by Wilder, L.
“Bret-ter.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.” I walked over to the edge of her bed and smiled as I said, “I was worried about you.”
“I o-kay. Momma took me to da hos-pit-tle.”
“She told me. I’m glad that the doctor was able to make you feel so much better.”
Her lips pursed into a pout. “He not nice to Momma.”
“I heard about that. I’m sure it’s just because he was worried about you. Not that it’s any reason for him to be rude to your mother.” When I saw that she was holding the same little gray elephant that she’d shown me the last time I was there, I asked, “How’s Bella doing?”
She glanced down at the stuffed toy and smiled, “She’s ti-erd.”
“Well, I’ll let you two get some rest.” As I started towards the door, I told her, “I’ll be back in a few days to see how you are doing.”
“Bye, Ms. Lan-dree.”
“Bye, sweetie.”
I left the Strayhorn house feeling pretty good about things. While there was still a lot of work that needed to be done, I felt like I’d made some real progress. I hoped I would have similar luck when I went to see Mr. Coburn. He’d been dodging my calls all week, but after l left a message threatening to get the police involved, he finally answered. He agreed to meet with me to discuss the accusations that had been about him, but he made it crystal clear that he wasn’t happy about it. Even went as far as to say that he’d prove whoever had filed the report was lying, but I wasn’t so sure. I’d seen the dejected look in Katie’s eye when she told me how her father behaved when he drank. I tried to remind myself that I needed to keep an open mind as I drove towards his house. I pulled up in his driveway and spotted a man sitting on the front porch. When I opened my car door and got out, he stood and started walking towards me.
Reeking of alcohol and cigarettes, a fake smile crossed his face as he extended his hand and said, “Hello, you must be Ms. Dawson.”
“I am.” I studied his face as I shook his hand. He looked a little different than he had in his driver’s license picture, older and heavier, and there was a large snake tattoo on his forearm, but I could tell from his short curly hair and beady brown eyes that it was, indeed, Mr. Coburn. “And you must be Mr. Coburn.”
“You can call me Chris.” He motioned his hand towards the house as he said, “Would you like to come inside?”
“It’s such a beautiful day.” I wasn’t feeling too keen on the idea of being alone with him, especially after he’d been drinking, so I suggested, “Would you mind if we just talk on the porch?”
“Sure, that would be fine.”
As I followed him up to the house, I noticed there was a motorcycle parked in his garage and an assortment of tools scattered around the ground. Remembering that Clay had a similar motorcycle in the back of his truck on the night we met, I considered asking Mr. Coburn about it, but decided against it when I spotted a bottle of bourbon tucked behind a dead potted plant. There was no doubt that I had, in fact, smelled alcohol on his breath, and I wasn’t interested in making small talk with a man who’d been drinking at such an early hour, especially under these particular circumstances. Once we were both seated, I took my journal and a pen out of my satchel and jotted down the date and time. “As we discussed on the phone, I’m here to talk to you about an allegation that came into our office early this week.”
“Yeah, I remember ... but like I told you on the phone, that shit wasn’t true. I’ve never had my daughter blow into my breathalyzer for me, and I don’t drink and drive anymore. I learned my lesson about that shit.”
“Do you have any idea why someone would make a report like that?”
“I got no fucking idea. If I had to guess, I’d say it was my daughter who made that shit up,” he snapped.
“And why would she do that?”
“Cause she got pissed at me and decided to make up some bogus story to get back at me.”
“Okay.” I did my best to keep my tone nonthreatening as I asked, “Why was she angry?”
“Well ... she ... uh ...” he stammered, “she was late coming home from school, so I grounded her.”
I took a moment to write down what he’d said, then asked, “How late was she?”
“An hour or so.” He cleared his throat before saying, “She had me pretty worried.”
“I’m sure. Did she mention why she was late?”
“I don’t know. Something about missing the bus.”
I knew he was lying. I could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes, so I kept pushing. “If she missed the bus, how did she get home?”
“I guess she walked.”
As I wrote myself another note, I gave him another little nudge. “The school is over seven miles away from here. It would’ve taken her hours to walk from there to here.”
“Then, I guess she caught a ride.”
“Oh, I see.” I jotted another note, then asked, “Any idea who she got the ride from?”
“I don’t see what any of this has to do with anything!” he argued. “The point is, Katie is a fucking liar. Why don’t you write that in your goddamn notes?”
“There’s no reason to get upset, Mr. Coburn. I’m just trying to get a grasp on why Katie would make up a story like this, especially when it pertains to her father. In my experience, kids don’t do that unless there’s a really good reason.”
“I just told you the fucking reason, lady, but you aren’t listening!”
“Do you still have the smart start ignition interlock installed in your car?”
“Yeah. Stuck with that shit for another four months,” he admitted. “Why do you wanna know?”
“You had it installed because you were convicted of a DUI. Is that correct?”
“Yeah.”
“If you are found guilty of drinking and driving again, you could end up serving up to a year in jail, lose your license, and possibly be fined up to thirty-five hundred dollars, correct?”
I could tell he was starting to lose his patience when he snarled, “Yeah, I guess.”
“I’d say that’s a pretty good reason not to get caught again.” I waited for a moment, and then I went for it. “So much so, a person might even get a friend or a family member to blow for them to ensure the car’s ignition interlock system isn’t triggered.”
His eyes narrowed as he growled, “I know what you’re getting at, and I done told you that Katie was lying about that. I don’t even drink anymore. Haven’t touched a drop since the night I got arrested.”
“That’s great.” I kept my voice calm and steady as I asked, “Would you be willing to take a breathalyzer test to prove it?”
“Now?” he asked with surprise.
“If you don’t mind. It would really help with my report.” I reached into my bag and pulled out the portable breathalyzer I’d brought from the office. “It’s the same kind that police officers use when they pull someone over. Once you blow, I’ll record the reading, and we’ll go from there.”
“Fine. Just give me the damn thing.”
I pressed the button to power the device, and once the indicator light came on, stating that it was ready to test, I instructed, “Okay, I need you to blow into the mouthpiece and don’t stop until I tell you to.”
He did exactly as I said, and when I told him to stop, he pulled his mouth away from the breathalyzer. I could feel the tension radiating off him as he waited for the results. He knew what was coming. While he’d managed to carry on a conversation with me, I’d caught a few slurred words. That, along with the fact that he reeked of the stuff, made it less of a surprise when he blew a .11 blood alcohol content. I jotted down his results, and since he’d already shown signs of agitation, I figured it was best for me to get the hell out of there. I calmly placed the test and the rest of my belongings into my bag and stood. “I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today, Mr. Coburn. Our conversation was very insightful.”
I gave him a quick smile, the
n started down the steps and towards my car. I’d hoped that he wouldn’t come after me, but I wasn’t that lucky. “Wait! What did it say?”
“I’m sure you know exactly what it said, Mr. Coburn.” I opened my car door and quickly got inside. Before I closed it, I told him, “I have another appointment, but I’ll be in touch.”
“So, that’s it?” His face grew red with rage as he roared, “You’re not even going to give me a chance to explain.”
“I gave you a chance, Mr. Coburn.”
I closed the door and started my car, and as I went to back out of the driveway, he slammed his fist into the hood. I didn’t stop moving, fully aware of what would happen if I did, and rushed back to my office. While I didn’t have enough evidence to have Katie removed from the home, I did have enough to warrant a few surprise home visits. I had to make sure that Katie wasn’t in any danger, but after what occurred today, I wouldn’t be going back to that house alone. I’d have a police escort accompany me to ensure the safety of both Katie and myself.
When I got back to the office, I went straight to my desk and started working on my reports. Once I was done, I decided to go through my messages and cringed when I came across several missed calls from the animal clinic. I figured they were checking to see if I’d found anyone to take Duchess. I’d called everyone I knew, pleading with them to help me out, but no one was interested in taking on such a large dog. I wasn’t ready to give up just yet, so I’d been dodging the clinic’s calls. Sadly, it looked like my time was running out, and I’d have to take her to the pound like the vet had suggested. Accepting defeat, I picked up the phone, dialed the number to the clinic, then said to the receptionist, “Hi, this is Landry Dawson. I’m calling about Duchess.”
“Okay, how can I help you?”
“I just wanted to let you know that I haven’t found anyone to take her, so I’ll to have to bring her over to the pound.” Disappointment washed over me as I said the words. “I’ll be by there after work to pick her up.”
“I’m not sure I understand, Ms. Dawson. Duchess was already picked up last night.”
“What? By who?”
“Memphis Animal Control shut down a big puppy mill a couple of days ago, and they brought the dogs here to seek medical attention. We were running low on space and no longer had room to kennel Duchess for you. We tried calling several times, but when we couldn’t reach you, we contacted Mr. Hanson. He came and picked her up last night.”
“Really?”
“Yes, ma’am. He also took care of the bill.”
“Oh, I had no idea. Thank you for letting me know.”
“No problem. I hope you find a good home for her. She’s such a great dog.”
“Thank you. I hope I do too.” I was about to hang up when I realized I had no way of contacting Clay. “Hey … Do you happen to have Mr. Hanson’s number?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I’m not allowed to give out personal information.”
“But—”
“I’m really sorry.”
With that, she hung up the phone. Damn. Now what?
Prospect
“What’s the deal with the mutt?” Rider asked as he stepped over her and made his way to my station. “She your new sidekick or something?”
“No, not exactly. Just keeping an eye on her for a friend.”
He crossed his arms as he leaned back against the counter and studied me for a moment. “This friend wouldn’t happen to be the chick you helped out the other night, would she?”
“Yeah, that’d be her.”
“And this is the dog she hit?” Without giving me a chance to answer, he glanced down at Duchess and said, “Man, she’s a big one.”
“That she is, and she’s only a pup. Still got a lot of growing to do.”
“Damn. What kind of dog is it?”
“She’s a Great Dane, Rottweiler mix.” I glanced down at Duchess. She was lying down with her head perched high, her black coat glistening under the bright lights of the garage, and her big black eyes were staring right at me, like she knew I was talking about her. I couldn’t get over it. That crazy dog was the most easy-going, trusting animal I’d even been around—something I wouldn’t have expected from a stray. “Apparently, it’s an expensive breed or something. At least, that’s what the vet told us.”
“Seriously? Why would anyone would wanna mix a Dane with a Rot?”
“Couldn’t tell ya, but she’s a damn good dog.” I turned my attention back to the tailgate I’d been working on. “Hasn’t moved from that spot since we got here.”
“How long you planning on keeping her?”
“Just a couple of days ... maybe more. Depends on how long it takes Landry to find someone to take her.”
“She isn’t gonna keep her?” he asked, sounding surprised.
“Can’t. Her apartment doesn’t allow pets.”
Rider leaned down and started stroking her head. “She’s a pretty thing. Shame she can’t keep her.”
“She wanted to, but her hands are tied.” I shrugged. “Maybe she can find a home for her.”
“Gus okay with you keeping her at the clubhouse?”
“Yeah, he was cool with it as long as she doesn’t interfere with my prospecting ... which it won’t.”
“I didn’t figure he’d mind, but it was good you checked with him.”
“I had my doubts, especially since she’s so fucking big, but you should’ve seen him when he laid eyes on her for the first time.” I chuckled as I went on, “He actually wanted to keep her for himself, but Samantha wasn’t having it. Said between Harper and a new grandkid on the way, they had enough on their plate, but I’m hoping he might be able to talk her into it.”
“Why don’t you just hang on to her?” Rider stood up, but didn’t take his eyes off Duchess. “You’ve been talking about getting a place of your own. Might be nice to have a dog around when you do.”
“I thought about it, but not sure I’ve got the time or the patience.” I took another quick glance over in Duchesses direction, and just like all the times before, she was still staring right at me. “But I gotta admit, she’s growing on me.”
“I can see why.” Rider finally turned his attention away from the dog and over to me. “Before I forget, come by the house after work tomorrow night. Darcy’s making dinner, and I’ve got some things to go over with you before our run on Monday.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Yo, Rider,” Blaze called from his office. “You got a minute?”
“Be right there.” He turned, and as he started towards Blaze’s office, Rider looked over to me and said, “You should keep her. Chicks love dogs.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Once he was gone, I tried to turn my focus back to my work, but my head just wasn’t in it. I was too distracted by that damn dog. It wasn’t her fault. Hell, she hadn’t made a fucking peep since we got to the garage, but every time I looked at her, I thought about Landry. I should’ve touched base with her the night before to tell her that I had Duchess, but I knew what would happen if I heard her voice. I’d want to see her, be close to her, and finally get that kiss I’d been thinking about since I’d last seen her. I had hoped that putting a little time and space between us would’ve helped make things easier. It hadn’t. In fact, it only made me want to see her even more. In my gut, I knew another day wasn’t going to change that, but each time I went to grab my phone to call her, I found another reason to put it off. I was starting to run out of excuses.
“Yo, Clay, there’s someone here to see you!” I heard Blaze call out to me.
“Who is it?” I asked as I turned and started towards the office but stopped the second I saw the scowl on his face. He was standing next to Landry, and it was clear that he wasn’t happy about her coming to see me at work. I hadn’t given her my number or the garage’s address, so I had no idea how she’d managed to find me. I continued towards them and tried to collect myself, but I was rattled by the situa
tion. My tone sounded harsher than I intended when I asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I was looking for you.”
“But how did you know where to find me?”
“I have my ways,” she answered with a nervous smile.
Before I could respond, Blaze interjected, “I take it you know her?”
“Yeah, her name is Landry.” Seeing the curiosity in his eyes, I added, “She’s here about the dog.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll let you two get to it, then.”
With that, he nodded and headed back into his office, leaving us alone to talk. Landry looked amazing in her black dress pants and fitted teal sweater. It was damn near impossible not to just stand there and soak in her curves. Hell, I probably would’ve still been gawking at her if she hadn’t finally spoken. “I talked to the animal clinic, and they said you had Duchess. Is that right?”
“Yeah. They ran out of kennel space because of some puppy mill or something. They called me when they couldn’t get in touch with you.” I motioned my hand over to my station where Duchess was still lying on the floor. “She’s been hanging out with me ever since.”
“I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
The second Duchess spotted Landry, she started wagging her tail so hard her entire body shook. I figured she’d get up and rush over, but surprisingly enough, she remained seated in her spot. I leaned down and patted the side of my leg, then called, “Duchess! Come here, girl.”
Still sore from the accident, it took her a moment to get up, but once she was on her feet, Duchess trotted over to me and leaned her head against my thigh, panting as I rubbed her head. Landry knelt down beside her as she whispered, “Hey there, sweet girl.”
