as she fiddled with the white huck rag in her hands. “I just don’t think they’re the type of people that want strangers snoopin’ around their business. No offense, dear.”
“None taken. Sometimes us writers have to do a little bit of snoopin’, though. What were you saying about the dogs?”
Pearl hesitated again, but after a few seconds gave in. “Well, I haven’t seen it with my own eyes.”
“I have.” Earl added.
“Hush up. You haven’t either.”
“Seen what?”
“Supposedly certain people come to town just to see these dogs.”
“They do, I’ve seen ’em,” Earl added again.
Pearl just glared at him until he walked a few feet away and went back to sweeping the floors.
“Like I was saying: people from all over come to see these dogs.”
“Why? What’s so special about the dogs?”
“To be honest, dear, I’m not sure. I’m not much of an animal person myself. ’Cept the ones we keep around to butcher and sell.”
Earl couldn’t help it. He was like a cat waiting for just the right time to pounce. He walked briskly up to Katie. “They’re race dogs. But not just any ol’ race dogs. They’re the cream o’ the crop. The cat’s meow. The bee’s knees. The best thing since little apples. You can’t beat ‘em.” He looked up at Katie, who was listening intently, and went on. “Mainly ‘cause they’re part wolf. Got them long lean legs that can outrun anythin’. But ’specially ‘cause they’re Carolina dogs,” he said with a prideful grin.
“Earl, you don’t know that.”
“I do so. Seen it with my own eyes. Seen the boy out runnin’ with ‘em.
Pearl just shook her head. “It snows here ’bout twice a year. That doesn’t even make sense.”
"You don't happen to have an address, do you?" Katie asked excitedly, drawing a somewhat surprised look from Pearl.
"I don't. But..." Pearl paused, reaching under the counter for a pencil and a scrap piece of paper. She jotted down directions quickly, the loose skin between her elbow and shoulder jiggling as she wrote, and handed the paper to Katie.
"I hope you find whatever you're looking for, dear."
"Thanks. I hope I do, too,” Katie said.
“Oh you’ll find it if you look hard ’nough. There’s somethin’ magical ’bout them dogs,” Earl said, drawing a final stare from his wife that caused him to shuffle to the other end of the store as the front door closed behind Katie.
Chapter 4
Almost an hour later, Katie pulled to a stop in front of a dirt road that was split in half by a large banyan tree. The tree’s roots had taken over the driveway and protruded from the orange and brown dirt like natural speed bumps. She hadn’t driven more than a few miles since she left Pearl’s Place, but the roads were long and empty. Pole-mounted street signs were missing or supplanted by barely legible makeshift boards.
Katie looked back at the directions Pearl had jotted down.
Drive straight down Anderson until you see a slight bend in the road.
Take a left onto a dirt road. House will be on the left.
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Katie said to herself as she took a deep breath and made a left turn.
The sand and dirt crunched under the tires of Katie’s light blue convertible as it turned off the asphalt road. She was too busy looking ahead to see the small cloud of dust kick up from the tires as she eased to a stop several hundred yards later.
On her left was a faded white double-wide trailer with a long front porch. The roof was dark green, and matched the leaves of several tall trees that stood behind the house.
She put the car in park and pressed the ignition button adjacent to the steering wheel. The lights on the dash went off and she stepped out of the car.
Directly across from the house was a two-story barn. One of the oversized sliding doors was pulled open, but the sun cast a shadow that prevented Katie from seeing farther than a few feet into the barn.
She took several steps up the
“None taken. Sometimes us writers have to do a little bit of snoopin’, though. What were you saying about the dogs?”
Pearl hesitated again, but after a few seconds gave in. “Well, I haven’t seen it with my own eyes.”
“I have.” Earl added.
“Hush up. You haven’t either.”
“Seen what?”
“Supposedly certain people come to town just to see these dogs.”
“They do, I’ve seen ’em,” Earl added again.
Pearl just glared at him until he walked a few feet away and went back to sweeping the floors.
“Like I was saying: people from all over come to see these dogs.”
“Why? What’s so special about the dogs?”
“To be honest, dear, I’m not sure. I’m not much of an animal person myself. ’Cept the ones we keep around to butcher and sell.”
Earl couldn’t help it. He was like a cat waiting for just the right time to pounce. He walked briskly up to Katie. “They’re race dogs. But not just any ol’ race dogs. They’re the cream o’ the crop. The cat’s meow. The bee’s knees. The best thing since little apples. You can’t beat ‘em.” He looked up at Katie, who was listening intently, and went on. “Mainly ‘cause they’re part wolf. Got them long lean legs that can outrun anythin’. But ’specially ‘cause they’re Carolina dogs,” he said with a prideful grin.
“Earl, you don’t know that.”
“I do so. Seen it with my own eyes. Seen the boy out runnin’ with ‘em.
Pearl just shook her head. “It snows here ’bout twice a year. That doesn’t even make sense.”
"You don't happen to have an address, do you?" Katie asked excitedly, drawing a somewhat surprised look from Pearl.
"I don't. But..." Pearl paused, reaching under the counter for a pencil and a scrap piece of paper. She jotted down directions quickly, the loose skin between her elbow and shoulder jiggling as she wrote, and handed the paper to Katie.
"I hope you find whatever you're looking for, dear."
"Thanks. I hope I do, too,” Katie said.
“Oh you’ll find it if you look hard ’nough. There’s somethin’ magical ’bout them dogs,” Earl said, drawing a final stare from his wife that caused him to shuffle to the other end of the store as the front door closed behind Katie.
Chapter 4
Almost an hour later, Katie pulled to a stop in front of a dirt road that was split in half by a large banyan tree. The tree’s roots had taken over the driveway and protruded from the orange and brown dirt like natural speed bumps. She hadn’t driven more than a few miles since she left Pearl’s Place, but the roads were long and empty. Pole-mounted street signs were missing or supplanted by barely legible makeshift boards.
Katie looked back at the directions Pearl had jotted down.
Drive straight down Anderson until you see a slight bend in the road.
Take a left onto a dirt road. House will be on the left.
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Katie said to herself as she took a deep breath and made a left turn.
The sand and dirt crunched under the tires of Katie’s light blue convertible as it turned off the asphalt road. She was too busy looking ahead to see the small cloud of dust kick up from the tires as she eased to a stop several hundred yards later.
On her left was a faded white double-wide trailer with a long front porch. The roof was dark green, and matched the leaves of several tall trees that stood behind the house.
She put the car in park and pressed the ignition button adjacent to the steering wheel. The lights on the dash went off and she stepped out of the car.
Directly across from the house was a two-story barn. One of the oversized sliding doors was pulled open, but the sun cast a shadow that prevented Katie from seeing farther than a few feet into the barn.
She took several steps up the
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