Bed-Bugged by Susan J. Kroupa

Author:Susan J. Kroupa [Kroupa, Susan J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
Publisher: Laurel Fork Press
Published: 2011-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13: Nightmare

I awake to Molly’s screams. Not again! I crash against the crate door, barking for all I’m worth. But no scent, no scent of anyone in the house.

“Doodle!” The boss is already running to her room. He flicks on the light. “Molly. You okay?”

Molly’s voice, thick with sleep and heavy sobs, “—chasing me.”

Chasing her? I’m ready to eat the door to the crate but then the boss says, “Hey, hon, it was a just a dream. Just a nightmare.”

Ah. Nightmares. Turns out those are bad dreams and have nothing to do with horses. She’s had them before. To hear the boss tell it, which I did once when he was on the phone, she’s had them ever since her mother left.

Her cries become muffled, as if she’s crying into his shoulder. I whine in sympathy.

“Hey, you want to sleep in my room for the rest of the night,” the boss asks when the crying subsides.

“No.” Her voice still has a slight tremble. Not sure why unless it’s about the fight they had earlier.

“You sure?”

I can’t hear her reply, but the boss says, “Doodle?”

I freeze, listening. What about me?

“Moll, he’s a working dog and not a pet. I’m not sure letting him sleep in your room is a good idea.”

Normally, I would agree. Best not to blur the lines between friendship and employment. But after the scare over intruders, even though I like my crate, it now feels pretty confining, and I wouldn’t mind a nice stretch on Molly’s rug.

I wait for his answer, ears perked forward.

“I guess. Just this one time.”

So, here he is, opening the crate door. I dash to Molly’s room, just to be sure there aren’t any intruders, but my nose never lies. Molly throws her arms around my neck, squeezes tight. “Oh, Doodle,” she breathes into my ear. “I’m glad you’re here.” More blurring of the lines, but hey what can a dog do to that except lick her face and arms? She kisses me right on the top of my nose and then crawls back into bed.

The boss gives her an anxious look. “You sure you’ll be okay?”

Her head sinks down on the pillow. “Yeah.”

“Well, leave the door open, okay?”

“Okay.”

The boss turns out the light and soon I hear the creak of his mattress. But I notice he leaves his door open also.

So, I’m surprised, much later, when I awake to a blue-ish light. I jump up ready to confront any intruders, but it’s only Molly’s computer. She’s sits at her desk, her eyes intent on the screen. And her door is shut. Hey, when did that happen?

I get up and stand beside her. I stare at the photo, trying to make it out without any scent. I see a field and some dogs. . .why it’s one of the paintings.

She rests a hand on my back. “I just wanted to make sure. They’re exactly the same. Why is that? What’s going on?”

No clue here. I yawn.

She yawns too, and pretty soon she’s back in bed, light off and door open again.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.