Leighann Dobbs - Mystic Notch 02 - A Spirited Tail Read Free Page B

on rubbing Ranger’s coarse fur.
    “Looks like he got whacked pretty good.” Gertie’s emotionless voice carried across the grass. “Been dead a while.  He was hit with something pretty big.  A shovel, maybe. I’ll need to get him to the lab to tell more.”
    Instinctively, I looked around for a big shovel, or some other implement that could have done the deed. My search came up empty.
    “The ambulance should be here shortly,” Gus said.
    “Okay.” Gertie stood amidst various popping noises. “I can’t do much more here, so I’ll meet the body back at the lab.”
    “Thanks.” Gus smiled up at Gertie who nodded curtly as she stripped off her purple gloves.
    Gertie picked up the bag she’d set on the grass beside her. It reminded me of an old doctor’s bag from the 1800s. I found myself thinking it wouldn’t surprise me to find it was that old … or even that Gertie herself was.  
    More popping noises came from her knees as she squatted beside Ranger. 
    “You be a good boy, now.” She looked from the dog to me. “You’re in good hands.”
    Ranger’s big brown eyes followed Gertie as she stood and walked to her car.
    “Okay, boy. Let’s go out front.” I tugged the rope. Ranger looked up at me uncertainly, then stood and followed me, taking one heart-breaking glance back at Bruce.
    Ophelia turned from her post at the open doorway where she was peering into the house, trying to get a glimpse of what was inside. 
    “It’s just like he said. Everything is in here,” she whispered, then frowned at Ranger. “Are you taking him?”
    “Yep. Well, at least until I can find him a good home. Maybe one of Bruce’s relatives wants him.”
    “Well, don’t bring him near my car.  Tatters is in there and I don’t think she likes dogs.”
    I jerked my head around to stare at her brand new Lincoln with the cream-colored leather interior. I was relieved to see that she had the windows cracked and the air conditioning on so the cat wouldn’t overheat, but a little surprised that she brought her cat to work with her. As I stared at the car, a little black and white head poked up on the passenger side. I noticed one of its ears was still a little tattered. The engine of the car purred so quietly, I hadn’t even noticed it was running.
    I’d been surprised earlier that summer when Ophelia had adopted the little homeless kitten with the tattered ear, because I couldn’t picture the selfish real estate agent caring for anything but herself. She’d proved me wrong, and it looked like she’d grown very attached to the kitten. 
    “You bring your cat to work with you?”
    “Yes, of course. Tatters comes to the office with me every day. Just like you bring Pandora with you to the bookstore. You don’t think I’d leave her home alone, do you?”
    I glanced down at Ranger and wondered if he liked cats. Then I wondered if Pandora, the cat I’d inherited along with the bookstore and house, liked dogs. I took Pandora to the bookstore with me every day and, since that was where I was headed after I finished up here, I guessed I was going to find out soon enough.  
    The ambulance arrived, interrupting my vision of bookshelves clattering to the ground spilling books all over my store as Ranger frantically tried to escape the hissing and clawing cat.
    When the EMT’s appeared from the back with the body on a stretcher, Ranger stood at attention and let out a series of barks. I put a reassuring hand on his head as they loaded his former master into the back. He looked up at me with pleading eyes that squeezed my heart.
    “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get a good home.”
    They shut the door on the ambulance and Ranger lay down, pushed out his breath in a big sigh and curled in a ball, looking for all the world as if the life had been drained from him. 
    Gus came around the corner, snapping off her gloves just as Jimmy appeared in the doorway.
    “Did you find anything in there?” she asked.
    “Nope. It