The Case of the Coyote Invasion by John R. Erickson

Author:John R. Erickson
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: cowdog, Hank the Cowdog, John R. Erickson, John Erickson, ranching, Texas, dog, adventure, mystery, Hank, Drover, Pete, Sally May
Publisher: Maverick Books, Inc.
Published: 2015-05-04T18:34:27+00:00

Chapter Seven: A Serious Case of Worms

I rode the elevator up to the twelfth floor and went striding into the office, checked the mail and glanced over a few reports on my desk, then flopped down on my gunnysack bed.

Only then did I notice Drover. He was lying on his stomach, with both paws out in front and his head pointed straight ahead. Suddenly it struck me that he looked exactly like the statue of the Great Squink in . . . wherever that ancient monument resides . . . Messitallupia . . . Pottamotamia . . . Agrippa . . . Eejippum . . . Egypt, there we go.

Let’s back up and put it all together again. He looked exactly like that famous statue in some distant land beyond the seashells. It appeared that he hadn’t moved a hair while I’d been gone.

His eyes swung around. “Oh, hi. What’s going on?”

“I’ve been out taking care of ranch business.”

“I’ll be derned. How’s business?”

“Business is mixed. My main objective was to patch up my relationship with Sally May, and that sort of blew up in my face.”

With dreamy eyes, he stared off in the distance with dreamy eyes. “Yeah, I’ve always liked blue. It’s my favorite color. Blue sky, blue ocean water . . .”

“Hey, did you hear what I said?”

He squinted and looked closer at me. “Oh, hi. Did you say something?”

“Yes, and I’d appreciate it if you would pay attention. I said, my mission to patch up my relationship with Sally May blew up in my face.” I heaved a sigh. “Drover, the woman is impossible. What does a dog have to do to please her?”

“Oh . . . stay out of the sewer, I guess.”

“I rushed down to wish her a safe journey. I was ready to heal old wounds . . . what did you say?”

“Stay out of the sewer. You stink.”

I leaped to my feet and towered over him. “Why you little . . . how dare you make slanderous remarks about your commanding officer? Have you forgotten who I am? How would you like to stand with your nose in the corner for five years, huh?”

“Hank, you stink and she hates the sewer smell. I tried to tell you.”

“Drover, that is the most outrageous . . .” My mind raced back to the scene with Sally May. “Wait a second. She did say something about the sewer . . . and my smell.” I sank back into my gunnysack. “You tried to tell me?”

“Yeah, but you never listen.”

“But why didn’t you just come out and say that?”

“I don’t know, ’cause you never listen, I guess.”

There was a long throbbing moment of silence. “Drover, we’ve been through a lot together. May I speak frankly?”

“Oh sure, you bet. My life’s an open book.”

“Drover, sometimes I feel that . . . what’s the word I’m searching for?”

“Bonehead?”

“No. Sometimes I feel that I don’t listen very well.”

“I’ll be derned.”

“It’s as though . . . well, I get so wrapped up in the big picture that I don’t pay attention to the little picture.

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