The Case of the Unfettered Utonagan

by B R Snow

  The Case of the

  Unfettered Utonagan

  A Thousand Islands Doggy Inn Mystery

  B.R. Snow

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are either used fictitiously or are the product of the author’s imagination. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written consent of the author. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher are illegal and punishable by law.

  Copyright © 2018 B.R. Snow

  ISBN: 978-1-942691-57-0

  Website: www.brsnow.net/

  Twitter: @BernSnow

  Facebook: facebook.com/bernsnow

  Cover Design: Reggie Cullen

  Cover Photo: James R. Miller

  Other Books by B.R. Snow

  The Thousand Islands Doggy Inn Mysteries

  The Case of the Abandoned Aussie

  The Case of the Brokenhearted Bulldog

  The Case of the Caged Cockers

  The Case of the Dapper Dandie Dinmont

  The Case of the Eccentric Elkhound

  The Case of the Faithful Frenchie

  The Case of the Graceful Goldens

  The Case of the Hurricane Hounds

  The Case of the Itinerant Ibizan

  The Case of the Jaded Jack Russell

  The Case of the Klutz King Charles

  The Case of the Lovable Labs

  The Case of the Mellow Maltese

  The Case of the Natty Newfie

  The Case of the Overdue Otterhound

  The Case of the Prescient Poodle

  The Case of the Quizzical Queens Beagle

  The Case of the Reliable Russian Spaniels

  The Case of the Salubrious Soft Coated Wheaten

  The Case of Italian Indigestion (A Josie and Chef Claire Sojourn)

  The Case of the Tenacious Tibetan

  The Whiskey Run Chronicles

  Episode 1 – The Dry Season Approaches

  Episode 2 – Friends and Enemies

  Episode 3 – Let the Games Begin

  Episode 4 – Enter the Revenuer

  Episode 5 – A Changing Landscape

  Episode 6 – Entrepreneurial Spirits

  Episode 7 – All Hands On Deck

  The Whiskey Run Chronicles – The Complete Volume 1

  The Whiskey Run Chronicles – The Complete Volume 2

  The Damaged Posse

  American Midnight

  Larrikin Gene

  Sneaker World

  Summerman

  The Duplicates

  Other Books

  Divorce Hotel

  Either Ore

  To all my readers

  You’re the best!

  Chapter 1

  I pushed myself up out of my chair and took baby steps across the office to adjust the thermostat. I turned the heat up then glanced out the window. Several dogs were wrestling and rolling around in the fresh snow that had fallen yesterday. I shivered at the thought of being outside, but the dogs either didn’t realize how cold it was or didn’t care. I leaned forward to pet all four house dogs who were sprawled out on the couch. Al and Dente, Chef Claire’s Golden Retrievers, were nestled close to each other and sound asleep. But when I scratched Al’s ears, he opened one eye, thumped his tail on the couch then drifted off. Chloe, my Aussie shepherd, was tucked up against Captain. The massive Newfie was snoring and dominating most of the couch.

  “You sure you guys wouldn’t like to go out and play in the snow?”

  Chloe looked up and snorted as if asking me if I was out of my mind. She stretched her front and back legs to the max then closed her eyes and tucked herself even closer to Captain’s chest.

  “Tough life you guys lead, huh?” I said with a grin as I sat back down at the desk.

  I rummaged through the drawers for something to eat but came up empty. I glanced at the small stack of paperwork and decided it could wait. My eyes landed on an Agatha Christie book I was halfway through. I was convinced I knew who the murderer was but kept reading since Agatha usually had something up her sleeve. I got through another chapter before the knock.

  “Come in,” I said as I dog-eared the page and slid the book to one side.

  Sammy entered, trailed by Dr. Lacey Adams. They both reacted to the temperature in the office and removed their coats. The dogs stirred, but apart from some tail thumps, stayed right where they were.

  “Hey, guys,” I said, gesturing for them to take a seat. “You finished already?”

  “Yeah,” Sammy said, remaining on his feet. “We didn’t dawdle while we were out there.”

  “You got that right,” Lacey said with a chuckle.

  “We toured as much of the shelter as we could,” he said. “But the drifts are pretty high in a couple of spots.”

  “Thanks, Sammy,” I said. “Appreciate you taking the time. I would have done it, but…well, you know,” I said, patting my enormous stomach.

  “No problem. I’ll leave you two alone,” Sammy said. “I’ve got some things to take care of.”

  “Thanks, Sammy,” I said. “I’ll see you before I head up to the house.”

  He departed with a wave and gently closed the door behind him.

  “He’s good,” Lacey said.

  “Yeah, we’re really lucky to have him. Jill, too,” I said, then shrugged. “In fact, all of our folks are great.”

  “How many staff do you have?”

  “Let’s see,” I said, doing the math. “Counting part-timers, we’re up to a dozen.”

  “Nice,” she said. “You said there are three assigned to the rescue shelter, right?”

  “Yeah. But a lot of the folks who work with the dogs help out down there when needed. And if the thing keeps growing, we’re going to need more.”

  “Hence, the decision to hire another vet, right?”

  “Not just another vet,” I said with a smile. “We’re hiring you.”

  Lacey beamed at me.

  “Can I ask how many people applied for the job?”

  “Geez, we had a bunch,” I said. “But a lot of them didn’t have experience with large animals.”

  “I still can’t believe you have an elephant,” she said. “There has to be a story behind that.”

  “Yeah. The circus came to town but left in pieces. Beulah needed a home, so we took her in.”

  “She seems to be doing well.”

  “Much better than she was with the circus.”

  “I know I should have asked already, but how the heck did you end up with an animal shelter?”

  “My mother owned all the acreage behind the Inn and couldn’t decide what she wanted to do with it. So, we eventually came up with the idea. It’s taken some time for it to grow, but the word has gotten out, and we’re getting all sorts of requests to take animals in.”

  “You have to be losing your shirt on it,” Lacey said.

  “You worried it might not make it?”

  “Well, yeah. A little,” she said, forcing a smile.

  “You don’t have to worry. The shelter’s set up as a non-profit, and my mother heads the board of directors. She has a lot of rich friends and isn’t shy about hitting them up for donations. The interest on the endowment covers the operating expenses.”

  “That’s good to know. Your mom must be a whizz at fundraising.”

  “Well, she doesn’t take no for an answer easily
. Trust me on that one.”

  “I can’t wait to meet her,” Lacey said. “Where’s Josie?”

  “She and Chef Claire went cross-country skiing.” I patted my belly and grinned at her. “Fortunately, I have a good excuse for not participating in that particular form of torture.”

  “Yeah, it’s never been my favorite either,” she said. “I prefer downhill. You know, let the mountain do all the work for me.”

  “Smart,” I said, nodding. “Do you have any more questions before you sign the contract?”

  “Just a few details. When would you like me to start?”

  “As soon as possible,” I said. “Josie’s been doing everything by herself, and it’s just too much.”

  “No problem. I’m ready to start anytime,” Lacey said. “But I need to find a place to live.”

  “I think we can help you with that. Our friend Rooster has a rental that’s vacant at the moment.”

  “Rooster?”

  “Yeah. You’re gonna like him. He’s as unique as his name. The house is only a two-bedroom, but it’s just you, right?”

  “It is,” she said, frowning. “I’m still between relationships.”

  “How long has it been?”

  “Over two years,” Lacey said. “After we broke up, I decided I needed a long break.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. What happened?”

  “Early on, I made one big mistake,” she said, shrugging.

  “Only one? That’s not bad. What was it?”

  “I believed him when he said he was going to leave his wife.”

  “Oh,” I said with a frown.

  “Yeah, the familiar, yet tragic, tale of a grad student falling for a professor,” she said. “I’m such a cliché.”

  “One of your professors?”

  “No, he was an adjunct professor at Copeland College while I was a vet student at Cornell. But he’s not there anymore. He and the Copeland administrators came to an understanding.”

  “It sounds like there’s more to the story.”

  “I’m sure there is,” she said. “But Jeremy wasn’t willing to share it. It’s pretty clear there was a lot of bad blood on both sides.”

  “When did he leave the university?” I said, doing my best to get comfortable in my chair.

  “It’s been awhile. I’d already graduated. And we were done by then,” she said, drifting off for a moment. “I met Jeremy when he was presenting his latest research at a faculty symposium. Soon after we met, I started working for him on a part-time basis.”

  “I don’t remember discussing that during the interview,” I said, searching my memory bank.

  “No, you guys spent most of the time asking about my internship in Africa.”

  “It was fascinating. Working with elephants and lions. What an experience.”

  “It was incredible.”

  “What’s his research focused on?” I said.

  “Wolves. Anyway, we started seeing each other, and it took off in a hurry. But soon, it was all downhill.”

  “Like skiing?”

  “Exactly. A black diamond run.”

  I chuckled and grabbed her contract from a drawer and slid it across the desk.

  “Here you go. Take all the time you need to look it over.”

  “Is it pretty much what we discussed during the interview?” Lacey said.

  “It is,” I said, rubbing my stomach. “Oh, I did add one job duty. I put something in about covering here at the Inn from time to time when Josie’s away. Or when we’re in Cayman during the winter.”

  “That’s fine,” she said, flipping to the last page. “We talked about that.”

  “But don’t be shy about taking a vacation,” I said. “Josie’s happy to cover for you. And if you both need to be away at the same time, we’ll find coverage.”

  “Okay, let’s do this,” she said, signing the contract and sliding it back to me.

  “Great,” I said, beaming at her. “Welcome aboard.”

  “Thanks, Suzy. I’ve been looking for something like this since I finished school.”

  “We’re glad we found you, Lacey,” I said, extending my hand. “A bunch of us are having dinner at the restaurant tonight. And Rooster will be there. He said he’s happy to discuss the house and give you a tour. And my mom will be there.”

  “Sounds good. What time?”

  “Around seven,” I said. “We usually meet in the lounge for a drink first.”

  “I’ll be there,” she said, getting to her feet. “And I’d like to start tomorrow if that’s okay.”

  “Perfect.” My phone chirped. “Hang on just a sec. It’s Josie.” I put the phone on speaker and set it down on the desk. “Hey, how’s it going out there?”

  “Chef Claire is a maniac,” Josie said. “I’m not going to be able to walk for a week.”

  “It’s good for you. It builds character,” I said, laughing. “You called just to complain?”

  “No, actually we need you to get a condo ready,” Josie said. “We’re bringing a new guest in.”

  “You found a stray out there?”

  “I’m not exactly sure what we’ve got. But she’s definitely on her own at the moment.”

  “What kind of dog is it?”

  “I think I’ll wait and surprise you.”

  “Okay, you’ve got my attention. Where are you?”

  “We’re about ten minutes out.”

  “Is the dog okay?”

  “She’s fine. But I will want to check her out. Could you have one of the folks get an exam room ready? And she’s going to need some food and a big bowl of water.”

  “You got it,” I said.

  “Oh, make sure the house dogs are in your office, and all the other dogs are in their condos. Just to be on the safe side.”

  “What the heck are you bringing in? Bigfoot?”

  “Funny. Okay, I gotta run.”

  “See you when you get here.”

  I ended the call and frowned.

  “The poor thing,” I said to Lacey. “What’s a stray doing out in the woods in February?”

  “It happens, right?” she said.

  “Yeah. But it’s pretty remote where they went skiing. The dog has to be a long way from home.”

  “You mind if I stick around until they get here?”

  “I’d be surprised if you didn’t,” I said, grinning at her.

  Chapter 2

  Chef Claire held the front door open as Josie led our new guest inside. The dog wasn’t happy being tethered to a lead, but tentatively walked into the registration area and surveyed the room. She was big, about eighty pounds, and had beautiful white and grey fur accented with black. Her green eyes pierced the air as she continued to take in her surroundings. I approached and tentatively extended a hand. The dog sniffed it then resumed her surveillance.

  “Is that what I think it is?” I said, glancing at Josie.

  “To tell you the truth,” she said, sitting down. “I’m not exactly sure.”

  “I don’t believe it,” Lacey said, slowly approaching the dog. “Akna?”

  The dog cocked her head at our new vet then sniffed and licked her hand. It sat down on its haunches and stared up at her.

  “Akna?” Josie said. The dog looked at Josie expectantly. “You know the dog?”

  “I think I do,” Lacey said, still stunned. “I recognize that white streak crisscrossing down her chest. Akna is an Alaskan name for goddess.”

  “This is weird,” Chef Claire said. “She’s not a wolf, is she?”

  “No,” Lacey said. “Well, maybe a little.”

  “I think we’re going to need a bit more, Lacey,” Josie said.

  “She’s a Utonagan,” Lacey said, rubbing the dog’s ears.

  “How did you pronounce that?” Chef Claire said.

  “You-ton-are-gan,” Lacey said, enunciating each syllable. “It means the spirit of the wolf.”

  “I remember,” Josie said, nodding. “The breed was created
in England, right?”

  “Yes,” Lacey said. “The Utonagan was originally created by breeding Huskies, German Shepherds, and Malamutes with different mixed-breed dogs.”

  “Dogs as a science experiment?” Chef Claire said, frowning.

  “Yes, I’m afraid so,” Lacey said. “A lot of the breeding practices have been controversial. The original idea was to create a dog that looked like a wolf but had the gentle nature of a domesticated dog.”

  “Well, this one isn’t what I’d call domesticated,” Josie said. “At least, not completely.”

  “I think Akna might have some percentage of wolf in her,” Lacey said. “I’m not sure how much. I can’t believe it’s her. She was just a pup the last time I saw her.

  “Okay, I gotta ask,” I said, staring at Lacey. “How the heck do you know the dog?”

  “Because of Dr. Jeremy Peters,” she said.

  “Why does that name sound familiar?” I said, searching my memory bank.

  “You’re probably thinking of Peters’ Hybrid Consortium,” Lacey said.

  “From your resume,” Josie said. “You worked there for a while.”

  “I did. He’s a famous researcher.”

  “Your ex-boyfriend?” I said.

  “Yeah, that’s him,” Lacey said. “He’s one of the leading experts in grey wolves.”

  “No, that’s not where I know his name from,” I said, concentrating hard.

  Sammy entered the registration area and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the dog.

  “Where the heck did you find her?” he said, slowly approaching the Utonagan.

  “Near Sebastian Pines,” Chef Claire said.

  “I was about to get her dinner ready, but thought I should check to see what you want to use.”

  “Let’s go with the high protein, large dog formula,” Josie said. “And a big bowl of water.”

  “You got it,” he said, heading back into the condo area.

  Josie stroked the dog’s back and gently probed her ribs.

  “She’s a little emaciated. Probably hasn’t eaten for a few days,” she said, studying the dog closely. “What the heck was she doing out in the middle of the woods?”