knew, except Granny, she dialed Granny’s cell phone number.
Just as she feared, it immediately rolled over to voicemail. “Hi Granny,” she said, valiantly trying to keep the worry and fatigue out of her voice. “I was just calling to update you on things over here. Give me a call when you have phone service. Love you. Bye.”
She disconnected and sighed. Granny would see right through her and know that something was wrong. It could be days before she had cell phone service again. Thank goodness Charlie was ok.
She went back into the dining room. Zena and Steven had cleaned up the kitchen and were gathering up their things. Zena settled her purse over her neck and Steven zipped up his backpack.
“Where are you going?” Alley asked.
Her two friends exchanged glances. “We’re gonna head on out,” Steven said, sounding more serious than Alley had ever heard him sound.
Zena walked up to Alley and took her hands in hers. “Honey,” Zena said. “You’ve got a lot going on right now and... well...” she glanced back at Steven. “Well, we just think it would be best if we went on back to Dallas.”
Alley looked at her friends, each in turn. Maybe she was just drained, but something very strange was going on. They had always been good at entertaining themselves and she didn’t think her being tied up with a sick cat would be enough to offend them. But something in their expressions kept her from commenting.
“Ok,” she said, not knowing what else to say.
Zena hugged her and, turning, took Steven’s hand, and they left.
Alley stood there, watching them. She was too exhausted to think right now. She would figure it all out later. Later. After she dealt with Charlie and her grandmother. Later, after she had slept. Maybe for a week.
Chapter 6
Justin had been tied up with processing seven newborn puppies before it sank in that Alley had taken Charlie and gone home. After that realization, he had to force himself not to rush through the examinations and to patiently answer the ten-year-old twins’ questions about how to take care of their new family pets.
He managed to calm himself though, and get through the exam. Just as he was finishing up disinfecting the counter and thinking about how it might be time to hire an assistant again, to help out with cleaning, if nothing else, when Mrs. Jameson came in with her Siamese cat, Tootsy.
“Tootsy has just been a mess lately. She won’t use her litter box. It was the last straw when she climbed into my open suitcase and used it for a litter box.”
Justin somehow managed not to laugh. Although he couldn’t help but picture Mrs. Jameson’s nice clothes for her cruise soiled with cat urine. “Cats are very sensitive,” he told her. “She probably can tell that you’re getting ready to leave her.”
“But I’ll be leaving her here, with you, and she likes you.”
Justin wasn’t sure Tootsy liked him at the moment, judging by the scowl on her face and the way she was looking at him with her ears laid back on her head.
After she hissed at him when he was trying to take her temperature, he was certain, she had no particular affection for him.
“What will I do?” Mrs. Jameson asked.
“I think you should keep your suitcase closed while you’re packing, and I suspect you’ll have to go out and buy some new clothes,” Justin said.
Mrs. Jameson sighed. “I suppose you’re right. Well, Mr. Jameson won’t care for it. I
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