Paw and Order

by V. M. Burns

  She walked over and gave me a big squeeze. “Mom, I love it. I think it’s perfect.”

  I released a breath and hugged her back. “Thank you, dear.”

  We put her luggage in the guest bedroom and then went to the back door.

  “This is probably my most favorite part of the entire house.” I opened the door and flipped on the lights so she could see the expansive, fenced in yard. The dogs were enjoying a game of chase. Eventually, they sniffed around and took care of nature’s call. Then, they joined us at the table.

  “This is surprising. It’s in the city, but it’s so private.” Stephanie sighed.

  “In the morning, we’ll take a quick tour of the neighborhood.”

  She hugged me again. “I can see you’re very happy.”

  “I really love living in Chattanooga.”

  She paused and then asked, “Weren’t you scared moving so far away from everything you know?”

  “I was at first, but…did I ever tell you about Miss Florrie?”

  Chapter 6

  Stephanie and I stayed up late into the night talking and getting caught up on the day-to-day mundane details you don’t mention in a casual long-distance conversation. She was quiet when it came to talking about her relationship with Joe, so I shared how Rex came to be living with me and the excitement we’d had earlier in the day.

  “Wow! What a day.”

  “You must be tired after your flight.” I showed her where the supply of extra linens, towels and toiletries were and left her to prepare for bed. Since I’d already gone to bed once, my preparations were short.

  Rather than crating the dogs, I pulled out a large dog bed and let Aggie and Rex cuddle together. They were asleep quickly and I quietly climbed into bed, hoping not to wake them. I’d deal with any cleanup from the puppy in the morning.

  I turned the television on and prepared to fall asleep to a rerun of Murder, She Wrote, when I heard a light knock at my door.

  “Mom?”

  “Come in, dear.”

  Stephanie, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, entered followed by Lucky. “Mind if I join you?”

  “Of course not.”

  She climbed in the bed and Lucky, ever the gentleman, waited patiently until I patted the bed. Then he jumped up and made three circles before finally settling down at Stephanie’s feet and resting his head on her leg while looking up at her with such love, that I couldn’t help but smile.

  She reached down and gave him a gentle caress. “Every time I look at him, I think how lucky I am to have him in my life.”

  I glanced over at Aggie and Rex who were curled up together in their dog bed. “I know the feeling.”

  After a few minutes, she opened up about her relationship with Joe.

  I listened quietly and patiently and silently prayed that I would know the right words to provide comfort, guidance or whatever she needed.

  The clue to the underlying problem wasn’t in the words she shared, but more in the silences and the slips that gave me insight into the real crux of the matter. When she had poured out her heart, I took a deep breath. “Honey, I wish I could tell you what to do, but I can’t. What I can tell you is that you aren’t me and Joe isn’t your father.”

  She looked up. “I didn’t mean—”

  I waved a hand to stem the flow of apologies. “I gave up my career as a CPA because I wanted to.” I sighed. “Sure, your father didn’t want me to work, but ultimately, I chose to quit and stay home and raise you and your brother and to be a housewife. I can’t blame your father for that, and I don’t regret the choice I made.” I smiled, realizing the truth behind the words. “If you want to continue your career, then I think you should. This is a completely different time that we live in now. Women today don’t have to make the choices that we did twenty-five years ago. Also, just because my marriage to your father didn’t last, doesn’t mean that’s what will happen to you and Joe.”

  “Mom, I know relationships are about compromise and I’m willing to make my share, but I don’t see why I should be the one to have to give up the most.”

  I smiled. “Honey, remember when I was telling you about meeting Miss Florrie on the train and how she helped me realize that I was holding onto the memory of what my marriage had been, rather than facing the fact that my marriage had ended long ago? Well, it was that conversation that helped me to let go of the past and the hurt and to move forward and look for my ‘happy place.’”

  She smiled. “I remember when you told me you wanted to sell the house and move to Chattanooga. At first I thought you were crazy, but you looked so happy.” She looked around. “Now, look at you. You moved six hundred miles away, you have two dogs and you’re involved in a new relationship.”

  I smiled at the thought of my new life.

  “You’ve found your happy place, haven’t you?”

  I thought for a moment. “Yeah, I think I have.” I turned to look at my daughter. “Now, it’s your turn. You have to decide what you want. You have to figure out what will make you happy. Do you want to continue living and practicing law in Chicago? Or, do you want to move back to Lighthouse Dunes? Or, maybe there’s another option?”

  She looked up at me. “What other option?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe, there’s some place in between Lighthouse Dunes and Chicago where you can both be happy.” I shrugged. “The world is wide open. You two are young and you can go anywhere you want. You could move to New Zealand or Paris or…anywhere.”

  She smiled. “I could get used to the warm weather here.”

  I smiled. “It didn’t take me long to adapt to warmer weather.” I sighed. “I guess, my point is once you decide what will make you happy, then you owe it to yourself to at least try.”

  “What if we chuck our jobs and move to Paris and we hate it?”

  I smiled.

  “What?” Stephanie asked.

  “I was thinking about how I asked Miss Florrie almost that exact question.”

  “What did she say?”

  “Well, Miss Florrie wanted to move to Chattanooga and open a restaurant.” I smiled. “When I asked her what she would do if she moved to Chattanooga and she didn’t like it, she laughed and said, ‘Baby, that’s easy. I’d keep trying until I find my happy place.’” I smiled at Stephanie. “So, I’m going to tell you the same thing. If you moved to Paris or New Zealand and you didn’t like it, then you could always come back or move someplace else. Moving doesn’t have to be permanent.”

  She snuggled close to me and closed her eyes. “I guess I’ll just have to figure out what will make me the happiest.”

  I kissed her forehead, turned off the television and went to sleep.

  A few hours later, my alarm went off which started a round of barking that was loud enough to wake the dead. I picked up the poodles, thankful that Rex had managed to sleep through the night without an accident and called Lucky to follow. I went to the back door and let all of the dogs out, and then hurried to take a quick shower and get dressed for the final day of the Poodle Specialty and fundraiser.

  One of the things I liked best about my neighborhood was the peaceful, remote feel of the street, but its close proximity to the city and amenities. Two blocks from my house was a post office and small shopping plaza with a yogurt shop, barber and pizza parlor. There were sidewalks, street lights, mature trees and lots of kids riding bikes and playing, all of which I deemed a positive. It was this proximity to what I deemed, civilization, that made me feel safe. I know some people, like my realtor Monica Jill, preferred living in the country with no neighbors and miles of farmland with cows, chickens and llamas. However, I found that isolation much more terrifying than any city street.

  I stepped out of the shower and was surprised to hear a cacophony of noise. I recognized Rex’s yap and Aggie’s growling bark along with a much lower more guttural sou
nd which I assumed came from Lucky.

  I quickly put on my robe, grabbed my phone and ran to the back door. I made it at almost the same time as Stephanie. We rushed outside in time to see Lucky pounce on a figure in black and roll him to the ground.

  The man screamed as Lucky bared his teeth and went for the man’s throat.

  Stephanie screamed, “Lucky, no!”

  Lucky halted but kept his gaze fixed on his prey, teeth bared, and even from twenty feet away, I could hear the growl rumbling from his belly.

  I looked around for Aggie who I expected to see in the heat of the battle. However, I was surprised to see her racing in circles around Rex. As I watched, I noticed that she was cutting her circles closer and closer, forcing the puppy further and further away from the fray.

  “I don’t know who you are, but this is private property,” I yelled. “What are you doing here?”

  I could hear the shaking in his voice. “Call off your dog.”

  Stephanie glanced at me and I nodded. “Lucky, come.”

  The golden backed up slowly, never removing his gaze from the man.

  Once the dog was far enough away for comfort, the man released a breath and climbed to his feet.

  Aggie herded Rex back to the deck so I was able to scoop both him and Aggie up in my arms. Once I knew the poodles were safe, I took a deep breath. “Now, who are you and what are you doing here?”

  The stranger took this opportunity to make a mad dash for the fence. Lucky took off after him, but the stranger made it in time and slammed the gate closed behind him. Within a few seconds, I heard a motor and tires racing off.

  Stephanie called Lucky and he trotted to her. She bent down and petted him. “Good boy.” She turned to me. “What was that about?”

  I shook my head. “I have no idea, but I better call Red.” I dialed his number.

  He bombarded me with questions, starting with, “Was it the same guy from yesterday?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Did you have the alarm on? How did he know where you lived? What did he want?”

  “No, the security system wasn’t on because I’d just let the dogs out to go potty. I don’t know if it was the same guy, so I don’t know how he knew where I lived. And I have no idea what he wanted.” I sighed. “Look, I haven’t had coffee today so if you ask any more questions, I’m likely to bite you.”

  He chuckled. “I’m sorry, but I want to make sure you’re safe. Since you won’t let me give you one of my guns—”

  “Absolutely not. I don’t like guns and I don’t want one.”

  “Alright, alright.” Even though I couldn’t see him, I knew he was holding up his hands in surrender. “Maybe I should stay there a few days, at least until we get to the bottom of what’s going on.”

  I smiled. “Thank you, but with Stephanie and Lucky here, I feel safe. I do appreciate your concern. You and Stevie are invited for dinner tonight.”

  It took a lot of convincing to prevent him from coming over immediately, but I assured him there was no rush. The stranger was gone. We were all fine and, after his encounter with Lucky, I doubted that the man would be foolish enough to come back. Nevertheless, I made sure all of the doors were locked and the security alarm was engaged.

  We chatted a bit longer, but then I reminded him about my need for coffee and the fact that I still had to get dressed.

  I hung up and turned to Stephanie who was sitting on the floor with Lucky.

  “Not a great introduction to my new neighborhood. I hope you won’t be afraid to come back and visit me again.”

  She smiled. “Mom, I live in downtown Chicago. You have to develop a pretty tough skin to live there. Besides, I pity the fool who tries to rob you.” She gave Aggie a scratch as the little dog tried to sneak in between Stephanie and Lucky’s love fest.

  “I don’t understand this. The neighborhood has always been so safe.” I shook my head. “I haven’t told Red, but I’ve even left my garage door open all night and even though there are still boxes from the move, no one bothered anything.”

  She laughed. “In Chicago, they would have stripped that garage like locusts.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small object.

  “What’s that?”

  “A taser.” She smiled. “You’re not the only one dating someone in law enforcement.”

  I shook my head. “I honestly don’t understand what’s going on. I love this neighborhood. I love being close to businesses and people and still having privacy.” I paused. “I know it isn’t as fancy as the subdivision where I was renting, but…it makes me happy.”

  “That’s what’s important.” Stephanie stood up and gave me a hug. “Besides, at least you haven’t found any dead bodies in this neighborhood.” She smiled before adding. “Yet.”

  I was silent for several moments.

  “I was just kidding, Mom.”

  “I’m sorry, dear. I was just thinking. You know, I don’t believe in coincidences, but I haven’t had any problems until Archibald Lowry was murdered two days ago. Since then, someone has tried to steal Rex and an intruder has gotten into my backyard.” I shook my head. “I may not have discovered a dead body, but I think I’m going to need to find a killer if I want to have peace.”

  “Alright, Sherlock.” She clapped. “Let’s get this investigation underway.”

  Chapter 7

  During my great house hunting expedition a few months ago, I learned that Monica Jill was fearless behind the wheel of a car. Whether climbing a mountain or navigating treacherous country roads, our intrepid realtor handled them all with style and finesse. Since we were both going to the dog show and she knew my fear of driving up mountains, she offered to pick me up. Being the coward that I am, I accepted. I knew she would be fine with Stephanie and Lucky coming along, but good manners demanded that I ask anyway. Southern hospitality forced her to have her husband wash her car, vacuum all of the dog hair, bake a quiche and pick up coffee for all of us before she picked us up. I truly loved the South.

  Monica Jill was as perky as ever when she arrived, but she wasn’t alone.

  “This beautiful young lady is Addison Abbott.” She glanced toward the back seat while she made a sharp turn and picked up speed to get onto the interstate.

  I grabbed the door handle and made sure my seat belt was securely fastened. Once we were cruising along with the other cars, I released my grip on the door. “Hello, Addison.”

  She giggled. “Please, call me Addy.”

  Addison Abbott looked to be about thirteen years old. She had long dark hair, dark eyes and long legs. She bore a slight resemblance to Monica Jill.

  “Are you related?” I asked.

  Monica Jill glanced at me briefly before crossing four lanes of traffic. “No, but thanks for the compliment. She’s absolutely gorgeous.” She chuckled. “Actually, Addy is the daughter of one of my coworkers, but she loves dogs and her dad was showing houses all day, so I suggested she come with us.”

  I tried to smile as Monica Jill veered back across four lanes of traffic, barely missing a semi, to take our exit. After a few moments, I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m sure we can use the help.”

  Addy snuggled the poodles close to her face. “I love dogs. I’ve got a big dog. She’s half boxer and half pit bull.”

  “My boyfriend has a pit bull mix too.” I opened my eyes and glanced at Addy. “His name is Steve Austin. You’re probably too young to remember a TV show called the Six Million Dollar Man, but—”

  “I know that one. My dad likes to watch old shows.”

  I tried not to notice the dig about the old shows. She was very young and to her, the eighties were probably ancient times. However, a sideways glance at Stephanie showed her fighting back a laugh. Thankfully, Addy was oblivious to any type of social faux pas.

  “My dog’s name is Mika
,” she continued.

  Stephanie smiled. “That’s a pretty name.”

  Once we left the interstate, Monica Jill stopped channeling Mario Andretti and I was able to open my eyes, release my grip on the handle at the top of the door that Red called the OH MY GOD handle, and enjoy the remainder of the drive. I learned that Addie was a straight A student who ran track and loved dogs. She reminded me a lot of Stephanie at that age.

  When we arrived at the site for the dog show, Monica Jill parked. We unloaded all of the humans and dogs and went to Dixie’s RV for breakfast. B.J. was already there when we arrived.

  B.J. yawned. “Pass the coffee and remind me again why I agreed to come to a dog show at this ungodly hour on a Sunday morning?”

  “How do you like your coffee?” Dixie asked.

  B.J. smiled. “I like my coffee the same way I like my men. Strong, dark and sweet.”

  Dixie smiled and handed her a cup, then slid the sugar container toward her.

  A long time ago in a land far away…or two days ago, before Archibald Lowry was murdered and someone tried to steal Rex and an intruder entered my yard, the members of Dixie’s Eastern Tennessee Dog Club training class had arranged to meet for breakfast in Dixie’s RV for last minute instructions. We all agreed to participate in a demonstration event showcasing the importance of training your dogs. This would be the first time that we would be showcasing what we’d learned in class outside of the ETDC training class. However, in light of recent events, I decided to use this opportunity to solicit help.

  “You agreed to do it to support a worthwhile cause,” Monica Jill reminded B.J. in her perky voice.

  Monica Jill was in full makeup, with perfectly straight hair which I knew was the result of over an hour with a flat iron each morning and she was wearing a designer sweat suit.

  B.J. looked as though she had just rolled out of bed. She had no makeup, was wearing a pair of old sweat pants with holes, a t-shirt and baseball cap. If looks could kill, Monica Jill would have dropped dead.