Dog Days

by Carol Cox

  Wilbur Dodson folded his copy of the agenda and slipped it into his pocket. “All the clinics in the world won’t help someone turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse.”

  Velma stood ramrod straight. “Are you implying that Lord Faernon O’Dale isn’t championship quality? I’ll have you know—”

  Wilbur cut her off with a wave of his hand. “I didn’t say that. I’m merely stating that a dog either has what it takes to be a champion or he doesn’t.”

  Kate didn’t miss the smirk that accompanied these words.

  Neither did Velma. “Spout all you want, Wilbur Dodson. When all is said and done, we’ll see who’s standin’ in the winner’s circle on show day.”

  “I’m in charge of setting up the show equipment.” Lucy Mae smiled sweetly. “I’ll make sure there’s a platform tall enough for Sir Percival to be seen by all the onlookers. Miniature dachshunds are always crowd pleasers.”

  Velma and Wilbur burst forth at the same time.

  “Well, I never—”

  “You can’t seriously believe—”

  Renee cleared her throat. “I don’t know what you’re all in such a tizzy about.”

  Her calm remark brought their bickering to a stop more effectively than if she’d shouted.

  Lucy Mae gaped at her. “What are you talkin’ about? You aren’t tryin’ to tell us you aren’t just as excited as we are to see who wins, are you?”

  Renee gave them all a pitying look. “But there isn’t any need for you to get all hot and bothered when it’s perfectly obvious who’s going to take home the Best in Show trophy.”

  Lucy Mae narrowed her eyes. “And who might that be?”

  Renee lifted her doggie tote and inclined her head ever so slightly. “Why, my Little Umpkins, of course.”

  The room fell silent. Kate shivered. If this moment had been taken from a scene in an Agatha Christie mystery, she’d have known immediately which character would be slated to play the murder victim.

  Renee seemed oblivious to the frosty silence that greeted her remark. She smiled as she ran the tips of her fingers across the soft leather tote.

  “In fact, I bought this new tote as a gift for Kisses, to celebrate his victory ahead of time.”

  Velma gasped. Wilbur grunted. Lucy Mae’s face turned a light shade of mauve.

  Kate sent up a quick prayer for everyone’s blood pressure and tugged at Renee’s elbow. “I think it’s time to leave.”

  Renee’s gaze remained fixed on her competition. “What for?”

  Kate decided to leave Renee to her own devices. Smiling, she said, “Well, I have an appointment, so I have to run. It was nice meeting you folks. I’ll see you later, Renee.”

  Renee waved her away, and Kate pushed open the meeting-room door, grateful to escape. As she hurried toward the stairs, she could hear the murmur of heated conversation.

  Chapter Two

  As Kate made her way to the library exit, she spotted her best friend Livvy Jenner loading books onto a shelving cart and walked over to her. Letting out an exaggerated groan, Kate said, “Why didn’t anybody warn me about this?”

  The corners of Livvy’s eyes crinkled when she laughed. “Was it really that bad?”

  Kate rested her elbows on the circulation desk and rolled her shoulders, hoping to loosen some of the tension in her muscles.

  “Well, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is the job won’t be as difficult as I thought. They only want me to head up the hospitality committee, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

  Livvy set the last book in its place and joined Kate. “So what’s the bad news?”

  Kate moaned and rubbed her temples. “I had no idea how high emotions can run over a simple pet show.”

  “Dog show,” Livvy corrected. “And there’s nothing simple about it. There’s a fair amount of status attached to a win. Among the dog owners, at least.”

  The sound of loud, strident voices filtered down from the second floor.

  Livvy looked toward the stairwell and grimaced. “It sounds like the party’s over.”

  Some of the patrons in the reading area glanced her way and frowned.

  Livvy sighed. “Time to put on my head-librarian hat and remind them that this is a quiet zone. Would it help to talk some more when I get back?”

  Kate shook her head. “I already told Renee I have an appointment. I need to be gone by the time they get down here.”

  “That’s right. I forgot you’re getting your hair done. Think you’ll be finished by noon?”

  “I expect to be. Betty’s only doing a cut and style today.”

  “Do you want me to meet you there? We can walk out to your house on my lunch break.”

  Kate glanced out the library’s front window. “I know we need the exercise, but it’s so hot and muggy today. Do you mind if we skip the walk?”

  “No problem. How about if we drive out to your place instead? It’ll give us time to talk, and we can make some fruit smoothies. Will Paul be coming home for lunch?”

  “No, he’ll be busy all day with the car-care clinic he and Carl Wilson are running this summer. Let’s plan on those smoothies. Just the thought of them makes me feel more refreshed.”

  Livvy grinned. “It’s a deal.”

  When the voices upstairs grew louder, Kate gave Livvy a good-bye wave, then headed out the door. “See you at noon.”

  The moment Kate felt the warm, moist air wrapping its fingers around her, she was tempted to turn around and retreat back into the cool shelter of the library. But that would have meant running straight into the bickering dog-club members.

  She checked her watch. She still had some time to kill before her appointment at Betty’s Beauty Parlor. Kate looked eastward and brightened when she saw Sam Gorman’s Mercantile across the street. She could stop in there first before heading to Betty’s, just two stores down from the Mercantile. It was always fun to browse the shelves in Sam’s store to see what new items he might have stocked.

  Kate quickly crossed the street to put a little distance between her and the library, then she slowed to a more leisurely pace as she climbed the Mercantile steps and entered the store. There was no need to hurry, especially not in this heat.

  “Mornin’, Kate,” Sam called down from a ladder, where he was busy restocking canned vegetables. “Are you looking for anything in particular?”

  “No, just browsing.”

  “Well, holler if you need help.”

  Sam went back to stacking cans, and Kate meandered along the aisles, then over to the magazine rack. She flipped through an issue on garden landscaping but found the thought of all that digging in the summer heat too oppressive to contemplate.

  Bending over to put the issue back in its place, she spotted another magazine with a large photo of a golden retriever on the cover.

  Kate picked it up and thumbed through the pages, her interest mounting when she noted several articles on regional show results. This was just what she needed to help her learn more about her new venture.

  She closed the magazine and tucked it under her arm, then she grabbed a cooking magazine with a pull-out section of cookie recipes and headed for the register.

  After making her purchase, she stepped outside again. She still had fifteen minutes to go before her hair appointment. The walk to Betty’s wouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes, even if she dawdled.

  Oh well, it wouldn’t be a problem to get to the beauty shop a little early. She could sit and read while she waited, and at least Betty had air-conditioning.

  She cast a lingering glance inside Emma’s Ice Cream Shop when she walked past. A creamy cone would go a long way toward alleviating the daunting heat, but she couldn’t afford the extra calories if she wasn’t going to burn them off walking with Livvy.

  Feeling more than ready to sit down and relax, Kate entered the beauty shop and was greeted by a rush of cool air mingled with the scent of perm solution. After the stress of the dog-show meeting and the alter
cation that followed, she was looking forward to a bit of pampering.

  Her enthusiasm faded a bit when she spotted Lucy Mae Briddle in one of the salon’s salmon-colored vinyl chairs.

  Lucy Mae’s hair was wet, and Ronda, one of Betty’s stylists, was getting ready to put it up on rollers. Lucy Mae must have headed there straight from the library, Kate decided.

  Elma Swanson occupied the chair at Betty’s station, admiring her newly styled hair in the mirror.

  “Hi, Kate,” Betty called. “You can head on back to the shampoo area. I’ll be with you as soon as I set up Elma’s next appointment.”

  While Betty and Elma walked over to the counter, Kate set her handbag and magazines on a shelf under the mirror at Betty’s station. Then she headed to the shampoo room at the back of the shop and settled into one of the black vinyl reclining chairs.

  Betty joined her a moment later and spread a cape around Kate’s shoulders, then tilted the chair back. Kate closed her eyes and let herself relax, enjoying the gentle pressure of the water pulsing through her hair and Betty’s nimble fingers massaging her scalp.

  “What are we doing to your hair today, Kate? Want to try something different this time?”

  “Thanks, but I think I’ll just stick with the usual.”

  Kate knew how Betty loved to experiment with new hairstyles, but Kate wasn’t in the mood for taking chances today. She sat up so Betty could towel her hair dry, then she followed Betty back into the main part of the salon.

  As she neared her chair at Betty’s station, Kate heard her cell phone ring.

  “Oops, just a minute.” She offered Betty an apologetic grin and reached for her handbag. After fishing around for a moment, she found the phone and pressed the TALK button. “Hello?”

  An unfamiliar voice sounded over the line. “Vera, is that you?”

  “Vera? No, you must have—”

  “Your voice sounds funny. Do you have one of those summer colds?”

  “No, this isn’t Vera’s phone. You must have—”

  “Guess I got a wrong number.” The unknown caller disconnected without further comment.

  “Sorry about that,” Kate told Betty, then she reached over to place her handbag back on the shelf. But as she did, her new magazines spilled out of the shopping bag onto the floor.

  “Well, look at that!” Lucy Mae cried, pointing to the dog magazine. “Our new hospitality-committee chairperson is turning into a dog lover already.”

  “Just want to get up to speed on what to expect,” Kate replied with a smile. “The show is only four weeks away. That isn’t very long for a total novice like me to get some idea of what will be going on.”

  She placed the magazines back in the bag and returned them to the shelf with her purse before taking her seat. Then she set her cell phone to silent mode and tucked it out of sight under the cape as Betty began combing out her hair.

  “What show are you talking about?” Ronda asked.

  “It’s put on every year by the Harrington County Dog Club,” Lucy Mae explained. “I’m the club secretary, you know,” she added with a modest smile. “This year the show is being held right here in Copper Mill. Be sure to mark your calendar. It’s going to be a marvelous event, and you don’t want to miss it.”

  “Cool,” Ronda said. “I didn’t even know you owned a dog.”

  “Of course she does.” Betty finished combing through Kate’s hair and started inserting rollers with practiced ease. “One of those little wiener dogs, isn’t it?”

  Lucy Mae shot a withering look at Betty. “Sir Percival is a registered miniature dachshund with numerous champions in his pedigree.” She pushed herself straighter in her chair and lifted her chin. “He will be a champion in his own right very soon.”

  Betty reached for another roller. “Must take a lot of work to get a dog ready for something like that.”

  “Oh, it does. You wouldn’t believe how much of my time is devoted to overseeing Sir Percival’s diet and grooming and exercise. The list goes on and on.”

  Lucy Mae heaved a dramatic sigh. “It’s a full-time job, and it’s all we seem to talk about around the house these days.” She gave a little laugh. “Lawton says he’s looking forward to the day when all of this will be over. But I can’t get enough of it.”

  Betty turned Kate’s chair a bit to the right, then said in a teasing tone, “I don’t know. Seems to me you’re going to a lot of trouble for nothing.”

  Lucy Mae’s eyes bulged. “What do you mean?”

  “I thought Renee Lambert’s Chihuahua was going to take the big prize this year. The way I hear it, it’s practically a done deal already.”

  “What are you talking about?” Lucy Mae sputtered like a teakettle coming to a boil. “Whatever put that ridiculous notion in your head?”

  Betty grinned. “Renee was here just yesterday getting her nails done. She was showing off that new leather doggie tote and telling everyone how Kisses is going to take home the grand prize.”

  “That woman!” Lucy Mae erupted. “I’ve had enough of her swanking around with that new bag as though that dog of hers is some kind of celebrity.”

  She crossed her arms and snorted. “Honestly, it was disgusting the way she carried on after the meeting this morning, wasn’t it, Kate?”

  Kate shifted in her seat and looked at Lucy Mae. She could think of no socially acceptable way to answer without getting sucked into the beauty-shop gossip for which Betty and a number of her clients were known around town. So Kate shrugged and kept silent. Apparently Lucy Mae decided to press on in spite of Kate’s refusal to help her fan the flames of gossip.

  “Goodness knows, I cater to Sir Percival’s needs, but never in my life have I seen a dog as pampered as that Kisses.”

  She let out a sharp laugh. “Kisses! What a ridiculous name for a dog. If the poor little thing could talk, he’d probably tell us all how mortified he is with a moniker like that.”

  Betty and Ronda joined in laughing at her comments. Encouraged by their response, Lucy Mae showed no signs of slowing down.

  “And what about those silly outfits she makes him wear? Why just the other day, she even told me she was ordering matching sweaters for the two of them!”

  Betty chuckled, then leaned over and peered at Kate’s lap. “What’s that light glowing underneath your cape?”

  “I have no idea.” Kate pulled the cape aside and saw that the screen of her cell phone was illuminated, indicating that someone was on the line.

  But how could a call have come in without her knowing it? She frowned, then remembered putting the phone on silent mode. She must have inadvertently pushed the Talk button when she shifted in her chair. Chuckling at the coincidence, she picked up the phone and glanced at the Caller ID. Her smile vanished when she saw Renee’s name on the display.

  Kate’s stomach clenched. How long had Renee been on the line, and how much of Lucy Mae’s chatter had she heard? She took a deep breath and spoke in a bright, clear tone. “Hello, Renee.”

  Betty and Ronda ceased laughing immediately, but Lucy Mae carried on, oblivious to Kate’s remark.

  Kate had the feeling she sometimes experienced in nightmares, when something had gone horribly wrong, and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. She cleared her throat and tried again, speaking louder this time. “Hello, Renee. Are you there?”

  Lucy Mae stopped midsentence, her mouth hanging open. The sight might have been comical if the situation hadn’t been so thick with tension.

  Kate’s relief at putting a halt to Lucy Mae’s commentary on Kisses turned to concern when she heard a raspy moan come over the line.

  “What is it, Renee? Has something happened to your mother?” Renee’s mother was in remarkably good shape for her ninety-some years, but at that age, a health crisis could arise at any time.

  “No.” Renee’s voice shook with sobs. “It’s Kisses. He’s been...dognapped.”

  “What?” Kate sat bolt upright in her chair. “But I just saw him
with you at the meeting.”

  “It only happened...a few minutes ago,” Renee wailed. “I need you, Kate. Can you come?”

  Kate blinked back tears. Renee was often a drama queen, but Kate recognized the sound of genuine grief when she heard it. “I’ll come as soon as I can. I’m at the beauty parlor right now and Betty’s got me in curlers, but I’m sure I can be there in thirty minutes. Are you at home?”

  “No.” Renee’s sobs increased. “I’m at...the park.”

  “Why don’t you—” Kate caught herself before suggesting that Renee come by the beauty parlor. As fragile as Renee sounded at the moment, she didn’t need to be subjected to its gossipy atmosphere. “Can you get home?” Kate asked. “You need to sit down and try to collect yourself.”

  “Yes, I can go home. I just...I’m scared...and I didn’t know who else to call.”

  “Renee, I’m glad you called. I’ll meet you at your house just as soon as I can.”

  SHOULDERS SAGGING, Kate turned her cell phone off and slumped back into her seat.

  The other women stared at her in silence.

  Finally Betty asked, “What was that all about?”

  Kate shook her head. “Kisses is missing.”

  Betty and Ronda went back to work, but without their usual nonstop chatter. Kate sat in silence while Betty continued to roll her hair, wondering if Kisses had really been dognapped or if Renee was overreacting.

  And how much of Lucy Mae’s caustic remarks had Renee heard? Kate glanced over at Lucy Mae, but Lucy Mae refused to meet her eyes.

  Chapter Three

  Thirty minutes later, after calling Livvy to cancel their date, Kate had retrieved her black Honda Accord from the library parking lot and was pulling up in front of Renee’s house behind Deputy Skip Spencer’s black-and-white SUV. Skip greeted her at the door.

  “I’m sure glad you’re here, Missus Hanlon. I didn’t have a problem taking the missing dog report, but I wasn’t sure what to do next.”

  “How’s Renee doing?” Kate asked. “She sounded terribly upset over the phone.”

  Skip raked his fingers through his already-tousled red hair and nodded toward the living room. “She’s in there. I think you’d better see for yourself.”