As the warm spring days stretched into early summer, Philip continued his upbeat attitude and good humor. On weekends, a constantly bouncy Philip was too much for Dorothy, to the point that she was constantly on the lookout for diversions that would get him out of the house—better with the kids and the dogs and best without her. It didn’t take much to stoke his enthusiasm, and he hardly ever protested or made excuses, although he nagged her about accompanying him to wherever he and his merry band were headed. Dorothy used the work card as many times as she could, but on those occasions when she had no excuse and she was pulled into the party, she marveled at Philip’s energy and his willingness to do almost anything to keep the girls and the dogs happy. Whether it was boarding the roller coaster or Tilt-A-Whirl at the amusement park, going to Chuck E. Cheese’s for lunch, or sitting for hours on a bench at the playground or the dog park while the kids and the pups ran themselves to exhaustion, Philip was all in.
Philip’s work, with all of its hassles and torments, forced some equilibrium and balance for which Dorothy was grateful. The hours he spent at the hospital absorbed his energy so that the evenings were relatively tranquil. The price she paid was that Philip continued to complain to her about all of the things he hated about medicine in general and academic cardiology in particular. And then there was NorthBroad, an institution that served a valuable purpose by caring for the poor and the indigent in a bad part of town, its importance ratified by the state legislature, which provided generous subsidies to make up for the revenue lost as the hospital cared for patients with advanced disease, most of whom had no capacity to pay their bills.
Philip was outraged that misguided leaders of the health care system insisted on trying to morph the university hospital into a tertiary care center. The truth, as Philip explained it, was that this was simply never going to happen. Affluent and even middle-class patients from the suburbs were afraid to venture into North Philadelphia for consultation, preferring the more genteel neighborhoods around Jefferson or the Main Line hospitals. The enormous salaries and research support money NorthBroad paid to subspecialty superstars to move to NorthBroad rarely eventuated in the expected patient and grant revenues. With each misstep, NorthBroad fell farther into debt and was forced to lay off support staff and nurses, which made care at the hospital worse than ever. The vicious cycle of deteriorating conditions and resignations was awful to watch, especially for someone like Philip, who was used to having his patients well cared for by a full set of experienced doctors and nurses.
So although he complained over cocktails, Dorothy detected a not-so-subtle difference in his attitude. While frustrated, Philip was no longer bitter and mean. He was able to put his pique aside much faster, steered on to happier topics by Dorothy after she was sure he had gotten most of the venom out of his system.
And by tacit agreement, while Philip was allowed to complain about work, he had to stop carping to their family and friends. Work and politics were mostly off limits at social gatherings. When Philip strayed there, Dorothy was quick to change the subject, making sure that he knew what she was doing by flashing him a toothy grin. The system worked well, as Philip reconstructed a number of relationships that they were again able to enjoy.
Philip even gathered enough emotional energy to call his ex-wife, Nancy, now living in California with her second husband, to insist on a visit with his two children from his first marriage. Now teenagers, they were content to keep up with Philip via an assortment of social media but had little motivation to get on the phone or, preposterously, to board an airplane and visit Philip. His few visits to California hadn’t gone well at all. The kids were bored when they spent any time with him at his hotel or in a restaurant or mall, and he clearly wasn’t welcome in Nancy’s home. Far from acknowledging her part in the breakup, she blamed their divorce on Philip’s affair with Dorothy. No matter that Philip pointed out that the affair had only been a one-night stand and that Nancy had abandoned him when he plummeted into a suicidal depression. Philip had finally given up in frustration and hadn’t spoken to his ex-family for months. Nancy was surprised by the call.
The conversation was expectedly cool, but Nancy finally acknowledged that Philip had a point. If he was willing to make the reservations and pay for the airfare, she would tell the children they were going east. Philip promised to put together an itinerary for their visit that they would enjoy, including a visit to New York to see a Broadway show of their choice. Dorothy knew that it was his new positive attitude that had made the difference with Nancy and was proud of his forbearance.
The new Philip wasn’t lost on Dick and Ursula either, whose visits returned to a regular Sunday schedule. Dick had quizzed Dorothy during one of the visits, when Philip had gone to the grocery store for ice.
“What’s up with Philip? He seems like a changed man,” Dick said.
“I’m not sure, Dad, but it’s been a pleasant surprise. It started about two or three weeks after our visit with the Romanos.”
“Do you think he finally came to grips with it all?”
“That would be unusual for Philip. I haven’t seen him put too many things aside without resolving them somehow. At first, I worried he had gone after the Romanos, but we’re a couple of months out now without a hint of an issue with the Romanos or the Allentown police.”
“That’s a good sign, I agree. I guess I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Just enjoy the new vibe and hope it endures.”
“You aren’t the only one who’s grateful, Dad.”
Because all of these positive developments had also spilled over into Dorothy’s job. With more time available and less friction at home, Dorothy was able to bring a number of her cases to a positive solution, pleasing her partners, who finally voted her a full share in the firm. With that came more say about business development. Most important, Dorothy had a greater voice in the choice of cases she and the firm elected to take on.
Dorothy’s five partners, all middle-aged men with families, were inclined to accept work if it had the potential to bring in large revenues. Though Dorothy didn’t totally disagree with that approach, she also wanted the firm to do more cases for the public good. This might include pro bono cases but, even more important, reduced fees for people of modest or little means. She volunteered to take such cases at the risk of a reduced bonus, as long as it didn’t jeopardize her base pay. To their credit, her partners agreed, effectively subsidizing her good work and preserving the camaraderie that had attracted Dorothy to the firm in the first place.
But Philip and Dorothy’s life could never remain that simple. A week after her conversation with Dick, on a nearly dark Saturday morning, Philip was awakened by a blow to the back of his head. Startled, Philip spun around to come face-to-face with a large black head, staring menacingly at him. Philip blinked the sleep from his eyes until he was able to focus on the threatening figure—unblinking brown eyes, large nose, sharp teeth, foul breath, and a tick collar. Finally, a menacing bark that said, “Come on, Dad. Get out of bed. It’s time.”
Philip craned his neck to see the alarm clock. Six o’clock.
“Darn it, Rocky. It’s too early. Go back to sleep for a few minutes,” Philip said as he turned over and closed his eyes.
Whack. Another paw punch. Rocky isn’t kidding around, Philip thought. I bet he has to do his business. I wonder if I can get away with just taking him out front for a few minutes and then come back to bed.
That thought was interrupted by the arrival of the second hound, Meeko, who had jumped on the bed, tail wagging furiously, expecting to join in the fun. The two of them were a formidable force, and Philip now knew that any hope of further sleep was gone and that his day was going to start earlier than he had planned. He got out of bed, looked out the window, and welcomed the light that was just beginning to filter though the blinds. “At least I’ll be able to see where we’re going,” he said to Rocky, who remained on the bed, tail pointed directly up, ready for action.
Philip went over to Dorothy’s side of the bed, where she slept peacefully on her side, oblivious to the dog attack he had just suffered. He adjusted the blanket to cover her shoulder and kissed her lightly on the head, happy that she was at peace, although he was more than a little jealous that she was going to sleep a bit longer than he. “But a deal is a deal,” he said to Meeko, referring to his offer to be the dog caretaker when he was home on the weekend. After all, dog care, just like childcare, usually fell on Dorothy more than he.
Philip then started his weekend morning doggie routine. First into the small changing room to don a T-shirt and walking shorts, low-cut socks and sneakers, and Phillies cap. Out the bedroom door with the dogs, closing it softly behind him. Dog collars placed—each with name, address, and phone number, just in case—treats and poop bags for his pockets, leashes at the ready, and then out the front door for the short walk to the dog park. No need for phone or wallet. This next hour would be all about the dogs.
There was no better time for Rocky and Meeko. They were rested, with their dad, and on their way to one of their favorite places in the world on a morning that was not too hot and not too cold, perfect for doggie exercise. They pranced up the Narberth residential street, content to wait to do their peeps and poops until they were within the gates of the dog park and off the leash.
The walk was only a few blocks, including a stretch through a greenbelt that preserved the bucolic nature of a small town that was in the middle of the busy Main Line. The proximity of nature, combined with the easy accessibility of shops and restaurants in the quaint downtown area, made Narberth one of the most popular residential neighborhoods in the entire Philadelphia region.
Despite the early hour, the dog park already had a few regulars. Rocky immediately ran to greet his Labradoodle, Irish setter, and German shepherd friends. Meeko preferred to wander around alone, nose to the ground, looking for just the right place for her constitutional. Like all good dog parents, Philip watched both of them carefully, dutifully bagging their proceeds and depositing them in the designated container.
Next came exercise. Rocky, the youngest, played “chase me” with each of the other dogs in turn. Meeko preferred a more leisurely walk around the perimeter of the fenced park, occasionally requiring Philip’s encouragement to complete the full circuit.
But there was a part of the experience that Philip liked very little: small talk with the other dog owners. While he recognized most of the supervising humans, he had never taken much of an interest in any of them. In fact, he didn’t even know their names or what they did for a living. That meant that the conversation could have no real meaning. Just jaw flapping.
Fortunately, this particular morning, two of the owners appeared as tired as he felt. They sucked greedily on plastic coffee cups, using caffeine to pump life into their day. Only the Labradoodle’s mom had any energy and an inclination to converse. The subject was too familiar: how much her man-made breed looked like Philip’s Portuguese water dogs. And how great it was that they didn’t shed. And how wonderful that her dog got the good parts of two breeds—brains from the poodle; loyalty and affection from the Lab. What a magnificent idea, Philip thought. Manufacture a new breed for your convenience.
Philip merely smiled while the woman blabbed, nodding when it was appropriate, beginning to plan his escape.
“Jeez, look at the time, would ya? It’s almost seven o’clock, for crying out loud,” Philip said, looking at his watch. “Have to get back and get the day started. Lots of things on my honey-do list, if you know what I mean.”
“Sure do. I have one waiting for my husband,” she said with a laugh.
Good luck to him, whoever he is, Philip thought as he said goodbye. Meeko was more than ready to go, but Rocky was having too much fun and had to be roped in. He pulled hard on his leash in protest, but Philip was able to convince him that some treats would make up for the terrible loss of companionship he would suffer. Together, the three started for home.
Despite the time, the streets were still empty. Newspapers were perched on doorsteps throughout the neighborhood, the owners clearly taking advantage of the moderate weather to sleep in. And several households likely were beginning to make weekend visits to the shore and the mountains, putting a significant dent in street and road traffic throughout the area.
Street parking in Narberth was not common. Everyone had driveways and garages, so Philip did make note of a large black Suburban parked on the street next to the greenbelt. Through partially tinted windows, Philip could see that the driver was in the vehicle. Somebody with money is probably going to the airport or train station this morning, riding there in style, Philip thought as he crossed into the woods for the short trek to his street on the other side.
As the three souls made their way through the greenbelt, Philip was lost in thought, planning his day, when he heard a few twigs break behind him. He assumed a small creature was crossing the path, and, as he turned to see, someone forced him to his knees and put a bag over his head. Before he could yell for help, he was struck in the head with a blunt object and knocked out cold.
Dorothy awoke to the sound of someone knocking on the front door and ringing the doorbell simultaneously. As she shook off sleep, Dorothy assumed Philip had locked himself out again and was just being his usual impatient self. Darn Philip, she thought as she put on her robe and slippers. I wish he would hide a key outside somewhere for this kind of thing. She had suggested it multiple times. Philip simply had ignored her.
Irritated, she pulled her robe closed as she shuffled to open the front door, where she was greeted not by Philip but by two uniformed Narberth police officers, an odd pairing of a tall white man and a short Asian woman.
“Sorry to disturb you, ma’am. I’m Officer Cook, and this is Officer Li. We think we have your dogs in our car.”
“Huh? Meeko and Rocky?”
“That’s the names on their collars. Are you Mrs. Sarkis?”
“That’s my partner’s ‘s name, Philip Sarkis. We both own the dogs. I’m Dorothy Deaver.”
“Well, Ms. Deaver, we found your dogs wandering around the greenbelt area, just up the street here. They had their leashes on, but there was nobody looking after them,” Cook said.
“Philip must have taken them out early this morning. They go to the dog park on weekend mornings.”
“They probably cut through the greenbelt on the way home, you think?”
“He almost always does. It cuts off two blocks.”
“We looked around in the woods and the streets near the dog park and didn’t see anyone searching for the dogs.”
“Philip would never leave them alone. He’s exquisitely careful with them. Something must have happened to him,” Dorothy said, rapidly becoming unhinged.
“Hold on, Ms. Deaver,” Li said. “First of all, is Mr. Sarkis’s car here?”
“It’s right there in the driveway, with mine.”
“So he was on foot, and the dogs were still in the area, so we have a very good chance of finding him,” Li said, trying to quell Dorothy’s rising panic.
“Oh my God, do you think he collapsed somewhere?”
“Let’s not jump to any conclusions,” Cook said. “We haven’t conducted a thorough search yet. How about if you take the dogs and settle them down, and we’ll go back and hunt around some more. We’ll call this in now, so if we come up empty, we’ll be able to quickly widen the search.”
Dorothy might have had a worse day in her life, but she couldn’t think of one. The next fourteen hours were consumed by phone calls, conversations with police detectives, visits by Dick and Ursula and a few close friends, carefully worded explanations to Emily and Erin, and soothing words for the dogs, who wouldn’t stop panting and pacing around the house, frantically looking for Philip, fully aware that something bad had happened to him and frustrated by not being able to inform their mom.
It wasn’t until late in the evening, after she had dismissed her father, who had pleaded futilely with her to stay at his apartment, that Dorothy was able to finally sit down on the sofa with Meeko and Rocky, wine glass in hand, and sort out what had happened.
Philip was missing, and, for all of their reassurances, the Narberth authorities hadn’t been able to explain his disappearance. They knew he had made it to the dog park, substantiated by the regulars who had seen him there, and he had left with the dogs, all looking fine. One elderly neighbor mentioned he had seen a large black car or SUV parked near the greenbelt when he went out on the porch to get his paper, but no one else had seen it arrive or depart.
“You guys are the only ones who know what happened to your dad. Can you make like Lassie on TV and show us what happened or where he went? Please?”
Meeko lay down and put her head on her paws in silent contemplation, while Rocky jumped onto Dorothy’s lap, desperate to provide clues to get Philip back.
Dorothy would eventually lie down on the sofa with her hounds and succumb to a fitful sleep filled with terrible nightmares, none of them as awful as the reality she would confront when Sunday’s dawn finally arrived.