Part 24 (1/2)
”Who lives here?” I had to pry my fingers from the handle.
”Me.”
I did a double take. Someone else was secretly loaded. ”Okay then. I see you don't need my money.”
”Nope. My daughter's husband has plenty of dough, and they pity me, so they're always paying me off. Enough about those losers. I need your help.” Betty opened her door and jumped out. ”Now I don't let just anyone in here. Swear on your Grandma Tillie's brooch you won't tell Valerie I let you inside. She'll take it personally, and I'll have to deal with her sniveling for weeks.”
I climbed out of the car. I stretched my leg, working out the muscle cramp from being sandwiched inside her tiny clown car. ”I won't say a word.”
I followed her up the stone walkway to an adorable stucco guesthouse with flower boxes in the windows. Charming and inviting. I was a little nervous as to what waited on the other side of the door. Betty paused with her palm on the handle. A pathetic whining came from inside.
I gave her a long a.s.sessing look. What had she gotten herself into? ”Is that coming from inside your house?”
”Yes. Now, don't dawdle. Come straight inside and shut the door. You have to move quickly. Got it?”
No, I didn't get it. ”Whatever you say.”
She unlocked the door and practically shoved me inside. My mouth dropped open.
Holy cow. Betty's cute little dream house looked like she'd hosted a frat party. Garbage, clothes and shoes littered the tile entryway and front sitting room. An overstuffed recliner had been knocked on its side, and two of her potted plants had been demolished.
”What the h.e.l.l happened to your house?”
”Raider.”
I tore my eyes off the mess and looked at Betty, more concerned than I'd been five minutes ago. ”What or who is a Raider?”
A large Saint Bernard with used tissues and food wrappers stuck to his face bound down the hallway and into the sunlit room. He jumped onto Betty, knocking her to the floor. He licked her face over and over, s...o...b..r dribbling down her s.h.i.+rt. Raider's s...o...b..r. Not Betty's.
”Him.” She wrapped her arms around his thick neck and buried her face in his fur, giggling.
Chapter Twenty-Seven.
”YOU HAVE A DOG? Since when?”
I straddled the ma.s.sive beast and pulled him off Betty. Good grief he was strong. He thought I was playing and knocked me on my b.u.t.t.
”Sit,” I ordered. He walked over me and pranced his way back to Betty.
”I found him last week.” She pushed him back as she gathered her feet under her.
I scrambled to my feet and helped her stand. ”He's a stray?”
”No. He's my dog. And before you get all crazy, I've already had Dr. Darling look him over and give him all his vaccinations.”
That explained Betty's secret visit to Daniel.
”I read up on Saint Bernards on the Internet. They're supposed to be slow and lazy. But he runs around like a furry freight train destroying everything in his path.”
”I can see that. Betty, he can't be more than eighteen months old. He's still in the puppy stage. I'm sure as he gets older, he'll calm down, but for now he's going to have a lot of energy. Is this why you've been disappearing?”
Raider ran down the hallway and brought back a Kong chew toy and dropped it at Betty's feet. She patted his head lovingly. ”Look around, Cookie. He's destroyed my place. If Valerie sees this she'll insist I get rid of Raider.”
I looked around. ”She may have a point this time. He's chewed your furniture, dragged your garbage throughout the house.” I picked up an empty box of dog treats. ”Did you take this yesterday?”
She grabbed the box from my hand. ”I'll pay for it. He eats a lot, and he's never satisfied with one treat.”
At the word ”treat,” Raider left his toy and trotted into the kitchen. He barked. I held back my laughter. Betty shuffled to the kitchen and pulled a handful of treats out of a plastic container on the dining table. Was this the same woman who ordered Luis to put Barney on a diet?
”Last night he ate my favorite animal-print lounge suit. He doesn't like to be alone so I come home every couple of hours to check on him. I'm exhausted.” She tossed him the treats. He dropped to the tile and immediately chomped on his snack.
”Separation anxiety,” I said.
”No. I think he doesn't like to be left alone.”
”That's what I said.” I looked around the room. ”You need help.”
”That's why you're here. I thought we could take s.h.i.+fts-”
”Oh, no. This is not my area.” I held up my hand. ”I can't help you in the way you need. You need to train him. Now. Teach him who's the alpha dog. If you keep him, and he continues to jump on you, he could injure you.”
”What do you mean, 'if I keep him'? Why wouldn't I?”
”Think about it for a second. When he's full grown, he'll weigh two hundred pounds. More, if you keep overfeeding him treats. He could knock you over with his tail. Besides, full grown, he won't fit in your car.”
”I'll buy a new car,” she said stubbornly.
I rubbed my eyebrow. ”I can't believe I'm about to suggest this, but if you're serious, you need to call Caro.”
”Your sneaky cousin?” Betty slipped Raider another treat.
I nodded. ”She can help you.”
”You're okay with me hanging out with your archenemy?”
Raider had left about a cup of s...o...b..r on the kitchen tile. Good grief, Betty could slip and fall if she didn't keep on top of his drool. ”Where do you get this stuff? Caro and I are not archenemies. We're family. We're just not speaking.”
”It's the same thing, Cookie. But don't you worry. I won't spill your secrets.”
I found the roll of paper towels next to the kitchen sink. I grabbed a handful and mopped up the mess. ”Where's the garbage?”
Betty pointed to the cabinet under the sink.
”I don't have any secrets from Caro.”
”I thought you were a smart one. We all have secrets.”