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SEPTEMBER FOLLOWED the directions dictated by her phone and parked at the entrance to the Niles Avenue Dog Park. The place had great reviews and stayed open 24 hours. Floodlights threw dark shadows here and there in the late afternoon gloom. Dark clouds hastened the twilight, and her headlights revealed a deserted field with nary a paw print marking the snowy ground. Lake effect snow continued to spit sandy particles against the windshield, a whispery spider sound she’d nearly forgotten. Nobody else wanted to brave the cold. They’d have the park to themselves.
Shadow needed a break, not just a doggy relief station, but somewhere to run and stretch his legs. After the almost ten-hour drive today, they both needed some exercise.
Shadow jittered in the back seat, paw-dancing his anticipation. “Give me a minute, baby-dog. Then we’ll go for a run.” He yawned, loud and long, turning the expression into a prolonged canine commentary on his enforced car incarceration.
September grinned, then quickly texted a note of apology to Angela. She’d already missed the proposed meeting at the attorney’s office. She couldn’t think straight after staring at endless highway for hours on end. Better to hit the bank early tomorrow when it opened, retrieve the lockbox contents, and meet Angela and her attorney later. After running Shadow for the next half-hour or so, she’d want a hot shower, a light meal, a warm bed, and no conversation other than purrs and wags until morning. She hoped Angela understood.
September stepped out of the car, shrugging into her down-filled jacket. She dropped keys into one massive pocket that held her wallet and donned the bump cap to keep hair out of her eyes. She pulled up the hood over the cap and snugged the cord close to her throat. The tunnel-like vision kept wind and snow from blowing down her neck. She opened the back door for Shadow to hop out and quickly snicked the lead onto his collar.
Macy meowed, but had no interest in leaving his snug carrier. She’d let him race around once they got to their hotel.
September juggled to put on her gloves and grab one of Shadow’s favorite tug toys, which she stuffed in one pocket. Her hands, already blue-white from the change in temperature, signaled an impending Reynaud’s episode, and needed all the protection they could get. Shadow led the way to the fenced “big dog” area and September securely latched the gate before she unhooked his leash. He raced to the far corner before sniffing carefully and posing. She pulled out a plastic bag and followed.
Halfway across the space her phone buzzed with an incoming text. She struggled to fish the phone from her pocket without dropping it into the deepening snow. Before she was able to read Angela’s text response, September recognized an incoming call and grinned.
“So how’s Disney World treating you? Having fun yet?” Kids’ voices in the background laughed and shrieked with excitement.
“Missing you.” His low voice prompted shivers, this time of pleasure. “But yeah, the kids love it. Willie’s all about the rides, the scarier the better. Melinda likes the shopping. I may need to buy another suitcase to get all the booty home.”
“That’s great. Glad y’all got this time away together, even if I miss you bunches, too.” The icy wind threw snow against her face and September turned her back to its breath. Florida would be nice about now.
“So how’s it going with you? You promised to tell me more about Christmas dinner with your folks. Did everyone show up?”
She made a face, but no way would she spoil his fun with the new dramas. Time enough to share when they were together again. “Oh, it went about as expected.”
“That bad, eh?” He barked a short laugh. “Hold on a minute, honey.”
Her face warmed at the endearment. She smothered a laugh at his next words of exasperation.
“Willie, stay where I can see you. Melinda, watch your brother, please? Can you give me five minutes?” He paused, then added for September’s benefit, “We just watched the parade outside, and deciding where to go eat. Lots of people out and about, and a balmy 70 degrees. Supposed to get chillier this evening.” His voice lowered, turned husky. “Good snuggling weather.”
She laughed. “I could do with some snuggling about now. A cold front came through North Texas yesterday afternoon.” True enough. She changed the subject before he asked questions she didn’t want to answer. “So did you get me anything?”
He matched her teasing tone. “We’ve only been here a day. Don’t worry, there’ll be crap gifts a-plenty. Even got something planned for that big mutt of yours. Did I mention new luggage? Melinda’s not the only one shopping.”
She laughed as Shadow slalomed past, kicking up clouds of ice in a race around the perimeter. He barked, racing circles around her, playing zoomies like a puppy and shoving snow with his nose between play-bowing his invitation to chase.
“Are you outside with Shadow? I can hear him yelling at me.” Combs’s teasing turned a bit more serious. “He’s jealous, you know. Doesn’t like me around, wants you all to himself.”
“Don’t be silly. He likes you, too.” She scooped up snow with her other hand, and lobbed it at the dog.
“He likes me, too? So you do like me? No fooling, Ms. September?” His voice dropped low again, gruff with promise.
Her breath caught. “No fooling, Detective Combs. Maybe even more than like.”
She disconnected, still grinning, and wondered what crap gifts he’d find. September treasured the “Crappiocca Happens” cap he’d given her that Mom hated—perhaps another reason for Rose’s bump cap replacement. September pocketed her phone, then picked up Shadow’s creativity and disposed of the soiled baggy in the “doggy doo” bin. She made a mental note to find something equally silly for Combs.
September retrieved the large blue ball on a tug rope from her pocket. Shadow yelped with excitement as he bounded back and forth, churning the fresh snow into bulldoze tunnels thither and yon. She faced into the driving wind and threw the toy as far as she could. Shadow raced after it, grappling the dark object by its rope. He had to arch his neck and hold it high to keep it from dragging, but quickly fetched it to September for a repeat of the game. She tossed it again and it fell into a deep drift of snow next to the fence. Shadow stared at her askance.
For a puzzled moment she stared, then understood and laughed out loud. He’d learned a bad habit from Karma. She’d put the behavior on cue and only allowed him to indulge when she gave permission. Shadow wanted his big ball, but wanted permission to indulge. “Go ahead, Shadow. It’s okay, go get your ball. Dig, Shadow, dig!”
With joyful abandon, he dug out the toy. He scooped mounds of white with front paws, shoveling thick fountains of snow back between his rear legs.
After a dozen tosses, twice as many laps up and down the area, and as many recalls, she could no longer feel her face or fingers. Shadow would have played for hours, but dark had fallen in earnest.
At the park’s gate September clipped the leash back on Shadow for the trip to the car. She opened the rear door. “Kennel up.” He hopped back into the rear seat and settled with a happy sigh. She dropped his ball into the front seat, swapped it for the stuffie, and he settled happily with bear-toy clutched in his mouth.
September left her coat on as she slid into the driver’s seat and cranked up the heat. She bit the fingertips of her sodden gloves to pull first one and then the other off. Flexing her hands didn’t help. All ten fingers shined icy-white with blue-tinged nails. She held her hands before the vent, relishing the warmth as prickly-sensation returned.
Macy meowed.
“I know, I’m hungry, too. We all are. Let’s find a place to spend the night and get settled.” That reminded her to check the text that Combs’s call interrupted.
Sure enough, Angela had answered.
>Forget hotel, plenty room here @ house. I’m at Martin’s getting groceries. key in mailbox. let yourself in.
“That can’t be safe, leaving a house key like that.” Shadow whined as if in agreement. Maybe Angela had planned for September to stay with her all along. “I sure didn’t want to talk about this tonight.” They had things to say to each other, difficult things, before meeting with Angela’s attorney.
She remembered Peter and Angela’s address on White Oak Drive. The old but comfy home, conveniently near the Notre Dame campus, held happy memories of Chris. She wondered if his parents still decorated with the kitschy inflatable reindeer. “Guess we’ll find out, huh?” She texted her acceptance and thanks. Shadow’s tail thumped and he snuggled bear-toy close. Macy purred. She’d grab some food on the way.
GEORGE NODDED WITH satisfaction and relief at September’s text. That gave him time to put a few more details in place. Better she didn’t come to his office. He could still fix this. Just a matter of tying up one more loose end.
