Death By Drowning Read Free Page A

struggling to get out of the pool. “Baby, come ’ere.”
    Recognition dawned on the mastiff as he sniffed the air. Hurrying to the side of the pool, he ferociously barked. Jake rushed to help me out of the pool, but Baby, ignoring his dislike of water, brushed Jake aside with his massive body, trying to climb down the pool steps. Rushing to meet him, I threw my arms around the thick neck of fawn fur and began to sob loudly. I cried as though a great stream of pain coursing through my body found an outlet through my eyes. I cried for all that I had been through – the murder investigation, the loss of my meager savings, that awful night when O’nan attacked and I fell with him over the cliff, the physical pain I had had to endure since then, my ruined body. I cried because I missed my late husband. I cried for Tellie, Richard’s abused wife. I even cried for that jerk, Richard Pidgeon.
    Through my hysterics, Baby patiently stood until I noticed his limbs were starting to quiver. “Sit, Baby, sit. Let me look at ’ou.” Baby gratefully sat with his massive tongue drooping from his mouth, drooling thick saliva on me. I explored him with my hands and eyes. “Oh Baby,” I sighed upon discovering his injuries. Baby had only one good eye and an ugly scar creased the right side of his skull. Another scar marred his fur on the underside of his carriage. “’Ou lucky, lucky dog,” I said, giving him another hug. I glanced fondly at Franklin. “He’s so big.”
    “He weighs about one hundred fifty-five currently. Because of his injuries, the vet doesn’t know if he’ll reach the regular two hundred pounds. He limps somewhat, but the one eye doesn’t seem to slow him down.” Franklin rubbed Baby’s massive head. Baby turned his drooling tongue towards Franklin, licked him and slurped. He began panting in the hot Florida sun. Baby, not Franklin.
    “You can thank Officer Kelly for saving Baby. Kelly was among the first cops to arrive and found Baby in the pantry. He got one of the paramedics to stabilize Baby until he could rush him to his own vet – a buddy of his. Josiah, Kelly has paid all of Baby’s vet bills and kept him after he was released. He even took him to obedience school, but Baby doesn’t know any commands cause he’s dumb as a rock. Yes, he is. Yes, he is,” Franklin said in baby talk, as he scratched Baby behind an ear.
    Baby whimpered for more.
    Franklin laughed. “You know how Kelly loves dogs, but he could never get Baby to bond with him.” Franklin patted my shoulder. “Baby loves you, Josiah. He needs to be with you, so I brought him. Besides, he’s eating the Kelly family into bankruptcy.”
    Franklin’s statements only induced another wave of crying until an anxious neighbor called across the fence and asked if there was anything wrong.
    Seeing that I was emotionally exhausted and wrung out, Jake ordered me to bed. He lowered it so Baby could climb on as well. Baby began licking his paws as I threw my arm over him. Usually restless with a few hours here and there of catnapping, I slept the sleep of angels until I awoke to the friendly patter of Jake and Franklin starting the grill. Baby’s massive legs and paws hung over the bedside while he snored contently. I listened to Baby’s soft grunts, the guys laughing, and the rhythmic ebb and flow of the ocean’s waves. I felt different – better, like something inside had been mended a tiny bit. I could hope again.

4
    The next four weeks I busted my butt movin’ and groovin’ to Jake’s unconventional methods of physical therapy. He bought baseball gloves for us and I would catch the ball, or try to, sitting in my wheelchair stationed squarely in the little park down the end of our street. I had to wear a catcher’s mask in case . . . well, I fumbled quite a bit. After several days, kids were joining us for our impromptu workout, leaving their computer games behind.
    That particular therapy was accompanied by the game of throwing