Left Fur Dead

by J. M. Griffin

  “Where?”

  “My niece stopped by for supper the other night and we got to talking about the shop. She had her iPad with her and opened the YouTube channel. She showed me a variety of projects made with different-sized needles and hooks, so I thought we should have some for sale. You don’t mind, do you?”

  I shook my head. “Not at all, it’s just that we should have a few display projects to create interest, and time is running short.”

  “Not to worry on that count, I have a couple friends who are making shawls, bags, and hats to place beside the yarn. They knit and crochet quite fast.”

  Bun, who had remained quiet until now, entered the conversation. “Is there any angora to be used for a project?”

  In answer to his question, I said, “I’d especially like to have something made from angora.”

  Lizzy nodded. “I’d considered that and gave one of the girls a skein to knit a cloche. It’s going to be gorgeous.”

  “Isn’t she brilliant?”

  I nodded. “Wonderful, I think you’re on top of things, more so than I.”

  “Thanks. Now let’s get the rest of this merchandise on display so I can go home. I’m exhausted. Thank goodness the promo we’re doing at the office is nearly over. The boss has us running around like crazy people.”

  “You will be available next weekend, though, won’t you?”

  “That’s the plan. Have you gotten any responses from the cards you put out and invitations sent?”

  “Not unless there are messages waiting for me in the house. I’ve only just put out the cards, which are very well done, thank you. I spent part of a day taking care of that end of things and doing chores here as well. I figure word will spread pretty quickly.”

  I mentioned Fred’s construction of Jessica’s vet clinic and showed the progress he’d made in just one day.

  Thrilled to see how quickly the project was coming along, I watched when Lizzy whirled in place to see all and everything that had been accomplished.

  “He’s amazing. Where is Jess, by the way?”

  “Her car is gone, so she’s left for her clinical rotation. Jess has worked so hard, and with her own vet clinic project underway, she’s somewhat stressed.”

  “Don’t worry, she’ll be just fine.” With a glance at her watch, Lizzy exclaimed she had to leave and rushed out the door with a promise to come back the next day.

  I waved as she backed out of her parking place and drove helter-skelter down the drive and onto the road. Bun stood at my feet, staring out the door, and then said, “All that fresh air and hard work has left me hungry. Can I have something to eat?”

  After locking up and shutting lights off in the clinic and the shop, we walked into the barn, double-checked the rabbits should any of them need anything, and then went on through the breezeway into the house.

  Having settled in for the evening, I listened to my phone messages and then opened the laptop to check my email, wondering if there’d been any responses to the postcards I’d spread around town. I thought it unlikely, but was pleasantly surprised to hear from people I knew who had gotten cards from the various stores where I’d left them. They were mostly curious over what was planned for the open house. Eager to read the number of queries there were, I set about answering the questions.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  A sleep in the comfortable armchair facing the fireplace, I abruptly awoke when I heard the shuffle of feet. I sprang from the chair, ready for battle when I heard Jessica speaking softly to Bun. The pounding of my heart slowed, and my nerves stopped jittering when I realized nothing was amiss.

  Sunshine filled the room with its brilliance, and awareness of the beginning of another day’s dawning gave me pause. I entered the kitchen as Jessica set the coffee to perk.

  “What are you doing up so early?”

  She gave me a smile and said, “It’s nearly eight o’clock. You must have been exhausted to fall asleep in the chair. When you never stirred when I came in last night, I didn’t have the heart to wake you.”

  I rubbed the sleepiness from my eyes and face, then brushed my hair back and stretched. “I thought I heard someone walking around in here, and that’s what woke me just now.”

  “I’ve just come in from feeding the rabbits. Sit down, I’ll make breakfast.”

  “I need a shower, then I’ll eat. Thanks, Jess.” I took the stairs two at a time and rushed through a shower, dressed in a fresh set of work clothes, and joined Jess at the table.

  “Bun’s all set for the morning. I cleaned his room and set him up with his favorite hay. Fred will be here shortly. I’ll give him a hand for a while if you don’t need help finishing up with the rabbits.”

  “Do what you need to do. I’ll be fine. Oh, Lizzy came by yesterday with a load of yarn and oddments to go with it. The yarn is fabulous, you should see it. Honestly, I can’t imagine how we managed without her. She said she’ll be by after she leaves work tonight.”

  “I can’t wait until I’m finished with my rotation schedule. Then I’ll be ready to take my state board exam. It’s been a long haul to get through all of this.”

  “You’ve worked hard to achieve your goals.” I bit into a slice of toast and caught sight of Fred’s truck coming up the drive. “Fred’s here. You go on, I’ll take care of this.” I waved my hand at the breakfast dishes.

  “Okay, see you later, then.” Jessica was gone in a flash.

  “She’s quite happy, isn’t she?”

  “Yes, and rightfully so. It’s amazing how you feel when your dreams are realized. That’s how I feel about this farm, you, and the other rabbits.”

  “I knew I’d make you happy the moment we met. It was the best day of my life when you rescued me from that horrid witch.” Bun gave a slight shudder and then asked, “Did you have a chance to look at that key you found yesterday?”

  I shook my head, swallowed a mouthful of coffee, and said, “You don’t seem so frightened this morning. Have you given the key some consideration? You were very distraught yesterday, and I didn’t want to mention your reaction to it.”

  “It scared me, badly. I can’t remember what brought on the fear, but just seeing the shape of it made me quake inside. Can you show it to me again? Just set it on the floor so I can get a close look at it, and smell it, too.”

  “Sure.” I stuck my hand in my pocket and pulled the key out. I’d taken it from yesterday’s jeans pocket and tucked it in this pair to give it a closer inspection. I set the key in a brilliant patch of sunlight on the floor and watched as Bun slowly came near. His whiskers fluttered up and down, and his nose worked overtime as he sniffed the metal before he carefully withdrew from it.

  “Any ideas what it goes to?”

  “Not one. It seems familiar, though. There’s something bad connected to this key, I can feel it in my bones. What it is, I can’t say. Quite the quandary, wouldn’t you say?”

  “You don’t know, or you refuse to remember, what your association with the key is?”

  Bun moved a shoulder that resembled a shrug. I hid my smile, as it was such a human action. He hopped toward his room and mumbled that he needed to sleep on it awhile and maybe then he’d remember.

  “Bun, are you feeling okay?”

  “Of course, I’m merely trying to bring forth a reluctant memory.” He hesitated and then asked, “Haven’t you ever had a memory bother you, especially when it refuses to come out on its own?”

  Instantly, I was back in a hospital bed where I’d woken up after having been run off the road and left for dead. I’d had no immediate recollection of what had taken place. That terrifying memory had come later, after much urging from a trauma specialist.

  “Don’t force it, Bun. It’ll present itself when your brain thinks it can handle what you’ve forgotten.” I slipped my boots on, plucked a clean pair of work gloves from the bottom drawer in the cabinet, and said I’d be in the barn if he needed me. When there was no reply, I stopped to observe Bun slowly enter his
room. It was so unlike him, I began to worry.

  I left him to his own thoughts and went to work. Entering the barn, I heard the phone ring and saw Sheriff Carver’s cell phone number on the caller ID.

  “Good morning, what can I do for you, Sheriff?”

  “You sound chipper this morning. I hope this news doesn’t spoil your day, Jules. The coroner’s final report from Manchester arrived. It shows Arty suffered from brain cancer, which could have contributed to his irrational behavior. I’ve given it some thought, and Arty’s actions make sense.”

  Shocked over the coroner’s findings, my mind harked back to the start of my work relationship with Arty.

  “Are you still there, Jules?”

  “Yes, I am. Thanks for letting me know, Jack. I appreciate the call.” I hung up, remembering when Arty and I had entertained at social events. Arty had been interesting, amusing, even. Tuned in to his audience, his professionalism never slipped for a second. He’d never remarked on the rabbits, other than saying they always appeared happy and calm. It wasn’t until the previous summer that I’d noticed Arty started to act oddly. Not having known the man outside of parties and town fairs, I’d been unable to get a sense of when those actions had initially begun.

  Heaving a sigh, I went to work, which can be very therapeutic. After I’d been released from the hospital and my physical therapy was completed, I had thrown my energy into raising rabbits, and all that came with the responsibility of it. When asked to help with Bun, I knew I’d found my calling. During my early days, I’d been part of a team that rescued mistreated rabbits and nursed them back to health. Satisfied that I’d made a difference in the life of an animal made a huge difference in my recovery after having been nearly killed by Rusty Cardiff.

  I mused over how far my rabbit farm had come, the way it had developed, and the fun the rabbits and I shared in the petting pen at family gatherings, school education classes, and at other events. I was happier than ever over having an opportunity to share the rabbits and my farm with others.

  With two and a half weeks to go before the open house took place, I was certain the affair would be a success. While wondering how many people would actually attend, I emptied bunny poop from trays. It was the least enjoyable job on the Rabbit To-Do work list, but it was fulfilling to know the rabbits were well taken care of.

  Glad to be wearing a mask that helped diminish the smell of fecal matter, I carried litter trays to the hopper, scraped them clean, then sanitized and dried each one, before sliding them under their rightful cages. Earlier, Jessica had taken care of the food and watering end of things. I swept all the doors open and let the warm breeze flow in and out of the barn, while figuring out how and where the petting pen would be set up.

  The rabbits would need constant attention in case a child got out of control and tried to carry one off. As calm and friendly as my bunnies were, I wouldn’t tolerate any harm coming to them. While children didn’t often realize how rough they were being, it paid to be attentive when they were involved with the animals.

  Once I was finished with chores, my thoughts turned to my earlier conversation with Sheriff Carver.

  “The report is same as it was, except when Dr. Radmore finished examining Arty’s brain, he realized the man had brain cancer, stage four,” the sheriff had remarked. “How Arty managed to function as long as he did is a mystery as far as Radmore is concerned. Were you aware he was ill?”

  “No, all I knew was he was irrational. He became violent and hysterical over things he felt were wrong, and that needed fixing. Nothing more. Why?”

  “I thought you might have had some insight into what was going on with him.”

  “Oh. I knew something wasn’t right, but it never occurred to me he had brain cancer. Sorry to hear that, the man had nobody to care for him, and that’s just plain sad.”

  It was just as I was ready to hang up that he’d dropped the second part of his news, which didn’t come as too much of a surprise since the sheriff’s lieutenant had Googled Andrew Stone.

  Carver’s friend, a major in Washington, DC, had gotten back to him about Stone upon his return from vacation. Andrew had an impressive service record and had been honorably discharged. The information ended on that note. When Carver had asked if Andrew had stopped in for a visit or two, I said no and that I had better things to do than mind his business.

  * * *

  The following week, filled with hard work, preparations for the open house and all that entailed passed without incident. Grateful for that, Jessica, Lizzy, and I worked tirelessly to iron out the final details, along with completion of the clinic. Bun, of no help whatsoever, acted as the boss of all and everything. When I’d lost my patience, I picked him off the floor and marched into the house.

  “There’s no need to manhandle me, you know.”

  “Bun, you aren’t helping me by giving orders,” I whispered. “It’s time for you to stay out of the way and give us all a rest. Do you think you can do that?”

  Bun’s ears drooped and lay flat against his head and down over his shoulders, giving his features a sad look. Guilt-ridden over having hurt his feelings, I smoothed his coat and explained the amount of stress we were under to be ready for our grand adventure. At the mention of adventure, he perked up.

  “If I have been bossy, it’s only because I want this to be a great day for all of us. I’m sorry, Jules.”

  “Just relax and stay here where we won’t trip over you, okay? I know you’re only trying to help, and while I appreciate that, you can do me a favor by staying put for a few hours.”

  Rubbing his head against the palm of my hand, Bun said, “I will. I think I need a nap anyway.”

  I left him on his own, lounging on a floor pillow and snacking on a bit of timothy hay. While he rested, I returned to the barn to find Lizzy and Jessica setting up the rabbit pen. A box filled with the rabbits’ favorite chew blocks, untreated willow baskets, and willow balls sat alongside a basket made of untreated apple twigs containing balls with bells inside.

  “How is it going?” I grabbed the fourth corner of the pen and tugged the wall out until it snapped in place.

  Lizzy, breathing hard from the exertion of the setup, groaned. “How do you manage this by yourself when you do kids’ parties? By golly, this is hard work.”

  Jessica and I laughed and kept working. “Why don’t you make sure the shop is all set for the onslaught of people we’ll have stopping and hopefully shopping this weekend. Jess and I can finish up in here.”

  Wiping her brow, Lizzy nodded and walked away. Leaving the door open, she finished sorting a few odds and ends she’d mentioned adding to the sale table. Her friends had donated their time and prowess to knit and crochet luxurious scarves, shawls, cloches, and had even made a few knit bracelets with beads threaded onto the yarn. It was my guess that these little darlings would be the hit of the show.

  I’d written letters of thanks for the handiwork to Lizzy’s friends and included a gift card for discounted merchandise the day of our affair. Lizzy had delivered them and reported back on how excited these three women were.

  I gave the shop a last look, then thanked Lizzy and Jessica for their patience and hard work to make this day a success for all of us. “Shall we take a break? I know I could use one.”

  Lizzy looked around, peered into corners, and then asked, “Where’s Bun?”

  “He’s on a time-out. I tripped over him one too many times, so he’s in his room. He was happily eating hay and lounging on his bed when I left. Not to worry, he’s content.”

  “I wondered where he’d gotten to. He’s such a little busybody, isn’t he? Poking his nose into everything,” Lizzy noted.

  I glanced at Jess and we both agreed. The phone rang. I answered the call and listened to Cassi ask if all was set up for the open house.

  “We’re as ready as we can be. You’re still bringing the food, aren’t you?”

  “I’ll have everything ready to go. I’ll be at the farm
by seven thirty that morning if it’s all right with you. That way the coffee urns and punch jugs will be ready for your guests. You must be excited.”

  “I am, we all are. I’m hoping for a good turnout.”

  “I’ve heard lots of talk about your farm and what you’re doing. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. I’ll see you then.” Cassi hung up, as did I.

  The two women hovered near the door, listening.

  “That was the caterer. We’re good to go on that account. She’s bringing what’s needed, so I won’t worry about food, beverages, and paper goods.”

  “Then let’s take that break you talked about, because we’re ready for tomorrow’s crowd,” Lizzy said. “I think it’s going to be a splendid day, don’t you, Jessica?”

  Jess nodded, and we headed into the house. On our way through the breezeway, I glanced out of the glass enclosure and saw Andrew Stone lingering at the edge of the woods near the field. I waved and beckoned him to join us. He stared for a few seconds and turned away, then melted into the trees. For a mere second, I thought I had imagined his sudden appearance. I shook my head, followed the girls into the house, and closed the door behind us.

  “Did you see Andrew Stone out there?” I asked, pointing to the far end of the grounds, which turned shrubby and treed.

  Jessica’s eyes widened, while Lizzy looked confused. “Who is Andrew Stone?”

  “He’s the man who was arrested for squatting on Juliette’s property a while back. Jules decided he should be allowed to stay because Sheriff Carver said he’s harmless. He hasn’t been around since then, has he, Jules?”

  “I haven’t seen him, have you?”

  Jess shook her head. Startled at the news, Lizzy asked if he was indeed harmless.

  “So far as I can tell, he is. He doesn’t bother us, and we return the favor by staying clear of him. I’m curious, though, as to why he was staring at the house. I motioned for him to join us, but he just went back into the woods.”

  With a small shudder, Lizzy exclaimed, “You mean he’s been here for a long time and nobody told me? It’s creepy to have a stranger lurking around your place, Jules. Just creepy.”