“I’m not sure.”
“I couldn’t quite tell due to his, er, heft.”
“I’ll have to check with my sister,” I said and thanked Dr. Exi for his time. Then we returned to the waiting room.
“Do we really need to pick up a brochure?” Marshmallow asked as we stood near the wall display of glossy pamphlets. Scanning the titles, I located the one about eating a balanced diet. Another brochure caught my attention because of the variety of animals gracing its cover: ferrets, mini pigs, and hedgehogs. The title read, “Do You Want an Exotic Pet?”
I skimmed through its text. Aha. I knew how to help Alice and where I’d be going during my lunch break.
CHAPTER
twenty-four
I SHOWED UP AT Roosevelt Elementary and marched right over to the principal’s office. As a deliberate choice on my part, I entered without knocking.
Principal Hallis looked up from her paperwork. She frowned at me, making ugly lines appear around her mouth.
Before she could speak, I said, “You gave my sister a pink slip, and I heard those can be retracted.”
She steepled her hands. “I’ll probably let her finish out the year since I hate disrupting schedules. However, I don’t think we’ll have the resources available for her to return next term.”
I planted my palms smack down on the edge of her desk. “Alice was the only teacher you gave a slip to. And she’s not even the newest staff member hired at this school.”
She shrugged. “Alice has the wrong personality for this institution. She’s too cheerful.”
I huffed. “She teaches kindergarteners. Those kids are all about smiles and fun.”
Principal Hallis tsked. “The children are here for their education.”
I straightened upright and picked up her framed photo of the hedgehog. “You’re as prickly as your pet.”
That made her smile, a slow, saber-toothed grin.
I pointed at the picture. “How about we make a deal?”
She crossed her arms and leaned away from me. “What could you possibly have to offer me? Do you think you might groom my hedgehog in exchange for letting your sister stay?”
I plopped the frame back onto the desk. “You don’t seem like someone who would appreciate kindness as a bargaining chip. I have another deal in mind. How about I don’t report you to the authorities?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “I’m not following.”
Whipping out the exotic pets brochure I’d taken from the vet’s office, I flipped it to a specific page. Pointing at the text, I said, “Hedgehog pets are illegal in California.”
She drew in a sharp breath. “Nobody told me that when I moved states.”
I tapped my head and repeated something I’d heard from Josh before. “As the saying goes, ‘Ignorance of the law is no excuse.’”
Her nostrils flared. “Fine. I’ll keep your sister on.”
“I thought you’d come around.” I left without shutting her door.
The receptionist raised her eyebrows at me in the school office. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, I had a lovely chat with Principal Hallis.”
I tossed the pet brochure into the recycling bin. The receptionist’s eyes flicked toward the glossy paper. I gave her a little wave as I proceeded outside into the golden sunshine.
* * *
• • •
Five minutes after I returned from my successful visit with the principal, Indira showed up at Hollywoof. Even Marshmallow didn’t have time to settle into his prime real estate spot by the window. He remained sitting at my side as she walked in.
Marshmallow made a choking sound. “What is she wearing?”
Indira flashed me a brilliant smile. “Like my new look?”
I assumed she wasn’t referring to the moisture-wicking clothes she had on. She wore something strange across her chest. “Is that a giant fabric pocket?”
Ash popped her head up from the holder as Indira nodded. “It’s the prototype for my new puppy pouch. What do you think?”
I touched the stretchy fabric. “It’s got a nice feel.”
“Lycra,” she said, “but I’m thinking about using other materials in the future.”
I peeked at Ash. “She looks very comfy in there.”
“That’s the whole point. Plus, renting a doggie wheelchair would cost a fortune.”
I stroked Ash’s soft head. “Thanks for coming by, Indira. How can I pretty her up today?”
“Oh, she doesn’t need anything done.” Indira moved over to a wall rack and examined the leashes there. “I’m here to discuss a business proposal with you.”
I drew alongside Indira and stared at the merchandise. “Meaning?”
“Imagine,” she said with a flourish of her hands, “a beautiful display of handmade puppy pouches.”
I did have some extra wall space I could cover with new goods. “Go on.”
“It’s a win-win. I supply the products, and you sell them. We’ll do an eighty-twenty split . . . in my favor, as the creator.”
“What about fifty-fifty instead?”
“Sixty-forty, final offer.”
“Uh, maybe,” I said. “But who would buy them? People like walking their dogs and getting exercise.”
“Not owners with pampered pups who like to tote them around. And”—she rubbed the tip of Ash’s ear—“not people with injured dogs.”
I gazed into the puppy’s warm brown eyes. Ash didn’t whimper, but it was hard to tell how she felt. “Is Ash doing all right? Did you save up enough money for her surgery yet?”
“I did.” She tossed her hair. “The pool party was a smashing hit.”
I bet Lauren’s extra donation had tipped the scales. “Did you set up an appointment for the procedure, then?”
“I’ve interviewed all the surgeons within a five-mile radius. I’m looking for the best deal. Know what’s funny? I ran into Tammy at one of them.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, at the Surgical Center for Canine Companions. She seemed to be having a heated discussion with the receptionist.”
“Did she see you?”
Indira harrumphed. “She avoided me. When I greeted her, she put on a pair of giant sunglasses and walked right past me. She actually sniffed as she walked by, like she couldn’t stand my presence.”
“How odd.”
Indira shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time I was given the brush-off by the rich.”
“Don’t you run with the same crowd? I thought you took those fancy classes, like at Downward Doggie?”
“None of the others are nice to me, except Lauren. Even with my fancy house, I’m not good enough for the lot of them. Not old-money rich enough.” She tugged at a lock of her hair. “The worst people are the ones who marry up, like Tammy. At least I worked hard to get to where I am. I didn’t need to trap a wealthy man.”
“Having your own business is tough,” I said, gesturing to my shop. “I mean, look how many customers I have strolling through the doors.”
“Don’t let them take you down,” Indira said. “Keep at it.”
“Thanks.” I lifted my chin. We sisters in business really should support each other. “And I’ll take ten puppy pouches to start.”
“Deal,” she said, shaking my hand. “I’ll swing by when I have them all sewn.”
“Looking forward to it.”
I watched Indira leave with her usual poise.
“That’s moxie,” I said to Marshmallow. “She succeeded on her own terms.”
“You can do it, too,” he said. “I’ve seen you at work. Great grooming.”
My heart melted. “You do have a sweet side, Marshmallow.”
“Yeah, well. It must take mad skills to make even dogs look somewhat presentable.” Then he
crept over to his usual spot and curled up for a nap.
CHAPTER
twenty-five
JOSH AND I agreed to do an evening video chat to keep in touch as his work continued to spiral out of control. We’d never get to connect otherwise, despite living in the same complex. His schedule had flipped to extreme hours; he left early in the morning and returned super late at night. Besides breakfast, he ate all his meals at his desk.
On-screen, he shifted the fast-food bag out of the camera’s eye, but not before I caught the distinctive yellow arrow and red lettering.
“In-N-Out?” I said.
He gave me a sheepish grin. “Good food at a low price point.”
“Maybe you need to eat on a budget. With the hours you’re putting in, you’re probably making below minimum wage.”
“Tell me about it. I don’t have the heart to do the actual calculations.” He edged his bag back into the frame and opened it. “Hope you don’t mind,” he said. “I’m famished.”
I lifted up my own microwaved burrito in camaraderie. “Here’s to a romantic dinner.”
He chewed on a fry. “I confess. I grab In-N-Out sometimes because it reminds me of our first date.”
“Yeah, we’re really living it up with our dining exploits.”
Josh creased the top of the white take-out bag. “I swear we’ll go on a proper date when I get some free time. And, um, after I secure approval.”
“From whom?” I bit into my burrito. The steaming cheese almost burned my tongue.
“Your family, of course. I still need to redeem myself in their eyes.” He ducked away from the screen, and I heard some private munching.
I used the time to take a few big bites of burrito myself. Then I said, “Don’t worry. You’ve got a second chance, because Family Game Night is coming around again.”
His head came back into view. “Really? Let me block out the date now. Can you give me the lowdown of what goes on during the game night?”
I took a few slow bites, chewing as I thought. “Okay, here’s the deal. We enjoy playing the games, but that’s really secondary to the snacks. Getting together is probably an excuse to chow down.”
“Oh, is it a potluck?”
“No.” I looked at the ceiling. “Actually, Ma and Dad always provide the food. Alice and I show up to eat and play.”
“Huh.” He threw a few fries into his mouth.
Was he wondering how spoiled we Lee sisters were? Maybe I should impress him with my latest selfless feat. “Speaking of Alice, guess what? I got her job back.”
“That’s wonderful. Did the school get extra funding?”
“Nope. I outwitted the principal.” I proceeded to tell Josh about her illegal hedgehog and my threat.
He plugged his ears with his fingers. “I’m not hearing this. I don’t want to know about people breaking the law, even in small ways. And I can’t condone blackmailing.”
I sighed. “I’m usually Miss Nice, but sometimes that works against me. I mean, look at the mess I’m in from merely placing a call to the police to help out little puppies.”
Josh rubbed the back of his neck. “You know, I still haven’t read through that entire lawsuit yet. But Tammy’s name did crop up in a different context.”
“How so?”
“My clerk friend told me about a divorce filing he ran across . . . for Tammy and her husband.”
“Oh no.” I left the last bites of my burrito untouched.
“It’s too bad when marriages split,” Josh said. Ooh, he was a romantic.
I wondered how Tammy felt about the separation. Was it a marriage based on money, like Indira had suggested? Or had Tammy believed in the fairy tale—only to have it shattered?
Indira said Tammy had brushed her off at the surgeon’s office. Was it due to the haughty attitude of the entitled? Or did the oversized sunglasses, sniffles, and brittle attitude mask a broken heart?
“Maybe I should see how Tammy’s doing,” I said.
“You’re sweet,” Josh said. “Too late to check on her now, though.”
“Right, but I have an idea where I might find her in the morning.”
We said goodbye and blew kisses to each other.
Afterward, I checked Armstrong Academy’s online calendar. Though the school offered an e-blast, parents must have also enjoyed having duplicate paper copies, because tomorrow’s activity involved stuffing folders.
* * *
• • •
When I waltzed into the cafeteria, I saw flyers positioned on the long tables. They were stacked in separate neon-colored piles. Three ladies led the paper charge—two collated while the third stuffed the papers into student folders. I didn’t recognize any of the women.
The lady with the folders looked up and squinted at me. “You look familiar. Soo Yi, right?” She enunciated her words. “Welcome to America.”
I suppressed a groan. The woman seemed to have me confused with an immigrant mother. Must be that all Asians looked the same to her.
Although . . . could I use her confusion to my advantage? At least she’d welcomed me into the group. I didn’t correct the woman, waiting to see how things would unfold. She soon waved me over to sit down and help stuff papers.
I copied her movements, wondering how much English my immigrant doppelgänger knew. I ventured forth a word: “Tam-my?”
The women paused in their actions and gave one another snide looks. The collating lady said, “Tammy is sick.”
The other women snorted, and a firestorm of gossip erupted. They probably thought my “foreignness” meant I wouldn’t be able to understand their rapid chatter:
“I knew it would come to this. She hasn’t worn her wedding band in months.”
“That was quick. Didn’t they get married last spring? At least she’ll come out all right. He must make a fortune.”
“Didn’t you hear? He drew up an ironclad prenup.”
“What an idiotic idea she had for a fundraiser. A pet show?”
“That dog was probably the last straw. Rumor has it the pup destroyed his wallet.”
The last lady lowered her voice and muttered, “And I, for one, can’t wait for her PTA presidency to end.”
With that final statement, we finished organizing the papers and folders. The other women set out to deliver the packets to the designated classrooms while I digested everything I’d heard.
Sounded like Tammy had been experiencing marriage woes for a while now and Kale had pushed things over the edge. With all that she had going on, I was surprised Tammy had gathered the mental energy to show up at the surgical center. It must have been important—and I wondered about the heated discussion Indira had witnessed.
CHAPTER
twenty-six
FROM HOLLYWOOF, I made the phone call to the Surgical Center for Canine Companions. As I waited for the line to ring, I grabbed a microfiber cloth and started cleaning around the store.
After the tenth ring, a woman picked up and said, “SCCC, can you please hold?”
“Sure.” The place must get busy. Why didn’t more of those local pet owners make their way over to my shop? I dusted the TV screen with extra vigor.
When the hold Muzak ended, the woman said, “Thanks for waiting. How may I help you today?”
“I need to confirm an appointment, but I can’t remember the date. It’s a surgery for my Chihuahua, Kale.”
“Let me look that up for you, ma’am.” A pause. “I’m reading the notes in the computer system. We will be able to issue you a refund—”
I fumbled the phone. “Excuse me?” The kerfuffle at the center. Tammy must have been trying to get her money back.
“We realize that it’s a stressful time for you, given your difficult personal situation.”
“Oh. Thanks for understanding.”
/> “Certainly. However, when we called your home number . . .” She clucked her tongue. “We got your, um, husband on the line. He insisted on keeping the surgery and paid for it out of his own pocket, mentioning how much his daughter adores Kale.”
“I see.”
“Well, glad we cleared that up.” Her voice burbled on. “Kale’s set for the nineteenth, then. Two in the afternoon. We’ll be sure to give you a reminder call the day before.”
The woman hung up. Was Tammy in so much emotional distress that she hadn’t wanted to go through with helping Kale? Not that I blamed her. Taking care of a recovering puppy during major life changes could only add extra stress.
I relayed my thoughts to Marshmallow. He didn’t say anything, but he twitched his whiskers at me.
* * *
• • •
After two shampoo appointments in the morning, my customer before lunchtime wanted to get her Havanese braided. Twisting the dog’s locks, I remembered the fun I’d had creating plaits in my little sister’s hair. The repetitive motion reminded me of happy childhood times.
The client also seemed pleased with the results. She gave me a large tip and took several business cards, promising to recommend me to her friends.
As I started to close down for lunch, someone burst into my shop. Maybe I could stay open a little bit longer. I did need the business.
But when I looked beyond my first impression of disheveled hair and a rumpled outfit, I realized I recognized the newcomer. “Nicola?”
She looked a mess and so unlike her usual sleek self. In her arms, she carried Sterling. “I came as quick as I could. You have to help me, Mimi.”
I saw her red-rimmed eyes and knew she’d been crying. “Is it the puppy?”
“No.” She gripped Sterling so tight, even that patient puppy whimpered. I extracted him from her arms and set him down on the ground. He wagged his tail at me.
I guided Nicola over to the nearby bench to rest. “What’s going on?”
Mimi Lee Gets a Clue Page 20
