The Bark of Zorro by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Author:Kathleen Y'Barbo [Y’barbo, Kathleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781636095189
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2023-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Mari, I’m with Jason and Dr. Cameron. I’m going to put you on speaker so you can tell them what you just told me.”

“Okay,” Mari said. “This morning we got a Jack Russell terrier with a Z painted on the side. The owner blames her neighbor.” She repeated the details of the incident. “So the owner called the cops. The officer just left. He thinks that it’s just a prank. He actually blamed the newspaper article. In his opinion, the publicity from the article has caused copycat incidents.”

I looked at Jason. “That’s not the first time I’ve heard that opinion. And remember Suzy?”

“Our crazy girl who got adopted?” she asked.

“Yes. I’m with Jason and Dr. Cameron in LaGrange. She was found in Brenham in the same condition.”

“She’s fast, but no way could she make it to Brenham, don’t you think?” Mari offered.

“The working theory is someone took her from the Baker family’s yard and transported her there,” Jason said. “Is the terrier still at your clinic?”

“She is.”

“Can you keep her there until I can stop by and examine her? Have you cleaned off the paint?”

“No,” Mari said. “Dr. Tyler said we shouldn’t do anything until Cassidy could come in and see if the letter she saw on Spot looks like the one on Muffin. That’s the dog’s name.”

“Okay, I’ll have her at the clinic in an hour. We’ll head that way once we leave here.” He looked up at me. “If that’s okay with you, Cassidy.”

“Of course,” I said.

We said our goodbyes, and then I returned my phone to my bag. “That’s two incidents in one night. This is escalating.”

“I don’t like that at all,” Dr. Cameron said. “Jason, do you think these are pranks, or are they something more?”

Jason removed the keys from the ignition and reached for his hat. “I don’t know yet, but either way, I don’t like it.”

Once the film crew climbed out of the vehicle, I followed Jason into the small veterinarian clinic. Apparently Camille had called ahead to get permission to film, because there were already signs up warning of cameras.

We were quickly ushered into the back room where the dogs were kenneled. There I immediately spied Suzy. She was turning circles in her kennel and yipping furiously, likely her version of “Get me out of here!”

The vet tech opened the kennel door, and Suzy leaped out into my arms. Between nuzzling my neck and trying to lick my face, she was squirming so much that it was difficult to examine her. Finally, I sat down on the floor and held her against me.

“All right, Suzy,” I told her. “Since you can’t tell me about your adventure in Brenham, we’re going to have to examine you and try to figure it out. All you need to do is be still for a minute.”

Of course she ignored the request. Still, I was able to hold her so that Jason could get photos and a hair sample of the painted Z. Then I turned her around to scratch her behind the ear so I could see her side.

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