Chapter 17
BOTH ZONA AND MARTIN HAD DRIVEN all over the neighborhood and beyond looking for Darling. Neither one found him.
“He’s probably hiding somewhere,” Martin said to Louise when they returned. “I’m sure he’ll come back.”
Louise nodded stoically.
“Let’s watch that movie,” he suggested. “It will take your mind off your worries.”
“Oh, Martin, I don’t think I could enjoy the movie now.”
He nodded. “I guess not. Try not to worry though.”
“I’ll try,” she said.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I should have kept a closer eye on him,” Zona said after Martin had left.
“It’s not your fault,” Louise said. “You’ve done everything you can to keep him in. Now I wish I’d given him something to sedate him,” she said miserably.
“He got out long before you would have,” Zona said.
It didn’t appear to make her mother feel any better. It didn’t make her feel any better, either.
“Text me a picture of Darling and I’ll make posters to put up first thing tomorrow,” she said.
Louise managed a wobbly smile. “What did I ever do to deserve such a good daughter?”
“Other than being the best mother in the world? I don’t know,” Zona said back, and that brought a slightly sturdier smile to her mother’s face.
“I realize that a lost dog isn’t exactly on par with a divorce or lost savings. Or a lost husband,” Louise began.
“But we all love our pets,” Zona said. “He’s a sweet dog and he’s your fur baby.”
“I do hate to think of anything bad happening to him,” said Louise.
“Nothing will,” Zona said, and hoped she was right.
THE NEXT MORNING was a Saturday, but instead of prowling garage sales, Zona was hanging lost dog posters with Darling’s black furry face on them.
She’d hung posters far and wide and was duct-taping the last one to a streetlight pole on Louise’s street when Alec James’s truck pulled up next to her. “Your dog’s missing,” he guessed.
This was the last man on the planet she wanted to talk to about their missing dog. Or anything. They were going to ignore Alec James and keep their distance.
“Yes,” she replied curtly, and turned to leave.
“Get in. I’ll help you look for him.”
Yes, grab ahold of that buzzing power line. “I can look for him on my own.”
“You can look better if someone else is driving,” he pointed out. “Come on, get in. Let me help you.” His tone of voice was polite. Civilized. Kind? No, that was going too far.
Go riding around in such tight quarters with this man? Bad idea.
“I won’t bite,” he said. “Come on, get in.”
It was broad daylight. What could he do to her?
Her mother would suggest all kinds of grisly possibilities.
He leaned across the seat and opened the cab door.
Polite woman syndrome won out and she got in.
Politeness kills, cried her nerves.
Broad daylight. We’re fine, she told them.
“Fireworks scared him?” Alec James guessed as they pulled away from the curb.
“Yes.”
“You should have sedated him.”
Unrequested advice a day late. “My mom didn’t want to.”
“It doesn’t really hurt them.”
“Oh, so you’re a vet in your spare time?” She sounded snotty. What was she doing talking snotty to Alec James? The last thing she wanted to do was antagonize a man with a temper like his.
He frowned and shut up. The silence in that small, enclosed space made her feel like fire ants were crawling under her skin. What was she doing riding around with him?
He was the first to break it. “Okay, was that what’s called mansplaining?”
Don’t make him mad. “Maybe a little. Man starting to ’splain.”
“Don’t mean to,” he said as they slowly turned a corner. “You’re probably not going to believe this, but I’m not a dog hater. And I wouldn’t ever kick your dog. I’ve never kicked a dog in my whole life. And I’ve had two of my own. You really need to train him though.”
“You did notice my mother’s cast, right?” The response escaped before her common sense could catch it.
He frowned. “Of course I did. But you’re there.”
“Barely. Right now, I’m working two jobs.”
“Yeah? Where?”
“I work at the department of licensing.”
“Where you stand in line until you die,” he cracked.
They were understaffed and overworked. She didn’t laugh.
“Doesn’t sound like a very fun job. What’s your other one?”
“Garage sales.” Okay, that sounded ridiculous. And why did she have to justify her lack of time to train Darling to this man? More to the point, why was she in this truck with him?
His lips lifted in a smile. “Garage sales are a job, huh?”
“They are when you’re looking for things to sell.”
“How come you’ve got to work two jobs?”
No way was she sharing her personal problems. “Why does anyone work two jobs?”
They rounded another corner. “To pay for stuff they shouldn’t have bought in the first place,” he said, his voice hardening.
She felt the shift away from friendly, but she couldn’t let that go. “You know, there’s usually more to people’s lives than you see on the surface.”
“Might be a good thing for you and your mom to remember.”
Was that a scold or a threat? The fire ants were scrambling, and the truck cab was closing in on Zona.
“Just drop me off here,” she said. “I’ll have better luck finding Darling if I’m on foot.” And feel safer.
“Yeah, right,” he scoffed.
Her imagination shot into overdrive and she suddenly wondered if he was going to let her out.
“You might want to call the animal shelter. Maybe someone’s found him and turned him in. Is he chipped?”
Now he was all kindness and concern again. How many personalities did this guy have? “Yes,” she said, her hand on the door handle.
“Good.” He pulled to the curb and stopped the truck. “Good luck,” he said as she opened the door.
“Thanks.” She slid out, shut it, and stepped away. Then started walking fast down the street.
She was still feeling jittery as he drove off. And a little concerned for her own mental state. Alec James gave her the creeps and yet she was attracted to him. Only a fool would be attracted to someone who gave her the creeps.
Well, she’d already proved twice that she was a fool so no surprise.
She called the animal shelter as she walked back to the house. Darling had not been a guest there. Zona ended the call with a sigh. If only she had some good news to give her mother.
Louise had been sitting at the dining room table drinking coffee with Martin when Zona walked in. Her mother’s hopeful expression suffered a quick death on seeing Zona by herself with no Darling in tow.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” she said.
“He’s gone for good,” Louise said sadly.
“We don’t know that,” Martin said. “It’s only been a few hours.”
“He should have come back by now,” Louise said.
“Dogs like to wander,” said Martin. “Sometimes it takes them a while to wander back. What about calling the shelter?”
“I just did,” Zona said.
“Maybe we should drive around and look for him,” said Louise.
“I just did,” Zona said.
Louise’s brows pulled together. “I never saw your car leave the driveway.”
“I was with Alec James.” I had a lapse in sanity.
Louise looked at her daughter, bug-eyed. “You were in his truck? What were you thinking?”
Zona shrugged like it was no big deal. “He saw me putting up posters and offered to help.” And then he dared me to get in his truck. She decided not to share further. Her mother would for sure have something to say about her daughter’s sanity.
“I find that hard to believe,” Louise said with a frown.
“I don’t. He seems like a nice guy,” said Martin.
“Martin, he’s mean. And rude. We’ve seen enough and heard enough to know exactly what kind of man he is. And you shouldn’t be riding around in his truck with him,” Louise scolded Zona. “I don’t want that man snaring you in his net.”
“Trust me, he won’t,” said Zona.
“We have enough to worry about with Darling missing without you getting in trucks with horrible men,” Louise continued.
“We’ll find Darling,” Zona said, shifting the spotlight off herself.
“Yes, don’t worry,” said Martin.
“Why do people say that?” Louise grumbled. “It never stops you from worrying.”
Martin cleared his throat, checked his watch. “I need to get going. Got Annie and the girls coming over this afternoon. I’ll keep my eyes open for Darling though.”
“And I’ll look again after lunch,” Zona promised.
Martin left to go to the store in preparation for a visit from his daughter and her children, and Louise decided to enlist Bree’s help in the search for Darling. Zona got busy making lunch.
She’d just finished making a shrimp salad when Bree showed up.
“Did you see any sign of Darling?” Louise asked.
“Sorry, Gram, I looked. I drove all down Sierra Madre and almost up to Big Dalton Canyon Trail and no sign of him.”
Louise sighed heavily.
“Don’t worry, Gram. Don’t you remember Homeward Bound? Of course he’ll come back.”
Bree spoke with such confidence. Zona hoped her daughter was right.
“Thank you for helping,” Louise said. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if he returns. Meanwhile, stay and have lunch with us. How was your Fourth of July party?” she asked once they were settled at the kitchen table.
Bree shrugged. “It was okay.”
“Only okay?” asked Zona, passing her the salad bowl.
Bree’s mouth drooped. “Fen and I are totally finished. He doesn’t even want to be friends.”
“Doesn’t want to be friends? Why on earth not?” Louise wanted to know.
“Because he wants more,” Bree said with a scowl.
“That’s understandable if he’s in love with you,” said Louise.
“Yeah, well, I’ve seen how well love works out.” Bree stabbed a shrimp with her fork and stuck it in her mouth.
Zona said nothing. She was too busy feeling guilty. If only she could have saved Bree’s money. All her daughter had now was that chip on her shoulder and Zona had no idea how to dislodge it.
“I guess it’s all for the best then,” Louise said, opting for diplomacy.
Bree shoved away her plate. “Why can’t he be happy being friends?”