Unleashed- Case of the Hound About Town

by Erik Schubach

  She placed her hand on the pamphlets to get my attention, and I looked up. She looked from me to Jane then back again as she stepped around the counter to in front of me. “I'm sure I can come up with some suggestions. You two get settled in an' I'll ring yer room in a bit.”

  Jane nodded, locking eyes with me, calming me and I nodded too as I turned to the earnest woman as Jane led the way to the elevators. Rory leaned in and whispered in appreciation, “She's a tall drink of water, now isn't she?”

  I beamed as I nodded in pride. My wife always looked as if she stepped out of an issue of Bad Girl's Monthly, and she was mine. I realized what Rory was doing and I sighed in appreciation. She was an intuitive person and she was trying to put me at ease... it worked. I nodded my thanks once then scurried off with Calvin to catch my errant wife. “Hey wait for me!”

  As the door of the elevator closed I said to nobody in particular, “She's good.”

  Rory responded as my personal Detective nodded, “That one is scary. She's a knack for the job, though she does keep threatening to have me fired because of my name, something about it being less confusing ta our guests.”

  Grin? Shit eating. Then he added, “She switched out my name tag with Bob once. I didn't notice for a week.” He shrugged and asked us, “Suppose that's why I do what I do and she runs the place?”

  I... really liked this place. We grinned at the affable boy.

  When we stepped out of the elevator, he moved the cart quickly across the hall to beside the door as he held a master key card against the lock and he held the door open for us to enter. I dropped Cal's leash and he flowed past Rory and into the room beyond like liquid canine, his excitement evident.

  We stepped in and he unloaded the cart, placing the bags beside the door. Jane stepped up to him. As tall and reed thin as the young man was, Jane was actually a hair taller as she shook his hand, “Thanks, Bob.”

  He smirked then looked at his hand where I could see my girl had discreetly tipped him well. He tipped his bellhop cap and backed out of the room, closing the door behind him. “Thank you, ladies. Enjoy your stay.”

  I wiggled my fingers at him in a silly wave.

  When the electronic lock clicked shut, I stepped to it to manually unlock and lock it a few times before I was satisfied it was locked. I mean, it only makes good sense. Shut up.

  Jane started grabbing our bags and headed to the attached room as I spun around in place to take the room in. Unlike most hotels I have been in, it wasn't just a large room with an attached bathroom. This was a small suite. The main sitting room with a large entertainment system along one wall, and then two doors leading into the bedroom and bathroom. It was a little amusing that it was bigger than a lot of the studio apartments back in Manhattan.

  One wall was floor to ceiling windows with heavy maroon drapes pulled across them at the moment. I navigated around the seating area that was arranged like a family room around what looked like a gas fireplace, then peeked out a window to see a large lawn.

  I grinned at poor Calvin, who had about levitated when he relieved himself by a little tree outside the airport after holding it for over ten hours. “What do you say, boy?” He cocked his head in question and I told Jane as she came out for the second load of luggage while I moved to the door, checking my shoulder bag. “I'm taking Cal out to do his thing, be back in a jiffy.”

  She smirked as she moved past, giving me a peck on the lips. “Oh, by all means, you two go out in the fresh air while I lug your entire closet into the bedroom.”

  I pouted at her. “You keep growling at me every time I try to touch the bags. You like taking care of me.” I bounced on my toes playfully as I gave a satisfied smile.

  She muttered to herself, “You're just lucky I love you, pipsqueak.”

  And it was true. I was lucky. I almost skipped out the door with Calvin, as we headed out for a little walk.

  Chapter 4 – Sydenham Home for Girls

  When we returned, me dropping the little plastic bag with Calvin's offerings into a trash can outside, Rory One was waiting.

  As she approached, I finished up with my texting of my ex, Rafiel Moretti of Rafiel's Canine Walkers, to make sure he was clear on my client's walking schedules for the next few days; I contracted with him whenever I was out of town and needed someone to cover for me for a bit.

  He was a pain in the butt, always trying to poach my clients out from underneath me, but there was a reason people were standing in line to get a coveted slot in my rotations. Where he approached dog walking with a commodity mindset, high volume for lower cost, I and the owners of my clients, saw the value in higher quality, personalized, hands-on service for their fuzzy babies. That is why I could get three times the going rate of generic walk and dash services like his.

  When he worked for me, he charged my going rate not his, so I expected him to dedicate himself to the care of my charges like I did, to the exclusion of all else and let one of his many walkers handle any extraneous work. I warned in a text group which included him and my cousin, Polly, who was now dating the handsome Italian, “I don't want to find out you were leaving RCW swag in my client's houses again. No poaching or you only get your rate, not mine.”

  I grinned when Polly added, “You heard her, walker-boy!”

  Then I sent a heart emoji. “Love you brats, see you when we get back.”

  I gave Rory a tiny wave from my hip while Calvin rubbed up against her legs as she reached me. She smiled and reached a hand down to scrub his ears. She said as she held out a little boutique bag to me, “I spoke with yer missus while ya were out and about. She said that time was short, so had me send out a messenger down the block ta retrieve a little somethin' fer yer little miss.”

  I brightened, my eyes widening as I looked into the bag. A second bag was in it accompanied by a tee shirt. I pulled it out and looked at it, it was a band tee for Old Smoke 5. I wracked my brains, it sounded familiar. Then I got it. It was that Irish rock band that London Harmony had signed a few months back.

  If memory serves, in all the literature I studied on Belfast before we flew out, Old Smoke was a nickname for Belfast. In the Victorian era, it had been just about the only industrialized city in an otherwise rural and agricultural country, excepting Dublin of course. So people coming down into the city saw a haze of smoke from all the industry in it.

  I looked at it, then her, and she explained, “Every self respectin' eleven-year-old in tha city has one. It's tha in thing right now.”

  I nodded. Back when I followed my twin brother, Garrett and his friends around, I wanted to be like him, one of the cool kids. So I wore a lot of his band tees, but after teasing and bullying from my classmates, saying I wanted to be a boy, I sort of went the extreme opposite and usually wear nothing but dresses. Where it started out as one of what my mom calls my quirks, I now love being a girly girl and never outgrew my habit of dressing the part.

  I have one band tee, that someone, I think it was Gar, had bought me as a joke, and I love it. My Nine Inch Nails tee. I like to wear it whenever I feel a little nostalgic about home back in Liberty, New York, just a couple hours outside of Manhattan.

  Looking at the other bag and cocking an eyebrow as my heart skipped a beat, I saw it was from an office supply store. Those places were like my toy store and I could spend hours perusing the organization aisles. I kept my brow cocked at her as I reached in the bag and then pulled out...

  A giggle squeak of excitement bubbled out of me.

  It was a mini Bitech 301 children's manual embossing label maker, it was so small and came with a lanyard to wear around your neck. If only I had one of these when I was younger.

  I had had its much bigger cousin, the Bitech 10, which was called 'compact' back in the day, but was made for adults like all labelers at the time, so I always had to squeeze it with both hands. It was the first labeler my mother got me. She says there are days she regrets getting it for me, that it had been the catalyst which had started my addiction
to labeling.

  Hey, I don't have a problem, I can stop at any time. Shut up.

  I bit my lower lip then squeaked out, “It's perfect! Thank you so much, Rory!” I wanted to hug her but it just made my anxiety spike at the thought, so instead, I just beamed a smile at her as I swished side to side.

  Rory winked and said, “Yer wife said that you an yer girl were odd platypuses. You'd think it was made'a precious gems or somethin'.”

  I shook my head and fished a hundred-pound note out of my partitioned travel currency wallet which has five of each denomination in each pocket. I had all my travel spending cash converted to pounds sterling before we flew out.

  I pressed it into her hand and said, “She is going to love this. You're a lifesaver, now maybe I can get in a quick cat nap before we go to meet up with her.”

  “My pleasure. Di'n'ya get some sleep on the flight? Not a lot ta do when yer flyin' over tha water.”

  My eyes widened as I looked back at her while we headed for the stairs next to the elevator, dropping Calvin's leash. “Sleep? When we were seconds away from plummeting to our doom at any moment?”

  She cocked her head, studying me as I went like she was trying to figure me out. I get that a lot. I may not be the most... conventional, person. I skipped up the stairs after my furry boy and saw his tail slip into the door to our room, then Jane's head popped out and she smiled when I waved as I approached.

  She did that thing she always did when I showed up somewhere or she got home. You know the one where she looks me up and down, assessing me just to verify I was ok. When her cop-stincts verified I hadn't lost a limb or anything, her eyes landed on the bag I was carrying.

  She asked once she stole a quick kiss and I squeaked as I avoid her attempt to swat my butt when I slipped in the room past her, “It's here already? Rory Prime doesn't mess around, does she?”

  I shook my head as I gave her a crooked smile. “Rory Prime? I've been thinking of her as Rory One and the bellhop as Rory Two.”

  “Great minds, love. Great minds.” Then she lifted her head as she looked down toward the bag like she could see what was inside as I flopped into an overstuffed chair and exhaled. I rolled my eyes and handed it over.

  She dug around in the bag then snorted. “Fitting.”

  I closed my eyes, snuggled into the comfy chair as Cal hopped up to curl in beside me, and I feigned snoring. Jane said in amusement, “I get it, Finny needs a little shuteye before we head out to the orphanage.”

  “Girls Home.” I grinned internally, my eyes still closed, because I always said orphanage in my head too, but it was so much fun to poke at the bear as it were.

  “Girls Home.” I could hear her smirk, knowing what I was doing, I'm sure my smile was giving me away. “I'll wake you in two hours. Our rental car should be here in a bit, and we can go meet up with Luce.”

  I snuggled into my Cal as I yawned. “Ninety minutes please, I want to look good for her, and I'm too nervous and excited.”

  “You could have slept on the flight.”

  “You could sprout a second head too.”

  “Fine.”

  “Fine.” I yawned again then smiled when I felt her lips on top of my head as she kissed it on her way into the other room.

  I don't even remember falling asleep, but Jane was gently rocking me. “Time to get up short stuff, we've a potential daughter to go meet.”

  My eyes snapped open just to be engulfed by the deep brown pools of Jane's, as her face hovered mere inches from mine. One of us sighed. What? Fine, I sighed, are you happy now? Then my eyes widened. “By the seven canine lords of Nebula B! We're going to meet her in person!”

  I hopped up like I was on springs, Jane stumbling back to scramble out of my way as my panic set in. I was almost running to the bedroom as I started stripping down. I blinked at the empty suitcases then to the closet, barely registering that Jane had moved all my things into it. She's always doing thoughtful things like that.

  “What should I wear? What if she meets us and doesn't like us? What if...”

  My snarky cop-faced wench cut me off. “Well I know she'll like me. You on the other hand...”

  I growled and slugged her arm. Noticing in appreciation just how dense her muscles were. Heck, mine weren't half as solid even when I flexed. “You're not as funny as you think you are.”

  “Yes, I am. Winnie says so.”

  “Leave mom out of this, you jerk. I'm serious, what if we fall in love with her but she just doesn't think we're a good fit?”

  I leaned back into her warmth when her strong arms engulfed me from behind to hug me, “If we? Love, I'm pretty sure we're both head over heels for the little scamp already. And I'm pretty sure she feels the same, even if her emotional responses are a little... different.”

  She patted my butt and scooted me forward to choose from the multitude of sundresses, and emergency contingency dresses I had packed, just in case something happened to the others, hanging in the closet. She always seemed so laid back about this whole thing, and her words confirmed it as I compared a lavender to a lilac dress, “I just see this as a done deal. The way her eyes light up when she talks to us is all the confirmation I need. So we're just going through the official motions right now before we can take our daughter home.”

  “I wish I could be as confident.”

  “It's not how you're wired, Finny.”

  “I s'pose not. What do you think of this one?” I held up one I hadn't even been comparing. It was a smoke grey dress that Jessie had brought home for me from where she worked at the City Kitty alternative attire boutique.

  It had white lapels on it and would look smoldering on any of the amazons I lived with, with all their curves. On me, it gave an almost professional secretarial or boardroom look. And I wanted to look professional, as I didn't want the ladies at the Sydenham Home for Girls to have any reason to decline our adoption.

  I asked Jane, “Maybe some black kitten heels and put my hair up in a bun?”

  She purred out, “Only if you are trying to get me into bed. The naughty librarian look might be over the...”

  I growled and shoved her shoulder. “Shut up, jerk.”

  She chuckled and said, “Sorry, couldn't resist. I swear you can make sweats look good, Fin, so you can't blame me for picturing it. But yes, if you are going for glamour chic professional.”

  I blushed profusely as I dragged my selections to the bathroom when I heard her muttering almost dreamily, “Now with some thick-rimmed glasses... rawr.” I felt as though we were in a perpetual honeymoon phase, and I can't tell you how happy that made me. And I do admit that I'm always having fantasies about her too like just then I was picturing her naughty librarian scenario and I shivered in delight.

  I accessorized with a white purse, wide-brimmed hat, and belt. When I emerged to see Jane brushing our Calvin's silky fur, she sighed, her eyes perusing every square inch of me. I felt the burn of a blush on my cheeks as I twirled for her then smoothed out the skirt as she said, “Wow.”

  Then she shook her head as if to clear her fantasies, and said, “Look, Calvin, you match.”

  I giggled as I looked at my black and white and grey outfit. We did match. I beamed at my wife who had changed while I was in the bathroom. She wore tight jeans and a black, loose turtleneck I had bought her months ago, but she never wore. I sighed internally. She looked so hip and current and posh. But then again, you could put burlap on the copper and she couldn't hide her womanly assets.

  She asked as she helped lay a black shawl over my shoulders, “Shall we my lady? They dropped the keys off while you were getting ready.”

  I bit back the anxiety and terror building and pushed it below the excitement as I nodded. I clipped Calvin up and we headed out. I barely remember the walk through the lobby then to the parking lot across the street. But then snorted and snapped out of my emotional turmoil when Jane chuckled at me as I blinked at the steering wheel on the passenger side.

  “The whee
l is on the other side in the UK, lady... unless you're driving?”

  I took the higher road... and stuck my tongue out at the overly amused woman and headed around to the other side. I could barely drive safely back home, I'd probably have a nervous breakdown if I had to drive on the opposite side of the road and car.

  The Sydenham Home For Girls was just over two miles from our hotel over the River Lagan and through Strandtown to Sydenham. It was easy walking distance for us, but I didn't trust my legs not to give out as I was so full of adrenaline at the time, plus... heels.

  I noted that Belfast was pretty much how I had imagined. That it would be like London, a mix of ultra-modern buildings mixed in with architecture sometimes hundreds of years old. It was so amazing to me to think that some of the mansions we passed near the water were older than our country was.

  Entering a drive with heavy rustic iron gates, we pulled up to the old brick and stone building which looked to have been added onto a dozen times since the main Victorian structure had been built. It was smaller than I had imagined, even though I had looked at photos online and even a satellite view on Google Maps. It could have been a Victorian lodge once upon a time with the large stone chimneys on either side of it.

  A dormitory-style addition to the back was more modern and I assumed that was where the girls were housed. It was in a fairly congested area of the metropolis, but since it had been built so long ago, it had a small yard in front, behind a high wrought iron fence with a stone base, the whole thing overrun by ancient looking vines which gave it a grand and established feel. And those colorful green and red vines also made their way up the stone and brickwork on the building, reaching toward the slate roof.

  Jane asked me as we sat in the car looking up at the building, “How many girls did they say lived here?”

  I supplied without having to look it up again. “They have thirteen beds, but fourteen girls at the moment, since one... Brianne is going to age out of the system in less than six months. And six staff live on the premises, two off. They are a little understaffed and underfunded, in their prime fifty years back, they had ten staff, and two dormitory wings with twenty-two girls, but the north wing burned down thirty years ago and they haven't been able to get the funds needed to rebuild.”