Read Online The Money Bird (An Animals in Focus Mystery) by Sheila Webster Boneham - Free Book Online Page B

big summery bouquet. I snatched the delivery tag from the door, carried it and the flowers inside, and cleared a space on the kitchen table. The greeting card that was taped to the vase showed a Golden Retriever wearing glasses and a stethoscope, and inside it said, “Heel!” The vets and staff at the clinic had all signed it, and someone had written in a tidy hand, “All kidding aside, heal quickly—no ifs, ands, or butts.” Ho, boy.
    I took a quick shower. As I dried my hair and mentally checked my schedule for a time to take care of my roots, another part of my mind went to a vision of Neil’s hair. Still that lovely dark blonde. No gray. Interesting. Come to think of it, his skin was still tight and smooth. Dye job? Facelift? Or maybe just young genes. Which made me giggle, because of course he had Young genes.
    As if to reinforce the giggle in my head, a muted tinny rendition of “Walking on Sunshine” wafted around the bathroom, and I fished my cell out of my pants pocket, which happened to be in the hamper.
    It was Neil. He told me he’d been thrilled and delighted to see me. Thrilled and delighted? He also wanted to know if he could buy me dinner.
    “Maybe another time? I need to go see my mom.”
    “Does she still live in your old house? I could pick you up there.”
    I hesitated, then told him she was at Shadetree Retirement Home. I wasn’t sure why, but I didn’t want to tell him that Mom had Alzheimer’s. “But I have some work to do first. I probably won’t get to the nursing home until late afternoon.”
    “How about after that? Around seven?”
    I hesitated. What’s the rush? Making up for lost time?
    “Seven-thirty? I’ll pick you up.”
    “Seven is fine. I’ll meet you.”
    I finished dressing and went to the kitchen, where I grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table and began to sort my mail. Doing anything on a horizontal surface seems to send an irresistible summons to Leo, and the next thing I knew he was mincing around on my electric bill, purring and rubbing his spine along my jaw line. Then he sat down, wrapped his tail around his feet, and stared at me. Jay assumed the same posture, without the tail, and gazed at my face. It was ridiculous, but I felt as if I had to explain myself.
    “I can have dinner with an old friend.”
    Leo blinked. Jay put a paw on my knee.
    “Okay, an old acquaintance, sort of. Really more of a classmate. But still.”
    I lifted the cat onto the floor and told Jay to go chew a bone so that I could sort, open, pitch, and stack the mail without feeling they were accusing me of something. I was just muttering something about being a free and independent woman when the phone sang out again.
    This time it was Tom. He said he was going back out to the lake to train for a bit and he thought Jay and I might like to go. I was tempted to call Neil and cancel so I could check out the island, but I had to go see Mom and wouldn’t have time to get my brother Bill’s kayak in time to have much light left. When I declined the invitation, Tom said, “Okay, I’ll grab something when I’m finished and see you then.” I should have savored the moment since I couldn’t recall the last time two men had asked me out for dinner in the same year, let alone the same evening, but instead I was annoyed that he assumed I’d be available.
    “Can’t. I have dinner plans.”
    “Oh. Okay. Dessert?”
    “I have some work I really should do when I get back.” I felt the sharpness of my tone as much as heard it, but I let the comment lie.
    Tom said nothing for a moment, then, “Everything okay?”
    A tap at my back door made me turn just as Goldie came in with a huge bunch of fuchsia and yellow gladioli cradled across her chest. Jay greeted her with a wriggly butt and rubbed his body along her leg and she reached down and stroked his cheek.
    “Everything’s fine,” I said. My voice, and my pique, had softened. “I just have some things to do. Gotta see Mom this