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Authors: Laurinda Wallace
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stuff to me. Isabelle saw the diary last night on my coffee table, and she’s on the warpath to get everything back. I told her it was my diary and hid the clippings before she came in the house. Isabelle was actually scary. I’m not sure I can hold onto this stuff without a fight.”
“There’s nothing to fight over. Isabelle should have her sister’s stuff. Stan probably just wants to tweak Isabelle, or he’s seriously confused.”
“I don’t know what to think, but I have a weird feeling about the whole thing. Uncle Stan wants me to have it for some reason. He was pretty intense about it. I’m going to talk with my parents when they get back this weekend. Maybe they remember something.” Gracie pulled back her unruly red mane, grabbed her hair clip off the counter, and twisted the hair into a pile on her head.
Jim slid off the stool and went to the door. He pulled a Yankees baseball cap out of his back pocket and jammed it on. “I’m not sure if you want to tangle with Isabelle over Charlotte’s stuff. You’d better be careful.”
“I know. I’ll try to sort it out with Uncle Stan today. Let me brush my teeth and then I’ll meet you in the office.”
Gracie headed for her bathroom and heard the door slam, announcing Jim’s departure. Tail wagging, Haley followed Gracie.
Within minutes, Gracie and Haley were in the office. She began entering payments and calculating invoices for the day’s pickups. She printed a copy of the day’s schedule for Marian. Gracie kept trying to shake off the creepy feeling that came with the realization somebody had broken into the kennel. The experts were right; she felt violated and not at all comfortable in her own office. She was glad there were others in the building. It was way too weird to be here alone.
After sniffing every inch of the office, Haley was bored and trotted down the hallway to the runs. The barking volume in the run area rose quickly and then settled down. Haley was making her presence known. The sounds of buckets scraping against concrete and dog food hitting metal bowls echoed back down the hallway. Gracie could hear Jim yelling over the din, telling Joe how to check the feeding instructions for each dog and where to look on the run tag if a dog needed meds. It sounded like everything was going OK so far. Gracie finished up the deposit and shoved the checks and cash into the green vinyl Deer Creek Bank bag. She had to remember to call Deputy Stevens before she left. She wanted to pick up the report and then get groceries. She took a quick inventory of the grooming and cleaning supplies. She tacked up the day’s schedule on the board in the grooming room and made sure the appointment book was on the desk in the reception area. Haley was back in the office, begging by the treat jar.
“Just one, my dear. You don’t want to lose your girlish figure.” Gracie tried to sound firm, but knew Haley would use her big, sad Lab eyes to get at least two more from her. “You can chase after them if you’re going to be greedy.” She threw one toward the reception area. Marian was just coming through the door and Haley momentarily left the treat to greet her with a generous kiss, whacking Marian’s legs.
“Watch out for the tail of destruction,” Gracie laughed.
“Ow, Haley. You’re right. She’s got a deadly weapon there. What a good girl! Come with Marian, and I’ll give you better treats.”
Haley happily bounded off ahead of the tall woman, crunching the current treat and obviously anxious for the jerky Marian kept in the grooming room.
“Morning, Marian. It’s good to have you here. Don’t spoil that dog.”
Marian walked around the corner to Gracie’s office, hands on her broad hips and looking extremely happy.
“I will spoil that dog, and I’m glad to be working. I thought I would go out of mind, just cleaning house and watching TV. Not healthy. I’m not retiring until the dogs are too much to handle. Besides, my husband is
“There’s nothing to fight over. Isabelle should have her sister’s stuff. Stan probably just wants to tweak Isabelle, or he’s seriously confused.”
“I don’t know what to think, but I have a weird feeling about the whole thing. Uncle Stan wants me to have it for some reason. He was pretty intense about it. I’m going to talk with my parents when they get back this weekend. Maybe they remember something.” Gracie pulled back her unruly red mane, grabbed her hair clip off the counter, and twisted the hair into a pile on her head.
Jim slid off the stool and went to the door. He pulled a Yankees baseball cap out of his back pocket and jammed it on. “I’m not sure if you want to tangle with Isabelle over Charlotte’s stuff. You’d better be careful.”
“I know. I’ll try to sort it out with Uncle Stan today. Let me brush my teeth and then I’ll meet you in the office.”
Gracie headed for her bathroom and heard the door slam, announcing Jim’s departure. Tail wagging, Haley followed Gracie.
Within minutes, Gracie and Haley were in the office. She began entering payments and calculating invoices for the day’s pickups. She printed a copy of the day’s schedule for Marian. Gracie kept trying to shake off the creepy feeling that came with the realization somebody had broken into the kennel. The experts were right; she felt violated and not at all comfortable in her own office. She was glad there were others in the building. It was way too weird to be here alone.
After sniffing every inch of the office, Haley was bored and trotted down the hallway to the runs. The barking volume in the run area rose quickly and then settled down. Haley was making her presence known. The sounds of buckets scraping against concrete and dog food hitting metal bowls echoed back down the hallway. Gracie could hear Jim yelling over the din, telling Joe how to check the feeding instructions for each dog and where to look on the run tag if a dog needed meds. It sounded like everything was going OK so far. Gracie finished up the deposit and shoved the checks and cash into the green vinyl Deer Creek Bank bag. She had to remember to call Deputy Stevens before she left. She wanted to pick up the report and then get groceries. She took a quick inventory of the grooming and cleaning supplies. She tacked up the day’s schedule on the board in the grooming room and made sure the appointment book was on the desk in the reception area. Haley was back in the office, begging by the treat jar.
“Just one, my dear. You don’t want to lose your girlish figure.” Gracie tried to sound firm, but knew Haley would use her big, sad Lab eyes to get at least two more from her. “You can chase after them if you’re going to be greedy.” She threw one toward the reception area. Marian was just coming through the door and Haley momentarily left the treat to greet her with a generous kiss, whacking Marian’s legs.
“Watch out for the tail of destruction,” Gracie laughed.
“Ow, Haley. You’re right. She’s got a deadly weapon there. What a good girl! Come with Marian, and I’ll give you better treats.”
Haley happily bounded off ahead of the tall woman, crunching the current treat and obviously anxious for the jerky Marian kept in the grooming room.
“Morning, Marian. It’s good to have you here. Don’t spoil that dog.”
Marian walked around the corner to Gracie’s office, hands on her broad hips and looking extremely happy.
“I will spoil that dog, and I’m glad to be working. I thought I would go out of mind, just cleaning house and watching TV. Not healthy. I’m not retiring until the dogs are too much to handle. Besides, my husband is
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