“Don’t worry,” I said. “She’s a very smart doggie.”
“Bite me.” Terri narrowed her eyes.
“He’s probably still at work. I’ll—”
He was interrupted by loud knocking at our door. “I know you’re in there, Ellison. I see your mutt-mobile out here,” Vanetti’s voice boomed from the porch.
“We’ll distract him; you go out the back.” Terri was on her feet and ready for action.
“Thanks, but no,” Ace said. “I have to face him eventually.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, hoping he saw my understanding of his dilemma.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” he said. He took a deep breath, then went to the door and jerked it open. “What do you want?”
“Where’s my dog?”
“How should I know?”
“Because you stole him.”
“You do know there’s a dognapper, right?”
“I know you’re crazy.”
“Takes one to know one,” Terri muttered.
Vanetti glared at Ace.” Hiding behind two women.” He shook his head. “You need to grow a pair.”
Ace reached for his zipper. “Want to compare?”
Vanetti’s eyes widened. He turned and all but ran off the porch and through the yard.
Terri chuckled. “I’ll bet it would take three little blue pills and two hookers to get his little Vanetti into action.”
Okay, that surprised me. When I looked toward her, she shrugged.
Ace took my hands in his.
“I have to warn Steve,” he said.
“Be careful out there.”
“I will.”
He gave me a warm little kiss that held promise for later and turned toward his Xterra.
I watched his taillights until Terri put her arm around me. “Let’s go in. I’m in the mood for a strategy session.”
As I went for the door, I caught a glimpse of Miz C leaning on the white fence, a smug smile on her face.
I sighed. I moved here to figure out who I am and where I go from here. I expected Ugly Creek to be a quiet, relaxing little town. What I got was convoluted, odd, and complicated.
I really should not be enjoying myself.
****
“It’s too dangerous.”
Ace, Terri, and I gathered around our tiny kitchen table planning The Great Dognapper Sting.
Terri touched the pink dog collar around her neck. “I have a GPS. You can’t lose me.”
“But you can’t tell us if you get into trouble,” I pointed out.
“What if the collar falls off? Or he finds it?” Ace asked.
“Trixie can take care of herself.”
Ace’s face was tight with obvious worry. “Trixie is a dog.”
Terri gave him a look similar to a mother trying to explain to a two-year-old why he can’t have a pony in the house. For the forty-seventh time. “She doesn’t have to be.”
“Sure,” I said. “A naked woman with no weapon and no phone is so much better.”
Terri grinned. “Trust me, honey, I can borrow a phone. And anything can be a weapon.”
“I still don’t like it,” I told her.
“Me either,” Ace said.
“Anybody have a better idea?”
Ace and I looked at each other. She was right; her plan was our best shot at nailing the disgusting piece of gnat crap and getting the animals back to their families.
“That’s what I thought.”
She crossed her arms and looked first at one, then the other of us.
“How about we get this show on the road.”
A few minutes later Ace and I sat on his porch and watched my laptop screen. On it was the GPS output from Trixie’s collar. It was growing later and later in the afternoon. The GPS showed Trixie going up one street then down the other, slowly circling the town. I was glad she was safe, but frustrated too. Maybe our plan wouldn’t work.
“You did say that most of the dogs were taken in the early to late afternoon, correct?”
“Yes,” Ace said. “Actually, all of them that I know about.”
“You think there are others?”
He shrugged. “I have no idea. It’s not like people report to me.”
“They should.”
His smile and the mischief flashing in his eyes warmed my heart. “Why should they report to me?”
“Because I said so.”
He chuckled as he leaned in for a kiss. For a moment I was lost in the magic of Ace’s arms. Then I caught a glimpse of the computer screen and shoved him away. “She’s stopped.”
He studied the screen for a moment, then turned to me. “Let’s go.”
I nodded, grabbed my laptop, and we headed for his Xterra.
It took maybe three minutes to get to the intersection where Trixie’s signal had stopped.
“I don’t see her,” Ace said.
“The GPS says she’s that way.” I pointed to the woods.
He drove the Xterra around the corner, where he pulled off the road. “That’s an odd place for a plumbing truck.”
Sure enough a generic white “Bill’s Plumbing” truck was parked in front of a vacant lot next to Miz Funderburk’s house.
“I’ve never heard of a “Bill’s Plumbing”,” I said.
“Me either.”
Just then, a familiar collie came bounding out of the woods, zigzagging from one side to the other. FBI Agent Killian ran after the dog as she twisted and turned through the cat woman’s yard, even at one point circling around Killian, then barking until he turned and chased after her again.
Ace grinned. “I believe our girl is leading the dognapper on a merry chase.”
I enjoyed the show myself. “Should we wait until she wears him out?”
He laughed. “I think she’s pretty much done that.”
Trixie took Killian through a convoluted series of movements that made me tired just watching. Even from where we sat, I could tell he was getting tired. He slipped and barely stopped himself from hitting the ground. She seemed to kick up the pressure after that, and sure enough, Kilian slipped and face-planted. Trixie dove onto his back, front paws on his shoulders, holding him down.
“That’s our cue,” I said, then realized Ace was already out of the car. I dove out and headed after him, running in an attempt to catch up.
“Get that pooch off me,” the agent pleaded.
“Why would I do that?” Ace asked.
Trixie gave him a doggie smile.
Ace turned to me. “You call the police and I’ll see what’s in the truck.”
“No need. I already called the cops.”
We turned to see Miz Funderburk standing near us, cell phone in hand.
“So this is the tree slime that’s been snatching the poor dogs.”
“I thought you liked cats,” Killian commented, his voice gaining him a growl from Trixie.
“You tell him, girl,” Miz Funderburk said. “And for your information, cats are my favorite, but I love all animals.”
I realized Ace wasn’t beside me. He opened the door of the plumbing van. Dogs barked and my heart went into my throat. “Bastard,” I muttered.
Trixie barked agreement.
“I agree,” Miz Funderburk said, as she kicked one of Killian’s legs.
“Ow!”
Trixie growled and he shut up.
A police car pulled up, and Ken Bennett got out. Relief washed over me at the sight of Ace’s friend.
“So this is the dognapper,” Ken said, as he walked up. When he got a good look at the guy Trixie was holding down, he stopped in his tracks. “Agent Killian, is that you?”
“Yes, and get this mutt off of me.”
Trixie growled and Ken’s lips twitched. He looked at Trixie. “I’ll cuff him if you’ll move.” She backed off, and he straddled Killian and pulled his arms back to cuff him.
“What are you doing? You can’t arrest me. I’m a frigging FBI agent and these folks are nuts.”
“He chas
ed that beautiful collie,” Miz Funderburk said. “He tried to give her a pork chop, but she didn’t want it. She’s smart, that meat was probably drugged.”
“I don’t know what she’s talking about.” Killian shifted his head so he could look up at Ken. “She’s that crazy cat woman, you know.”
Trixie gave a low growl.
“That mutt is a menace,” Killian said. “It’s going to hurt somebody. Like me.”
Trixie’s quick bark sounded a lot like a laugh.
Ken glanced at her then shook his head. “You’d better worry about your own problems, Killian.”
Ken pulled his prisoner to his feet, then looked from Miz Funderburk to me. “I’ll need a statement from each of you, and Ace.”
“I’ll tell him,” I told the cop.
The agent laughed. “So I grabbed a few dogs. I was trying to help them.”
I stepped toward him. “Help them? They didn’t need help.”
“How do you know? Maybe they were being treated awful. They’d go to a good home. That’s what your boyfriend does, isn’t it?”
“Ace doesn’t steal dogs from perfectly good homes for some nefarious reason.” I took another step toward him. “What were you doing with the dogs anyway?”
“That’s a really good question,” Ken said. “I’m sure the answer involves money.”
Killian shrugged. “Yeah, some. Mostly I was doing it to help out my nephew.”
“How does stealing dogs help your nephew?” Miz Funderburk asked.
Trixie barked.
“He’s starting a little dog business. The mutts really would go to a good home.”
I fought the urge to strangle the jerk. “Why not get the dogs from a shelter? There are plenty of animals who need good homes.”
“Costs money, and you never know what crap those mutts have.”
“So you take dogs from little boys.” The very thought shot tremors of anger and disgust through my body. This was surreal. A federal agent grabbing pets to be sold by a relative. What a loathsome man.
“I’ll get a statement from the three of you tomorrow.” Ken grabbed the man’s arm and pulled him toward where the police car was parked. “Let’s go, Killian.”
The agent’s smiled smugly. “I’ll get a slap on the wrist and go back to my job. I only took animals. Who cares what happens to them?”
I didn’t think. I never considered repercussions. I didn’t plan. I just acted. My right fist hit Killian’s face. My hand ached but my brain barely recognized the pain. He stumbled into Ken, who shoved him back up. Only then did it occur to me I’d assaulted a federal agent.
“Did you see that?” Killian’s eyes bulged.
“See what?” Ken asked, as he jerked his prisoner in the direction of the police car.
The dognapper still yapped as he was taken away. Ken was shoving the man into his car, when he looked toward me and winked. Relieved, and mystified, I watched until the cruiser went around the corner.
Ace stood next to Miz Funderburk, his arm around her shoulders. “I’m glad you’re getting some help. I’ve been worried about you,” Ace said to her.
“Are you all right?” I asked her.
“I’m doing better. I was just telling Ace that people have been coming by with food and insisting on helping me clean up. Plus, my nephew is coming here next week to stay with me for a while and help me get my house straightened out.” She sighed. “My daughter tries to help, but she believes the only way to do it is to take everything out all at once. She thinks it’s all junk, but my things mean a lot to me.” She sniffled. “My nephew Landon understands. He’s a psychologist who works with hoarders like me. He’s been planning to come for a while, but between things he had to do, and Lexi’s bullheaded insistence that hers was the only possible way to do things…” She closed her eyes.
“Your nephew will help you.” I cringed inwardly at the pathetic sentiment, but it was all I had at the moment.
She smiled. “He will.”
“I’m glad.” I looked for my cousin, and saw Trixie nearby, bonding with the cutest fluffy white kitten I’d ever seen.
“Are the dogs okay?” I asked Ace.
“They seem to be,” he answered. “Animal control is on the way. I called a vet I know, but I’m not sure she’ll get here before they do.”
“You don’t trust animal control.” It wasn’t a question. I knew how he felt.
“Why would he?” Miz Funderburk asked. “The men who work for them are mostly jerks who don’t care about animals. They’re just doing what they do for the money.”
“And the less they have to work, the better they like it,” Ace said.
“No women?”
Both of them shook their heads. “Nary a one,” Miz F. said. “Women tend to be more compassionate. Can’t have that.”
Ace’s features tightened. “Plus, there are no Vanetti females old enough to work for them.”
I swallowed. “So that really is how Chuck Vanetti gets away with so much.”
“Yep.”
I closed my eyes and thought about that poor, mistreated dog. Ace saved lives. They just weren’t human lives. When I looked at him, he smiled my way. He still had his arm around Miz F, comforting her, supporting her, understanding her. He wasn’t a dog person, he was an underdog person. Right then and there, my heart melted and the tiny part of the organ I’d been holding back flew over and offered itself to him.
The sound of the animal control vehicle interrupted my train of thought, but I knew things would never be the same.
Chapter 17
As soon as we walked in the door, Trixie trotted off toward the bathroom.
I sighed. “What a day.”
“You aren’t kidding,” Ace said.
“But we got the bad guy.”
Ace rubbed his forehead. “You, me, Cat Woman, and your cousin the dog.”
I shrugged. “It worked.
“I still can’t wrap my head around that whole Terri and Trixie thing. Even after seeing her change, my brain doesn’t want to believe it.”
“I’ve known her literally all my life, and sometimes the thought of what she is blows my mind.” I put my hand on his arm. “Are you hungry?”
“Actually, I should be getting home. Check on the dogs. Do some thinking.”
Why wasn’t he looking at me? “I understand,” I told him, but I didn’t.
“See you later.”
He touched his lips to my forehead, then still not looking at me, he turned and walked out the door.
I locked the door behind him and leaned my head against the wood. Had my worry he’d run if he knew Terri’s secret shot me straight into the very situation I was trying to avoid?
“Where’s Ace?” Terri stood in the middle of the room, barefoot and wearing her Snoopy pajamas.
“He went home to check on things. And think.”
“I’m sorry.” Her voice was almost a whisper.
“It’s not your fault.” I collapsed on the couch.
She slid in beside me. “What I am scares him.”
“He lives in Ugly Creek. He knows Bigfoot.”
She put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s different when you watch somebody you know change into something else.”
The look on her face sent tingles to my stomach. I aimed for a teasing tone. “What would you know about that?”
She picked at an invisible piece of lint on her leg. “I saw my dad shift.”
I knew I was staring, but I couldn’t stop. “I thought your dad left just after you were born.”
“That’s what Mom tells people. I think that’s what she wants to believe, but the truth is I was almost four when he left.”
“I knew he was where the shifter gene came from, but you actually saw him shift. Wow.”
“It was freaky. Seriously freaky.” She twisted so she faced me, propped her elbow on the back of the couch, and rested her head on her hand. “It was maybe a week before my fourth birthday, but it seemed like i
t’d never get here.” She grinned, but the expression faded fast into sadness. “I was supposed to be napping in my room, but I saw Daddy through the window and decided I wanted to go out there with him.” She looked down, the muscles in her jaw jumping like she was fighting to get the words out.
I put my hand on her shoulder. “It’s just you and me, and I love you like a sister.”
She nodded. “As I was crossing the lawn, I saw this huge lizard, or at least it seemed huge to a four-year-old. I think it might have been an iguana, but back then all I knew was that I was scared of the thing.”
She gave me a weak smile.
“But I also wanted to chase it around the yard. I caught a glimpse of Daddy and ran toward him.”
She looked down for a moment, then took a deep breath. “He was naked, and I’d never seen him, or any other male, naked before. I stood there, confused by how strange he looked. There was a blurring movement, and then a big dog stood where my dad had been. I found out later that he becomes more wolf than collie, but then all I knew was that my Daddy was gone and there was a huge dog looking right at me.”
“You must have been terrified.” My heart ached for the little girl she had been.
“I was. I screamed and ran hard toward the house. Mom came busting through the front door and grabbed me. She took me in the house, sat in a chair, and held me in her arms. Daddy came in a little later, but I refused to even look at him. I heard Mom and Daddy arguing that night. The next day he was gone.”
“I’m so sorry.”
She wiped at her eyes. “The point is that seeing something that crazy isn’t easy to deal with.”
“I’m sorry, Terri.”
“I just wish I’d had the courage to ask why he really left.” She rubbed the center of her forehead. “Mom’s always said he didn’t want to be with us anymore, but I think he left because he scared me.”
“Then he wasn’t much of a father. He could have at least contacted you after you grew up.”
She nodded. “You’re right.”
“Of course I am.”
She hugged me. “Ace will deal with my collie-ness. Just give him time.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Unfortunately, I knew her well enough to see the worry behind the smile. “Thanks, Terri.”
She hugged me again before she got to her feet.
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