Read Online A Sinister Sense by Allison Kingsley - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Allison Kingsley
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Clara started the engine and pulled away from the store.
To her huge relief, the dog sat on his haunches all the way home, though the minute she parked the car at the curb he jumped up and started barking—little short yelps that Clara recognized as anxiety as she opened the door.
He would have leapt past her had she not grabbed his collar and hung on with all her strength while she talked to him in soothing tones. “It’s all right, big boy. You’re home. You’re gonna be all right now.”
It took a while but gradually Tatters stopped quivering and yelping and allowed her to lead him out of the car and up the path to the front door.
It took her another hour to get him fed and settled down. After removing everything breakable in her room, she coaxed him onto her bed. Leaning down to look him in the eye, she said firmly, “You are to stay here, on this bed, until Mom gets home.”
She waited, anxiously holding her breath in case she heard his voice in her head again. To her relief, he merely whined, and moved his tail slowly back and forth. Feeling reassured, she added, “She will let you out in the yard when she gets home and she’ll feed you. You are to be on your best behavior, is that understood?”
Tatters lifted his head and licked her nose.
Satisfied, Clara rubbed his ears and patted his head. After turning on her small TV, she left the room and closed the door. She waited just long enough to reassureherself he wasn’t going berserk in there, and then called her mother.
Jessie sounded worried when she answered. “They’ve arrested Rick Sanders for that murder,” she said. “I don’t think you should be having anything to do with him. I hope you haven’t brought that dog home. I won’t have a murderer’s dog in my home. I wouldn’t feel safe.”
Clara took a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering her. “Rick is not a murderer, and he hasn’t been arrested. He’s just being questioned, that’s all. Someone has to take care of Tatters while he’s at the station. The dog is in my room.” She gave her mother brief instructions to let Tatters out in the yard and feed him.
“Does he have to stay in the yard until you get home?” Jessie asked doubtfully. “Won’t he be lonely out there, poor little thing?”
Clara felt guilty. Her mother had no idea she’d be dealing with a large dog. Better she didn’t know until she actually met Tatters. Hopefully the dog would win over Jessie. Clara closed her eyes and prayed that Tatters would behave until she got home. If not, she’d have more than a hysterical mother to deal with.
Feeling decidedly uneasy, she drove back to Main Street and parked the car. The slight breeze from the ocean did nothing to cool her face as she trudged up the hill for the second time that day. She already felt as if she’d worked a full day, and she hadn’t even started her shift at the bookstore yet.
Stephanie was behind the counter when Clara walked in, followed by a couple of giggling teenagers who promptly disappeared down one of the aisles.
“I suppose you heard the news,” she said as Clara tucked her purse on the shelf under the counter. “Rick’s been arrested.”
“He has
not
been arrested! Why is everyone so darn quick to convict him?”
She’d spoken more sharply than she’d intended, and Stephanie raised her eyebrows. “
Sor
-ry! Roberta said he’d been arrested. I didn’t know she had it wrong.”
Clara sighed. “You should know better than to listen to Roberta Prince. She exaggerates everything.”
Stephanie took Clara’s arm. “You look frazzled. Come on down to the Nook and we’ll have a cup of coffee. Molly can take care of the counter for a while.”
Clara followed her cousin down the aisle where Molly was stacking books on a shelf. Catching sight of Clara, the young woman bounced over to her. “Did you hear the news? I can’t believe they arrested—”
Both cousins spoke at once. “He’s not been
To her huge relief, the dog sat on his haunches all the way home, though the minute she parked the car at the curb he jumped up and started barking—little short yelps that Clara recognized as anxiety as she opened the door.
He would have leapt past her had she not grabbed his collar and hung on with all her strength while she talked to him in soothing tones. “It’s all right, big boy. You’re home. You’re gonna be all right now.”
It took a while but gradually Tatters stopped quivering and yelping and allowed her to lead him out of the car and up the path to the front door.
It took her another hour to get him fed and settled down. After removing everything breakable in her room, she coaxed him onto her bed. Leaning down to look him in the eye, she said firmly, “You are to stay here, on this bed, until Mom gets home.”
She waited, anxiously holding her breath in case she heard his voice in her head again. To her relief, he merely whined, and moved his tail slowly back and forth. Feeling reassured, she added, “She will let you out in the yard when she gets home and she’ll feed you. You are to be on your best behavior, is that understood?”
Tatters lifted his head and licked her nose.
Satisfied, Clara rubbed his ears and patted his head. After turning on her small TV, she left the room and closed the door. She waited just long enough to reassureherself he wasn’t going berserk in there, and then called her mother.
Jessie sounded worried when she answered. “They’ve arrested Rick Sanders for that murder,” she said. “I don’t think you should be having anything to do with him. I hope you haven’t brought that dog home. I won’t have a murderer’s dog in my home. I wouldn’t feel safe.”
Clara took a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering her. “Rick is not a murderer, and he hasn’t been arrested. He’s just being questioned, that’s all. Someone has to take care of Tatters while he’s at the station. The dog is in my room.” She gave her mother brief instructions to let Tatters out in the yard and feed him.
“Does he have to stay in the yard until you get home?” Jessie asked doubtfully. “Won’t he be lonely out there, poor little thing?”
Clara felt guilty. Her mother had no idea she’d be dealing with a large dog. Better she didn’t know until she actually met Tatters. Hopefully the dog would win over Jessie. Clara closed her eyes and prayed that Tatters would behave until she got home. If not, she’d have more than a hysterical mother to deal with.
Feeling decidedly uneasy, she drove back to Main Street and parked the car. The slight breeze from the ocean did nothing to cool her face as she trudged up the hill for the second time that day. She already felt as if she’d worked a full day, and she hadn’t even started her shift at the bookstore yet.
Stephanie was behind the counter when Clara walked in, followed by a couple of giggling teenagers who promptly disappeared down one of the aisles.
“I suppose you heard the news,” she said as Clara tucked her purse on the shelf under the counter. “Rick’s been arrested.”
“He has
not
been arrested! Why is everyone so darn quick to convict him?”
She’d spoken more sharply than she’d intended, and Stephanie raised her eyebrows. “
Sor
-ry! Roberta said he’d been arrested. I didn’t know she had it wrong.”
Clara sighed. “You should know better than to listen to Roberta Prince. She exaggerates everything.”
Stephanie took Clara’s arm. “You look frazzled. Come on down to the Nook and we’ll have a cup of coffee. Molly can take care of the counter for a while.”
Clara followed her cousin down the aisle where Molly was stacking books on a shelf. Catching sight of Clara, the young woman bounced over to her. “Did you hear the news? I can’t believe they arrested—”
Both cousins spoke at once. “He’s not been
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