy, really it is.”

  It seemed that’s all it took. Permission.

  “So, are you guys still communicating?” Mia teased as she came into the kitchen.

  “You bet we are,” Michael beamed. “He’s very polite. He waited until I figured out he wanted me to tell him to eat. Crazy.”

  “Maybe not. If there were other dogs in the house, having to wait for the okay would probably keep them from fighting over the food.”

  “Now look who’s communicating,” Michael grinned, pleased with his sister’s insight. She was such a brainy little thing. He wondered what she was going to do with her college degree besides teach Tae Kwon Do. But that was a conversation for another day. Those thoughts were interrupted by his cell phone ringing and Michael was surprised to see it was Chief.

  “Hey, Chief. Got something new for me?”

  “Always the reporter,” Andy chuckled. “Couldn’t I just be calling to invite you two for Sunday dinner?”

  “No. We always come over for Sunday dinner. So, what’s up?”

  “Another one turned up,” Chief said on a sigh. “A woman this time.”

  “Hold on,” Michael interrupted. He put Chief on speaker and grabbed his tablet, moving into the dining room. “Okay, what condition was she in?”

  “Different. Fully dressed and clean, but the clothes didn’t fit. Too big. No idea who she is or even where she is.”

  “No ID then?”

  “Not a clue. I’ll need you to run her photo, too. I’ll text it to you in a minute.”

  “Any leads from the old man’s photo?”

  “It’s only in today’s paper. I’m hoping the wires will pick it up, and I emailed it to all the TV stations in a fifty-mile radius.”

  “You’ll do the same with the woman’s photo, right?” Michael asked.

  “Yes. We need to get everyone on board with this. There’s something really hinky about this whole setup.”

  “I know,” Michael replied absently. He’d need to go full tilt on this himself. “One more thing, Chief. Where’d you find this one?”

  “You know that old Victorian between the bakery and the gas station?”

  “Uh, very well, as it happens.” Michael paled as he looked at his sister. He could see her in the kitchen, still playing with Sammy and hopefully, hadn’t been paying any attention to his conversation with Chief.

  “Well, she was sitting on the front porch steps, smiling away, moving her hands like she was knitting.”

  “Knitting, huh?” Michael had to think. Was it significant that the woman was alone in front of the house Mia and her friends would be renting? Did it have anything to do with the fact that her brother was a reporter and her stepfather was the chief of police?

  “Anything else?” Michael asked, clearing his throat and his mind. Time to put on his reporter hard hat and look at this situation with an investigative eye.

  “That’s it on this one,” Chief re
plied. “But Doc said they should have lab results back on the old man this afternoon or tomorrow morning.”

  “You’ll let me know?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. We might need to hold some things back from the press.”

  “Aw, come on, Chief. Family, right?”

  “Not at the moment,” Andy said seriously. “But come Sunday dinner, you might be.”

  “Way to arm twist, Chief. I’ll let Mia know. Oh, and we might be bringing a guest. His name is Sammy, and he’s a very fussy eater.”

  Michael waited until he’d hung up the phone to let out his laughter. It wasn’t often he had the last word with the Chief, but this was one of them.

  But now, what to tell his little sister? Best to get it over with, he thought, walking back into the kitchen.

  “Okay, big brother. Give,” Mia glared at Michael. She knew that half-secretive, half-sheepish look of his and her hands would have been on her hips if they weren’t full of adorable dog.

  “That was Chief. They found another one.”

  “A body?” Mia asked, face pale.

  “Why must your first thought always be a dead person?” Michael shot back, hoping to put his sister on the defensive so he could leave without giving her the whole story.

  “I’ll play. Another elderly person wandering around the woods dressed only in a hospital gown, filthy, bruised, with no memory.”

  “Close. Very close. Not filthy and Chief didn’t say anything about any bruising. I’m on my way to the clinic now to talk to Doc.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Mia declared, her foot tapping impatiently.

  “Gee, I’d rather not leave Sammy alone his first day here and you two sure have bonded.” Michael knew the signs. He could tell Mia saw right through him and wasn’t about to let him keep her in the dark.

  “So, we’ll take him with us.”

  “Mia, I’m sure they won’t allow Sammy in the clinic and we’re not leaving him in the car. You know how dangerous that is.”

  “Alright. You win,” Mia sighed. “I’ll take Sammy with me to the house. Anna is meeting us there with the keys so we can take some measurements.”

  “No!” Michael all but shouted. “I mean, don’t you think you’re jumping the gun? The owner hasn’t agreed to make the repairs, has he?”

  “What is it, Michael? What aren’t you telling me?” Mia asked, narrowing her eyes at her brother.

  “Nothing. Nothing at all,” Michael stammered. “I just don’t want to see you put a lot of work into the place until you know you can get it.”

  “Maybe,” Mia conceded, but the visible look of relief that crossed his face made her spidey senses tingle, and when it came to her brother, Mia’s spidey senses never failed. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

  “Come on, Mia. You’re just being sensitive. I’ve fully accepted that you’re moving out which is why I got Sammy, so I wouldn’t be so alone when you leave.” Michael allowed a plaintive note to creep into his voice, hoping to play on his sister’s sympathy.

  “Well, it had to happen eventually, and maybe you’d be the one going off on your own first, big brother.”

  “Never happen,” he declared, moving to her side and kissing her on the forehead. “Sammy, sorry to leave you, pal.”

  Michael gave Mia’s shoulders a squeeze and scratched Sammy’s head, then quickly made his exit.

  Mia opened her mouth to argue further, but Michael was already shutting the door firmly behind him. “Guess it’s just you and me, Sammy,” she muttered. The little dog whined and licked her chin and Mia had to laugh. She’d be sorry to leave him behind when she moved out, but she’d be sure to assert her auntly visitation rights.

  Mia poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the wide-plank kitchen table their father had lovingly crafted for them. That’s when she noticed Michael’s tablet sitting on the table. He’d forgotten it in his rush to leave her behind. And that had been his intention all along. To leave her behind. But why?

  But now Mia had an excuse to follow him. It was fate, right? Michael couldn’t object to her doing him a favor, and even if he did, too bad.

  Chapter Four

  Michael drove straight downtown, heading first for the house where the woman had been found … the house his sister intended to live in. Hopefully, it was just a coincidence that the latest victim had been found there.

  But his hope of keeping Mia in ignorance until he could find out were dashed when he saw the SUV with the realtor sign on it parked across the street. The whole house had been roped off with crime scene tape and across the street was the only available place to park. Worse, Jessica and Ashley were both there, talking to Anna.

  Michael finally parked a block away and, on his way back to the house, he passed the Coffee and More bakery.

  Time for a little bribery, he thought. Coffee and some of those little pastries ought to do it. Although what he was bribing them to do, he didn’t know.

  “Ladies,” he nodded, looking serious. It wasn’t the time to smile. “Thought some coffee would help.”

  “Do you know what’s going on, Michael?”

  “Nothing you need to worry about, Annie,” he assured her, passing around the bag of pastries.

  “Then it’s safe for us to move in here?” Ashley looked at him anxiously, biting her lip.

  Michael couldn’t help but notice the casual outfit Ashley wore compared to the power suit Anna habitually wore. Hadn’t Mia told her that Ashley designed and sewed all her own clothes? If the simple blouse and shorts in a becoming leaf green Ashley was wearing right now were any indication of her talent, she was going to be a very successful designer.

  “As safe as anywhere else downtown.”

  In fact, even though Chief was treating this lady as part of the same case, this one was clean and dressed and had probably just wandered away from a private home. As soon as her photo was published and the news broadcast across radio and TV, someone would come forward to identify her.

  No, that wasn’t right. If this woman was so well cared-for, why hadn’t someone reported her missing already? And that’s why Chief was handling it the same as the other three lost and found seniors. A chill passed over Michael when he thought that maybe it wasn’t so safe to be living in the Victorian after all.

  Before he could tell them what he’d been thinking, Mia pulled up in her Mini Cooper. “Is this a private party or can anyone join in?”

  Mia’s pleasant smile didn’t fool Michael one single bit. She wasn’t just angry, she was boiling.

  “Where’s Sammy?” he asked, hoping to distract Mia from her mad.

  “Asleep right beside me.” Mia smiled again, but this time, she meant it. “He’s such a lazybones. He was excited about going for a car ride, but we didn’t make it around the block before he was sound asleep.”

  “Who’s Sammy?” Anna asked, leaning on the open window.

  “My new best friend,” Michael said with a grin. Sammy finally woke up, and with his paws on the window, whined for Michael to give him some attention.

  “What is he?” Jessica asked, brushing pastry crumbs from her fingers. “I mean he’s cute as a button, but he must be some crazy mix.”

  “He’s a mini-poo-chi,” Michael replied, scooping Sammy out of the car window. “And before you ask, that’s miniature poodle and chihuahua with some terrier thrown in.”

  The three women gathered around Michael, petting Sammy and cooing, making kissy noises to get his attention. Even Jessica’s ice-blue eyes softened to something more like the blue of a summer sky.

  The little guy is definitely a chick magnet, Michael thought, but he really had eyes only for Anna.

  “I’ll just find a parking space,” Mia muttered in case anyone was actually paying her any attention. It was only then that she noticed the crime scene tape surrounding their house with a uniformed officer keeping looky-loos away.

  So, this is what Michael was keeping from me, Mia thought grimly. Did he think
I couldn’t handle it? It was bad enough that another senior was dropped off here, but it’s not like someone was murdered. At least she hoped that wasn’t the case. So, park first, then big brother had better be giving her some answers.

  By the time Mia got back to the group, Sammy was fast asleep again, this time, much to Mia’s annoyance, in Anna’s arms. First, she moves in on my brother and now my dog, Mia fumed. Forget dropping by Mom’s house. I’ll be calling her first chance I get. Not that I don’t want Michael to find someone to be happy with, but not on my time and not with my friends. It was the first time Mia had thought of her realtor as also her friend, but the idea didn’t surprise her at all. Four strong, independent business women. It was only natural that they’d all be friends.

  “Hey, Mia,” Michael spoke quickly to stop Mia from spitting fire. “I was just waiting for you to get back before filling everyone in on what Chief told me.”

  Mia’s only response was a glare that would have melted ice, but she held her tongue to give Michael a chance to come clean. And he’d just better not hold anything back. She’d know if he had.

  “You know Chief called me this morning,” he nodded at his sister. “We’ve known him all our lives and six months ago, he married our mother.”

  “Michael,” Mia hissed a warning.

  “Just giving them some background, Mia,” he soothed, holding up his hand. “They need to know why Chief would call me and not just because I’m a reporter.”

  “Thank you, Michael,” Anna interrupted. She, too, could see that Mia was boiling and might erupt at any minute. “Every bit of information helps us see the whole picture.”

  Michael shot Anna a grateful look and continued.

  “I’m not telling you anything that won’t be in the papers or on the radio so I’m not breaking any confidence. I’ll report more fully than they can when I write up the story for my paper.”

  “It’s another one of the old folks, isn’t it?” Mia asked, her eyes wide, her anger nearly forgotten in her concern for this unknown lady. “And they found her at our house, didn’t they?”

  “Yes, Mia. That’s exactly right. Or almost exactly right. She was fully dressed and clean and sitting on the porch steps, pretending to knit with her hands.”