Deadly Delights by Laura Jensen Walker

Author:Laura Jensen Walker
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Upload
ISBN: 9781643855936
Publisher: CROOKED LANE BOOKS
Published: 2021-06-08T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“Mom, wait!” I jumped up to hurry after her, but as I did, Gracie and I collided with Barbara Christensen, who was passing by with a small dog, and I went down in a tangle of leashes and yapping, barking dogs.

“Oh my goodness, Teddie, are you okay?” Barbara asked. She reached down a hand to help me up.

Other than the fact that I just annihilated my mother, I’m great. I tried to extricate myself from the twisted jumble, but the tiny caramel-colored dog kept running to and fro, gamboling with Gracie and twisting the leash even more, tightening it around my legs. Gracie wasn’t much better, delighting in her new pal, who kept taking playful nips at her heels and legs.

“I’m sorry, Teddie,” Barbara said. “She’s still a puppy. She hasn’t been trained yet.”

“That’s okay. I remember those days.” My adult dog had been trained, however. I adopted my command voice. “Gracie, sit.”

She did so, promptly.

“Stay.”

Okay, Mom, whatever you say.

I unclipped her leash and disentangled it from that of the other dog, who continued to scamper around Gracie. Although it was clear Gracie wanted to continue playing with the frisky pup, she stayed still.

“Good girl.” I scratched my Eskie behind the ears and clipped her leash back on.

Barbara squatted down and picked up the fluffy little dog as I simultaneously turned around in a circle to unwind myself from its leash. Once free, I extended the back of my hand for the playful puppy to sniff and looked into its big dark eyes surrounded by curly, fluffy fur the color of a caramel apple. “And who are you, cutie pie?”

The puppy licked my hand and wagged its tail.

“This is Taffy,” Barbara said proudly, “my mini goldendoodle. Isn’t she the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen?” she cooed, scratching her fur baby under the chin.

“She’s pretty darned cute. Where did you get her?”

“From my friend Shirley’s daughter in Sturtevant. She got a new job in Chicago, and the place she’s moving to doesn’t allow pets.” Barbara ruffled the little dog’s fur. “Shirley knows how lonely I’ve been since I lost Robert and Duke last year, and she thought Taffy and I might make a nice family.” She planted a kiss on top of the puppy’s head. “Isn’t that right, baby girl?”

Taffy gazed up at her new mom adoringly and licked her on the nose.

“I think your friend Shirley was right,” I said. “You two are a perfect match. Taffy’s lucky to have found you.”

“I’m the lucky one,” Barbara said. “This little girl has made my empty house a home again.” She hugged her new pup. Taffy gave a happy yip and laid her head on Barbara’s shoulder. Then she squirmed, jumped out of Barbara’s arms, and scampered straight back to Gracie.

My canine daughter gave me a pleading look. Please, Mom, can I play with my new friend?

I nodded at Gracie, who splayed out on her back and batted her paws at Taffy as the puppy nipped and frolicked on top of and around her.

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