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

scene.”
    â€œDon’t worry about it,” Phyllis said. “I thought Mrs. Baxter was a doctor, too.”
    â€œOh, she is. She’s a surgeon.”
    â€œShe doesn’t seem to keep regular office hours. This is twice she’s been here when you’d think she would be in her own office.”
    â€œShe’s a very good doctor. People are willing to wait for her, I guess.”
    Sam said, “I’m sorta glad she didn’t become a vet, too. Not sure I’d want her takin’ care of ol’ Buck here.”
    â€œYes, I have to admit I feel sorry for Hank sometimes,” Holly said. “I shouldn’t say that, but it’s true.” She took a deep breath and went on. “Oh, well. I’ll see you tomorrow at the party, I guess.”
    â€œIs Mrs. Baxter coming?” Phyllis asked.
    â€œI don’t think so.” Holly’s tone made it clear she hoped that would be the case.
    Phyllis and Sam both thanked Holly and left the office. As they were driving away, Sam said, “That redheaded gal may be datin’ the other fella who works here, but I’d say she’s got a little crush on the doc, too.”
    â€œWhen she’s not thinking about it, she calls him Hank instead of Dr. Baxter,” Phyllis said. “Of course, it could be that’s just because it’s an informal office.”
    â€œYeah, maybe,” Sam said, but he didn’t sound convinced of it.
    Phyllis wasn’t, either. She had no real reason to think that Dr. Baxter was having an affair with Holly, and she hoped that wasn’t the case. She felt an instinctive liking for Baxter. That would be diminished if she knew he was cheating on his wife . . . even a wife seemingly as unpleasant as Susan Baxter.
    Luckily, it was none of her business, and she intended to keep it that way.

Chapter 8
    T he weather was still cool and cloudy the next day, but it wasn’t supposed to rain and Phyllis was glad about that. Rain would spoil trick-or-treating for the kids, and even though that wasn’t as big a deal these days as it had been when she was young, she knew the children still enjoyed it.
    Also, rain would have interfered with the party at the vet clinic, so she hoped the forecast was right and the precipitation would stay away.
    She and Carolyn already had the dog treats baked and bagged up, so they spent the morning making a big new batch of the coconut cream pie cookies, and since they had some leftover pumpkin, they made pumpkin oatmeal cookies, too. After lunch, once the cookies had cooled, they filled plastic containers with them, leaving a good-sized plate of them for there at the house.
    â€œAre you and Buck going to the party with us?” Phyllis asked Sam. “I know you said you’re not fond of animals incostumes. He would look very dashing as a pirate, or with a name like Buck, he would probably rather be a cowboy. A leather vest and a cowboy hat . . .”
    â€œWe’ll come along, but I still don’t want to make him wear a costume,” he replied. “With the shock of the accident and having a new owner, I don’t want to put him through anything else new. It won’t hurt Buck to be around other animals, though. I’d like to see how well he gets along with ’em. If he doesn’t, he needs to learn how to.”
    â€œI can’t imagine him not getting along,” Phyllis said. “He seems so friendly.”
    â€œYeah, with us he is. But there’s no tellin’ how he might act with other animals. Only one way to find out.”
    â€œThat’s true. And I’m glad you’re coming, anyway.”
    When it came time to load up and leave, Sam put a halter on Buck and clipped a leash to it. That way Buck could walk around at the clinic. Sam carried the Dalmatian in his lap while Phyllis drove the pickup, since that method had been working well. Carolyn followed in her car with the