Don't Rock the Goat (Bought-the Farm Cozy Mystery Book 8) (Bought-the-Farm Mystery) by Ellen Riggs

Author:Ellen Riggs [Riggs , Ellen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781989303689
Publisher: Sandy Rideout
Published: 2021-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“You know that old saying, ‘there’s no place like home?’” I asked Keats and Percy, as we plodded through dense overgrowth that was just beginning to green up. “I don’t get that vibe here. The Galloway ancestral home doesn’t have any feel-good magic.”

Keats mumbled his agreement. His tail was only at half mast, whereas he normally loved to explore new sites. Granted, bushwhacking wasn’t his favorite way to do it.

After Gertie and Edna finished their goat castle and left, I’d decided to drive over to the property my father’s family used to own. A little research had told me the home had changed hands a lot over the years and was currently empty. That was strange, because it was in a great location, about halfway between my farm and town. Once the land had been farmed for crops, but it had been left untended for so long that the forest was taking over again. That happened surprisingly quickly around here. It was like a dark force.

“Maybe it’s haunted,” I said. “Do you think so?”

Keats turned to give me what looked like an eye roll. I wasn’t sure whether or not he believed in such things. While he clearly had capabilities other dogs did not, they were still grounded in the possible for a brilliant border collie. He was observant, vigilant and diligent. If I added a new critter at the farm, he applied himself to learning and growing. Herding Percy was like military training that wired new neural pathways daily.

The cat turned now and for a second I thought I saw a Cheshire grin. Then he blinked twice and turned back to leading us. As the smallest and most agile, he could cut his way through the bush better than Keats. I had to hand it to Percy: he loved his creature comforts but when the going got tough, he was a fluffy marmalade soldier.

“I say it’s haunted,” I continued. “There’s a bad vibe here. And since the house has been on the market for ages, I bet Calvin’s hiding out here. I figured he’d have come back for his wallet by now. I should have kept the forty bucks.”

Keats gave a polite sneeze of laughter but he wasn’t really in the mood for jokes. If I’d let him steer, we’d be back at the truck, which I parked in the bush near the highway. Edna was going to be annoyed I’d come without her but she had looked pretty beat by the time the goat gym was done, and I was too impatient to wait.

Trudging on, we finally made it to the house. I already knew what to expect from the real estate listing online. It had been kept up fairly well, but still had an unloved look to it.

Stepping into the open, I said, “Well, boys? Is he here?”

The dog’s tail drifted slowly down and the cat’s lashed a few times. Apparently, the mission was a bust. Keats was disappointed and Percy annoyed that I’d pulled him away from a busy afternoon of relaxing.

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