Partner In Crime

“What for?”

“You’ve been in town for less than twelve hours, Mr. Beaumont. And yet, without any help from me or my people, you’ve managed to sort out most of the major players in this case.”

“I used to be…” I began.

“I know. You used to work homicide at Seattle PD. I’m guessing you must have been pretty good at it. The truth is, we are shorthanded at the moment, so if you’re still willing to help, please be at my office tomorrow afternoon at one. I’m creating a task force, and you’re more than welcome to join it.”

Nothing short of flabbergasted, I said, “I’ll be there.”

Joa

I nodded. “One o’clock.”

“Sharp,” she added.

“I’ll be there.”

As she walked away, I was still shaking my head in utter befuddlement. It may have been my birthday, but I was no closer to understanding women than I was on the day I was born.

I sat for several minutes listening as the noise from the bar got louder and louder. It kept tugging at me. Finally, breaking free, I headed up to my room. Once there, I glanced at the clock. It was nearly midnight, but my night-owl grandparents would still be wide awake.

I dialed their number and was relieved when my new stepgrandfather, Lars Jenssen, who is also my AA sponsor, answered the phone. “Ja sure,” he said. “If it isn’t the birthday boy! Beverly tried calling you off and on all day, but there was no answer on your dang cell phone. She’s in getting ready for bed. Hang on. I’ll go get her.”

“No,” I said quickly. “Don’t do that. This isn’t that kind of call.”

“You having a tough time?” Lars asked, immediately switching gears. “You thinking about having that first drink?”

“Yes,” I admitted. “I am.”

“Well, then,” he said. “Let’s talk about it.”

And we did.

Fifteen

DRIVING UP TO THE HOUSE at High Lonesome Ranch, Joa

Butch was in bed reading when she went in to undress. “Did Je

“Once,” he said. “To feed Tigger and let him out. Other than that, I haven’t seen her.”

“Did she eat di

“Nope.”

“Her light’s still on,” Joa

“Good idea,” Butch said. “You can try, anyway.”

Hoping Je

“You awake?” Joa

“I fell asleep this afternoon,” Je

“About Sadie?”

Je

“That’s the good thing about dogs,” Joa

“Really?” Je

“Really.”

There was a long pause. When Je

Je

For a time after that the only sound in the room was the creaking of Butch’s grandmother’s rocking chair. Je

“I think Tigger knows what happened – that Sadie’s gone and she isn’t coming back. Somebody told me that dogs don’t have feelings like we do – that they don’t grieve or feel sorry for themselves or anything. Do you think that’s true?”

Joa

“I’m sure he does know something’s wrong,” Joa

“I think so, too,” Je

Neither do you, Joa

That was followed by yet another silence. At last Joa

She got as far as the door before Je

“What?”

“I think I know what I want to be when I grow up.”

Joa

“A veterinarian,” Je

“Yes.” Joa

“Is it hard?” Je

“Every job has hard things and good things about it,” Joa

“How long do you have to go to school?”

“To be a vet? A long time. First you have to graduate from college, then it’s just like going to medical school. To get in, you have to earn top grades in math and science, chemistry especially.”

“Do you think I can do it?”

“You’re a very smart girl, sweetie. If you set your mind to it, you can do anything you want.”

AT A QUARTER TO TEN the next morning, as Butch, Je

“What is it?” Joa

“There’s a lady here in the lobby,” Lupe replied. “Her name is Serenity Granger. She’s Deidre Canfield’s daughter. The ME’s office had the Cheye

“All right,” Joa

“I won’t hold my breath,” he said.

While Butch and Je

Knowing Dee Canfield, Joa