neighborhood.”
Keely pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Mr. Brubaker. I’m sure of it. Out of all the neighbor’s he’d be the first to do something like that. He threatened to call them on Jama when Duke was howling. And if Duke is making a lot of noise now, he might call them on him now.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll go over there and see if I can’t calm him down. We met last week so maybe he’ll remember me.” She shut down the computer and quickly stacked the papers on her desk.
“Thank you. I know this doesn’t fall within your job duties, but I really appreciate your willingness.”
“I’m on it.”
“I’ll keep trying Alex.”
Sue grabbed her purse and stood. “I’ll call you if there is a problem.”
Chapter Nine
Sue hurried as fast as traffic allowed for a Friday afternoon. Middle and high schools in the area had let out already for the week and since most high schools had football games that evening more cars than usual were on the road. It took sitting through two lights to finally turn onto Cedar Lane from Broadway and then she was behind a school bus making periodic stops until it finally turned onto another road near the Catholic school.
Her phone rang and she fumbled in her purse with her right hand trying to find it while keeping her left hand on the steering wheel and her eyes on the road ahead. She punched the talk button and cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder. “Hello?”
“Sue, it’s Alex. Keely told me what is going on. How’s Duke?”
She slowed the car and turned on the signal before turning into the drive. “I just got to the house . I’m pulling in the drive now.”
“I can hear him barking.”
“He’s running along the fence barking wildly.” She put the car in park and got out, glad she’d worn slacks and flats today instead of a dress. “I’ll try to calm him down.”
“Okay. I’m in west Knoxville. I should be there in half an hour depending on traffic. If he won’t stop barking call me back. And Sue, thanks.”
“ You’re welcome.” She took a breath. “Alex, what are we going to do about the white dog?”
“I don’t know. I’ll call and see if I can’t find which shelter it was taken to.”
“Okay.” She hung up the phone and slipped it into her pocket before she stepped to the fence. Duke saw her and he barked, jumping up on his back paws. She rubbed his head. “It’s okay boy. Alex is coming. We’ll find the white dog.”
“Woo—oolf.”
Rubbing his head, she tried to calm him , but the dog was too agitated. If the neighbor had called animal control because of a stray, then he’d be just as likely to call for Duke barking incessantly and disturbing the quiet peace of the neighborhood. She spoke softly. “It’ll be okay. Yes, it will. You’re such a good dog.”
“Woo—oolf. Woo—oolf.”
She looked around for anything that might distract him so he’d forget about what had upset him. A stick. A ball. Then she saw the water hose. She hurried along the chain link fence until she came to the gate, letting herself inside the yard. Picking up the hose, she turned on the water and filled the dog’s bowl with fresh water.
Duke ran over to investigate what she was doing and lapped up some of the water.
“Good boy,” she said, rubbing his head again.
He barked a few more times before he whimpered and laid down at her feet, resting his head on her shoe. He looked sad and that made her heart ache for him. “It’ll be okay. You’ll see. Alex is on his way.”
In the distance , she spotted an elderly man in a cardigan sweater standing on the opposite side of the fence. Was he the infamous Mr. Brubaker that Keely had told her about? The one they suspected was the reason the white dog had been taken away? The same man who had threatened to call animal control on Duke for howling at night while Jama stayed here?
Her blood pumped fast and furious within her head and she was tempted
Keely pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Mr. Brubaker. I’m sure of it. Out of all the neighbor’s he’d be the first to do something like that. He threatened to call them on Jama when Duke was howling. And if Duke is making a lot of noise now, he might call them on him now.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll go over there and see if I can’t calm him down. We met last week so maybe he’ll remember me.” She shut down the computer and quickly stacked the papers on her desk.
“Thank you. I know this doesn’t fall within your job duties, but I really appreciate your willingness.”
“I’m on it.”
“I’ll keep trying Alex.”
Sue grabbed her purse and stood. “I’ll call you if there is a problem.”
Chapter Nine
Sue hurried as fast as traffic allowed for a Friday afternoon. Middle and high schools in the area had let out already for the week and since most high schools had football games that evening more cars than usual were on the road. It took sitting through two lights to finally turn onto Cedar Lane from Broadway and then she was behind a school bus making periodic stops until it finally turned onto another road near the Catholic school.
Her phone rang and she fumbled in her purse with her right hand trying to find it while keeping her left hand on the steering wheel and her eyes on the road ahead. She punched the talk button and cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder. “Hello?”
“Sue, it’s Alex. Keely told me what is going on. How’s Duke?”
She slowed the car and turned on the signal before turning into the drive. “I just got to the house . I’m pulling in the drive now.”
“I can hear him barking.”
“He’s running along the fence barking wildly.” She put the car in park and got out, glad she’d worn slacks and flats today instead of a dress. “I’ll try to calm him down.”
“Okay. I’m in west Knoxville. I should be there in half an hour depending on traffic. If he won’t stop barking call me back. And Sue, thanks.”
“ You’re welcome.” She took a breath. “Alex, what are we going to do about the white dog?”
“I don’t know. I’ll call and see if I can’t find which shelter it was taken to.”
“Okay.” She hung up the phone and slipped it into her pocket before she stepped to the fence. Duke saw her and he barked, jumping up on his back paws. She rubbed his head. “It’s okay boy. Alex is coming. We’ll find the white dog.”
“Woo—oolf.”
Rubbing his head, she tried to calm him , but the dog was too agitated. If the neighbor had called animal control because of a stray, then he’d be just as likely to call for Duke barking incessantly and disturbing the quiet peace of the neighborhood. She spoke softly. “It’ll be okay. Yes, it will. You’re such a good dog.”
“Woo—oolf. Woo—oolf.”
She looked around for anything that might distract him so he’d forget about what had upset him. A stick. A ball. Then she saw the water hose. She hurried along the chain link fence until she came to the gate, letting herself inside the yard. Picking up the hose, she turned on the water and filled the dog’s bowl with fresh water.
Duke ran over to investigate what she was doing and lapped up some of the water.
“Good boy,” she said, rubbing his head again.
He barked a few more times before he whimpered and laid down at her feet, resting his head on her shoe. He looked sad and that made her heart ache for him. “It’ll be okay. You’ll see. Alex is on his way.”
In the distance , she spotted an elderly man in a cardigan sweater standing on the opposite side of the fence. Was he the infamous Mr. Brubaker that Keely had told her about? The one they suspected was the reason the white dog had been taken away? The same man who had threatened to call animal control on Duke for howling at night while Jama stayed here?
Her blood pumped fast and furious within her head and she was tempted
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