Read Online Trick or Deadly Treat by Livia J. Washburn - Free Book Online

sound pleasant.”
    Before Sam could say anything, the door on the other side of the room opened and Holly came in from the rear hallway. She put Buck’s folder on the counter next to the sink and asked, “How’s he doing?”
    â€œJust great, as far as we can tell,” Sam replied. “I haven’t had to give him any pain pills in a few days, and he’s been leavin’ the cast alone.”
    â€œThat’s fine. Dr. Baxter will be with you in a few minutes.”
    She left them there, and when she was gone, Sam said, “I’m sorry about that Mrs. Fletcher business.”
    â€œOh, don’t worry about it,” Phyllis said. “It’s not the first time she’s made that mistake. She’s not the first one to do it, either.”
    â€œMaybe not, but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
    â€œDo I act like I’m uncomfortable?”
    â€œWell, no, but . . .”
    â€œI’m fine with things, Sam,” Phyllis said. “If anybody else isn’t, that’s their problem, not ours.”
    â€œI reckon you’re right about that.”
    Several minutes went by in relative silence. These rooms weren’t very big, Phyllis thought. Anybody who was claustrophobic might start getting nervous pretty quickly in them. She was content, though, to just sit and wait with Sam and Buck.
    Phyllis heard people talking through the walls, but these voices didn’t sound angry, so she figured Dr. Baxter was in the exam room next door, dealing with whatever sort of patient was in there. More time passed. Sitting in a vet’s exam room was a lot like sitting in a regular doctor’s exam room, she thought. Even though everything was fine, after a while you couldn’t help but start to feel a little nervous and uncomfortable.
    Maybe she was a little claustrophobic after all. She hadn’t liked being locked up in a jail cell, either, she recalled.
    Whatever the cause, it was a real relief when the rear door opened and Dr. Baxter came into the room. He looked a little harried, but he put a smile on his face as he nodded to them.
    â€œHello, folks. Sorry you had to wait. We were dealing with a little, ah, emergency.”
    â€œThat’s all right,” Sam said. “These things happen in doctors’ offices.”
    Baxter said, “They do in this one, anyway.” He grimaced slightly, as if he couldn’t help it, and then gave a little shake of his head. “So, how’s Buck doing?”
    For the next few minutes, they discussed Buck’s recovery.Baxter checked his temperature, listened to his heart and respiration, and looked at his eyes and teeth.
    â€œHis appetite is good?”
    â€œHis appetite is fine,” Sam said. “He seems like a perfectly healthy dog except for the broken leg.”
    â€œThat’s because he is,” Baxter said. “His heart and lungs sound great. Another four weeks and we’ll take X-rays to see about getting that cast off. The fracture and the incision should be healed by then, and he’ll be set for a long, happy life, I hope.”
    â€œHe will be if I have anything to say about it,” Sam declared, and once again Phyllis was struck by the amount of feeling he had for this dog.
    Baxter looked at Phyllis and asked, “Are you and your friend still coming tomorrow with the dog treats?”
    â€œYes, we are,” she said. “With all you have going on around here, I’m surprised you remembered.”
    â€œHey, it’s a nice thing to do. I try to remember people who do nice things.”
    â€œWe’re bringing some coconut cream pie cookies for the adults. I mean the people. The humans.” Phyllis laughed. “Goodness, I’m starting to think of pets as people’s babies, too.”
    â€œIt’s hard not to. Animals are part of the family. At least, that’s the way it ought to be.” He didn’t explain