A Ruff Week by Lorraine Bartlett

Author:Lorraine Bartlett [Bartlett, Lorraine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Polaris Press

* * *

Rose and Lily arrived at Artisans Alley minutes before opening. Within half an hour of the dog’s arrival, Katie decided to take the dog for a walk around the square. She’d watched a couple of Youtube videos on dog training and tried to put Lily through her paces, but the dog needed much more instruction than Katie would be able to give in the three days left until Rose gave Lily up.

As Katie and Lily walked along the north side of Victoria Square’s parking lot, Katie noticed a figure exit The Quiet Quilter. The more she walked, the more she dreaded meeting up with Nona Fiske, who’d been a thorn in Katie’s side since the first day they’d met. She often thought of Nona as the wicked witch of Victoria Square. Never had she met such a sour personality. The woman seemed to exist only to make others miserable. The nicest—perhaps only—positive thing Katie could say about the woman was that she did beautiful work. She certainly didn’t have many other redeeming qualities.

“Katie!” Nona called.

Katie slowed her pace. She did not want to speak to Nona, although with nowhere to hide, it seemed inevitable. She plastered on a smile. “Hi, Nona. Can’t stop. Have things to do.”

“Wait a minute,” Nona said and stepped in front of Katie to insure she had to come to a halt. Nona looked down at Lily as though inspecting a new species of bacteria. “I hear you’re trying to find a home for this dog.”

“Her name is Lily,” Katie supplied, although she supposed the dog’s new owners could rename her anything they liked.

“I might be in the market for a guard dog,” Nona stated.

Taken aback, Katie asked, “Really?”

“Yes. McKinlay Mill has had a bad run of crime lately and it would be prudent for all of us to acquire some form of protection.”

“A dog?”

Nona nodded.

“Lily is part Australian Shepherd. She’s more likely to herd the rabbits in the yard rather than attack a burglar.”

“Nevertheless, I’m sure she could be trained to attack,” Nona said, deadly serious.

Katie frowned and looked down at the good-natured, half-grown dog at the end of the leash she held. Lily wanted—needed—someone to love, not someone who wanted her to learn to be vicious.

“What are you saying, Nona?”

“That I might be interested in having this dog.”

Having, not adopting, Katie noted. Katie didn’t know all that much about Nona, but she did know that the older woman was hard-hearted. That she caused trouble and made a habit of making life difficult for those she came in contact with. That she should never have a pet because she didn’t seem to possess the capacity to love—not even herself.

“It’s not up to me,” Katie asserted. “Rose would have to make that determination.” And if Rose agreed to give Lily to Nona, then Katie would seriously have to question her friendship with the woman…and if she wanted to have her as a vendor at Artisans Alley.

“I’ll speak to Rose,” Nona said. It sounded more like a threat.

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