Less Than Frank by Lynn Bulock

Author:Lynn Bulock
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2010-05-18T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

There was no good reason for me to tag along to the group home in the morning. I really wanted to, just to see what Ray Fernandez was going to ask Candace and Lucy. In the end, however, I exercised good judgment and stayed home while Dot and Buck drove over to Camarillo. Once Buck heard about the need for Candace to be interviewed he insisted on going along. It made me feel more at ease to know Candace would have plenty of protection.

Not that she’d need that much protection. I had to admit that Ray was usually tough but fair in his investigations and followed the law to the letter. Since Candace had done absolutely nothing wrong, she wouldn’t have any problems with the detective.

As Dot and Buck drove away I finished up the kennel work by myself. Doing all of it for them this morning meant that Buck could take a shower and dress to go with Dot in the time he would have spent feeding dogs. He’d argued with me at first, but I felt it was the least I could do and told him so. In the end he got ready and I cleaned out kennels and fed dogs. The census was relatively low anyway; all the pups had gone to new homes already and a cold snap had moved Dixie, Sophie and Hondo inside.

When the kennel chores were finished I actually went out and spent money on something that wasn’t a necessity. That was a rare thing for me right now, but this year I wasn’t going to do without a Christmas tree of my own. Even with the limited space in the apartment I wanted this December to be special.

It would technically be my first Christmas without Dennis. Technically because last year he’d been comatose at the Conejo Board and Care this time of year. I’d gone there often in December and sat by his bedside. The piped-in Christmas carols in the facility sounded dreary, and the decorations looked tired. This year would be a time for my own CDs of upbeat songs and true rejoicing during the season.

Even though I don’t have a clue where it’s going to get stored in January, I bought an artificial tree. Real trees smell wonderful, but it always makes me sad to think of killing a tree just for a few weeks of it sitting in my living room. Besides, if I am going to keep having Sophie or one of the other dogs in here for company, an artificial tree will be much smarter. I can still remember learning new words when I was six from what my dad said when Buttons the puppy knocked over the tree trying to drink out of the water well of the tree stand. Dogs and a real tree inside the house just aren’t a good mix.

By the time the Morgans got back home I’d lugged the tree home from the discount store and set it up in the corner of my living room.

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