by Karen Ranney
I’d never talked about Mark with anyone at the clinic. For all anyone knew he was an anxious pet owner. Unless, of course, my nemesis was at the root of this problem.
I’m not good at confrontation. Oh, if you get in my face and get me riled up enough I’ll come out growling. However, it takes a lot for me to get there.
Alice and I had been circling each other ever since I’d started at the clinic. It had been easier to simply ignore her. Well, that certainly taught me a lesson. A snake in the grass doesn’t go away, it just hides and waits for another opportunity to strike.
Conscious of Doug’s presence, I leaned over the counter and asked, “Was it Alice?”
Her face froze. Then her eyes darted down the hallway to Alice’s office.
I had my answer.
Marianne looked like she wanted to say something else, but clamped her lips shut so tightly they looked white.
On cue, at eight o’clock, the phones began ringing. Marianne grabbed the first call with a look of relief.
Although Alice normally arrived at the clinic by seven, she was nowhere to be found. I checked the parking lot and her space was empty. Alice wouldn’t miss today. Not when we had a new vet starting. I made a mental note to pull Jennifer aside and warn her about Alice. Or maybe I should just stay out of it. It was entirely possible that she and Alice would turn out to be best buds.
I walked down the hall to the managing partner’s office. His door was closed as it was most of the time. For some reason, when Derek wasn't treating patients or overseeing the staff, he huddled in his office like a frightened hamster.
He had the idea about ten years ago to start a clinic where the veterinarians were not just employees but had a financial interest in the organization. That’s probably the only reason he’d been elected managing partner. It wasn't that he had an organizational grasp of things or that he was up-to-date on the newest procedures. He reminded me of a man who was woefully out of his element, for all that he seemed to have a genuine love of animals. People? Not so much.
Over the past few months I’ve gotten to know Derek better, which isn’t to say very well at all. Unless I broached his privacy as I was about to do, we rarely interacted. Oh, he would send me occasional emails. Sometimes, he would even say something nice. Other times, he would remind me to keep my phone in my locker, to contribute to the coffee fund, to finish my paperwork on time, and to sign all the myriad birthday cards, anniversary cards, and Kudo cards that came my way.
The Were community accentuates belonging. The Were who’s an introvert or prefers to do her own thing in her own way was frowned upon. The same held true at Alamo Veterinary Clinic. When I didn't participate in the potluck lunches, people thought I was antisocial. I wasn’t. I was just a lousy cook. I much preferred buying the paper plates, napkins, paper towels, and disposable cutlery or even the bread than I did making something from scratch.
Derek, however, was forever lecturing me — via email — on the spirit of community. I was supposed to think of the clinic as an extension of my family, if not more important than my real family. I was to give it my undivided attention and at least sixty hours of work a week. I didn't have a problem with the hours, or even the family feeling. It was just that families occasionally had problems. Witness my brother Austin and me. In the case of the clinic, it was Alice.
Derek had sent me memos about Alice, too. There wasn't any doubt that he sided with the older vet whenever we had a conflict. First of all, Alice had been here a lot longer than I had. In addition, Alice and Derek’s wife had been friends for a long time. Thirdly, I think Alice had something over on Derek, but that was only suspicion on my part with no actual basis in fact.
But if it quacked like a duck and waddled like a duck, I’ll bet you money that there was a pond nearby.
Occasionally, I got the feeling from Alice that she thought I was her competition. Trust me, nothing was further from the truth. I just wanted her to leave me alone. Stop with the snide remarks and the attitude when we had to work together. And it didn’t help that she questioned every single decision I made. Nor was I ultra happy when she presented me a bill at the end of every month, fresh from Accounts Receivable. She’d stand there like she wanted me to either explain the charges to her or give her the money on the spot. I did neither, merely thanked her, put the bill in my pocket, and paid it later.
I wasn’t sure how the rest of the staff felt about her. I’d never asked one of the vet techs — I didn’t want to put any of them in a difficult position — but I think they felt the same way about Alice as I did. Give her a wide berth. Stay out of her way. If you have to interact with her, do it quickly and although you don't need to bow and scrape, don't let her think that you disrespect her. That will just get you in a world of trouble.
Well, I’d tried to play nice and it hadn’t gotten me anywhere.
I knocked on Derek’s door, took a deep breath, and when he answered, I entered.
Derek had the largest office, but you couldn't tell it from the stacks of papers and magazines, journals, and scientific publications piled on every surface. Derek evidently never threw anything away.
Once a month his twin teenage daughters arrived to ostensibly help clean the mess, but they spent more of their time in the kennels petting the animals being boarded. In their defense, I don’t think Derek would let them touch anything.
I wondered if he was as much of a slob at home.
Derek talked a lot about family, but he didn't do anything to promote the feeling beyond potlucks, breakfast tacos, and cupcakes. Kind of like my father lecturing someone else on the sanctity of marriage.
It didn't compute.
For example, the vets never got together outside of the clinic. Granted, I’d been here less than a year, but I’d never met the wives or husbands of my peers. When something happened to one of us, a cone of silence fell over the entire clinic. Derek didn't broadcast any information and he actively discouraged anyone from asking questions. It was like he was a spooky kind of Daddy, and we were all his children imprisoned in different rooms in the Derek house. We didn't even get a roster of the personnel with their addresses and phone numbers, which was why I was here now.
I decided to get straight to the point.
"Is Alice coming in today?"
"Do you need her for some reason?" Derek asked, frowning at a piece of correspondence before he put it to the side along with about five hundred other pieces of mail.
"I need to talk to her. If she isn't coming in, can you give me her phone number?”
"You know I can't do that, Torrance."
No, I didn't. This was the 21st century, for the love of all that was Furry. Everybody was reachable.
“Look, Derek, I really need to talk to her.”
I was tired and, I confess, in a mood. I was annoyed with Alice and just fed up enough to allow it to carry over to Derek. Managing Partner or not — which meant that he could cancel my contract and buy me out — I was willing to have it out with him.
The air shimmered and grew thick, if that was possible. It was like looking through shallow water like a wading pool or the edge of the ocean.
Derek was naked and covered in bronze colored bands about six inches wide, stretching from his shoulders to his ankles, leaving his hands and his genitalia free.
I had no desire whatsoever to see Derek naked. And the image of his ding dong swollen and sticking out at me? Not something that aroused my prurient interest. After you’ve been on one Hunt, you’ve pretty much seen as many enormous schlongs as you ever wanted to see. They’re no longer a mystery.
I blinked again and he was back to sitting behind his paper covered desk.
I tried to talk myself down. Okay, don’t panic. Take a deep breath, maintain your cool. You’ve already decided that what you’re seeing is a person’s true nature.
What the hell did that mean? Exactly what was Derek’s true nature? That he wanted to be trussed up like a tin can?
“You
’ll just need to leave her a message, Torrance.”
For a moment I’d forgotten the reason I was here. I nodded. “I hope you’re as reticent with my information, Derek,” I said, backing up to the door.
“Of course I am, Torrance. We can never have too much privacy.”
I was so tempted to tell Derek what I’d seen. Privacy? How about that birthmark on your stomach, Derek, dear? The one just above your dancing dick. I didn’t say anything. Not because I’d suddenly learned tact, but because I didn’t know how to explain what I’d seen.
Forcing a smile to my face, I left Derek’s office.
I decided I wasn’t going to stay for Jennifer’s welcome ceremony and headed for the locker room. Instead of changing, I grabbed my clothes and headed for my car.
You might even say that I escaped.
Chapter Sixteen
Good grief, was I a walking lie detector?
When I got home I waved to Simon who was installing a mini-garage for the lawn tractor in the far back yard. My property was zoned oddly, which meant I didn’t have a problem building anything I wanted on my acreage. Plus, Graystone escaped the attentions of the earnest members of the Historical Commission because the house had been exempted nearly fifty years ago. That meant I didn’t have to worry about people challenging me if I wanted to paint the towers pink and purple.
I stopped to talk to Wilson who was in the layout stage of the rose garden. I thought it would be a lovely tribute to my grandmother who’d loved roses. In fact, I often smelled roses when I walked through Graystone as if her ghost were beside me.
I had a theory about ghosts. I think they existed, but that they didn’t visit the living on purpose. Not because of any reluctance on their part, but because the living were easily frightened. Ghosts didn’t wish to scare their loved ones. Instead, they left signs and symbols like the faint scent of roses or the ruffling of curtains on a still day.
As much as I loved my grandmother, I wasn’t in a hurry to see her ghost. I didn’t like the idea that she could be visiting without me knowing. There were just some things I wanted to do without an audience.
Once I parked the car and reached the porch, the Brood gave me an olfactory examination. Who touched you? Where were you? We smell dogs. We smell cats. Were you cheating on us? I normally changed back into my street clothes at the clinic and my scrubs must smell of every animal I’d treated last night.
Once the third degree sniffing was finally done, I did the petting routine and explained that I was home early because I’d worked all night — did you miss me? The answer was affirmative.
Everyone got fed followed by brushing their teeth. My Brood thrived on routine.
I stood in front of the refrigerator and wondered if I was energetic enough to make myself a proper breakfast. Two donuts were not going to do it. Nope, I was too tired to cook. Even toast felt beyond me at the moment.
I made myself a cup of Rooibos tea, added cream, and wandered into the other side of the porch, the human side, the Brood trailing behind.
Once Pepper made his home on my lap and the other two plopped down on my feet, I occupied myself with staring out at the lawn. I had a few acres between the house and the beginning of the thin line of trees. Even in winter I couldn’t see beyond my property which was just peachy with me. Right now I was in the mood to be a little antisocial.
I was still freaked out about what I’d seen at the clinic. I tried to tell myself that it was because I was tired. Let's face it, I’d only slept three hours the night before. That's the price you paid for passion, I guess. I didn’t care. I wasn’t stupid. Any time Mark wanted to carry me up the stairs to my bed, that was fine with me. I wasn’t going to send him away because I needed a good night’s sleep.
A girl had her priorities.
I sighed deeply, put my head back and stared up at the ceiling. Even here there were plaster rosettes in the center and the corners. I concentrated on one of them, my vision blurring a little because of exhaustion. I blinked a few times, wishing that I couldn’t remember the image of Derek encased in metal bands.
The thing about the hallucinations was that they didn’t happen all the time. Nor did they always occur when I was feeling strong emotion. This morning I’d just been tired. There was something about this whole situation I was missing, but I didn’t know what it was.
I raised my head and stared out at the yard, watching the beginning of a perfect Texas summer day. In the afternoon this room would be too warm unless I closed the windows now opened to let in the breeze. I liked spending time here in the morning, though, and smelling the flowers blooming against the house. Wilson kept me in perennial blossoms.
Once again I thanked my grandmother for her generosity. I loved Graystone. I also loved the freedom Sonia’s legacy had given me.
A few minutes later I moved Pepper, apologized to Dalton and Cherry Pip, and went into the kitchen to make more tea. I had all the stuff to become a tea connoisseur like my grandmother, but I was too lazy. I’d inherited teapots and caddies, infusers and strainers, ceramic containers for loose tea – everything to brew a proper cup of tea. Teabags were easier. My stomach rumbled again. I put extra cream in my tea to compensate and returned to the porch.
The doves were out in force this morning and I sat there listening to them, wishing their cooing could relax me as it normally did.
I thought back to what had happened this morning. I didn’t think that Marianne was always afraid. Nor did I think the metal bands Derek was wearing had anything to do with his character. Maybe he had a penchant for S&M, and if that were the case, I hoped he kept it to himself.
I stared out past the screens. Was that it? Was I seeing someone’s greatest secret? Their worst fear? Or just something they wanted to hide?
Good grief, was I a walking lie detector?
Was that it?
I had the ability to ferret out someone’s secret? If that were the case, what was Austin’s secret? What about the Were in Kerrville? Had I misjudged that, too? I’d seen a monster, but had I just picked up on his secret?
I grabbed my phone and did a search on the symbolism of a goat’s head and ram horns. I ended up with loads of witchcraft and sorcery sites. Bottom line, a goat was thought to be clever and intelligent, facing any challenge directly. Horns were symbols of power. So what I’d seen in Kerrville was one smart, powerful Were? Why go on the Hunt alone?
Oh goody, more questions and absolutely no answers.
What the hell was I going to do about Alice? Our relationship, if I could even call it that, put my entire career in jeopardy. I didn’t know if I could continue at the clinic with her undermining me. Was she doing other things in the background that I didn’t know about? Was she saying things about me to the staff? Was she complaining about me to the other partners? I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do.
Maybe the first thing was to figure out exactly what Alice was. Was there some sort of witchy test I could perform on her? If Marcie was a witpire and I’d received a transfusion from her did that mean that I’d also been given witchy abilities? Was I part witch now?
Maybe I needed to talk to Marcie. Or at least start learning what being Pranic really meant.
It would be nice if I could use the hallucinations — or whatever I should call them — to my benefit. At the moment, however, they popped up without one ounce of my participation. How the hell did I summon an hallucination?
Maybe a better word would be vision. It certainly made me sound less loony.
I put the phone back in my pocket and opened the glass jar next to the sofa, withdrew three doggy dental treats, and doled them out one by one. By the time I’d gotten to Cherry Pip, Dalton and Pepper had already finished theirs.
"Don't give me that look. You're not getting anything else.”
Pepper rearranged himself on my lap and gave the other two dogs a glance that said, “See? She loves me more."
Dalton ignored him and settled himself on my feet, Cherry
Pip close. They were going to be great foot warmers in the winter, but since the windows were open and the day was getting warmer, it was a little uncomfortable. I didn’t, however, urge them to move. If they wanted to be close to me, who was I to argue? I understood the need for companionship.
I used the Echo to turn on a talk radio station I liked, even as I told myself that I needed to get to bed. The Council meeting was tonight and I’d be a wreck if I didn’t get some sleep. Not to mention that there was a chance of some extracurricular activities with Mark later.
The voices on the radio were very mellow, almost comforting. I felt myself being lulled to sleep. Although I told myself to stand, go to bed, the effort of walking through the house and climbing the stairs seemed beyond me. Even taking the elevator, which I rarely did, felt like a superhuman effort. I put my head back against the soft cushions of the couch, hearing Pepper sigh in contentment on my lap.
The last thing I remember was thinking that I must have been more tired than I thought.
Chapter Seventeen
If all else failed, maybe I should try conversation
I woke abruptly, knowing instantly that something was wrong. I could hear the Brood barking hysterically, but they seemed far away. I was moving but I wasn’t walking. I was being carried, my feet dragging behind me.
My chin was poking my chest, but I couldn’t raise my head. How much did a head weigh? Mine felt like it was about thirty pounds, but that couldn’t be right. People were talking, one on each side of me. I think they were speaking English, but I’d lost the ability to understand what they were saying. They were holding me too tight. My underarms hurt. My whole body slumped and I felt like I weighed at least two hundred pounds more than I did. I tried to talk to them. I really did, but my tongue was a huge dry and unresponsive piece of flesh filling my mouth.
Suddenly I felt a prick in my arm and then nothing.
When I woke again I was flat on my back. I wasn’t moving at all. I surfaced gradually, coming up from sleep fighting for air. I was exhausted, the effort to regain consciousness made worse by waves of nausea.
