Murders of a Feather by Eileen Brady

Author:Eileen Brady
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks

Chapter Twenty-One

The next morning before work, I lifted the towel from the front of the crow’s cage after again securing Mr. Katt in my office. The crow had popped the top off the cardboard box and was standing upright, his eyes on mine. I noticed birdseed scattered around. He’d eaten most of the sunflower seeds, all the mealy worms, and all the shelled peanuts.

The bird tried to flap his wings. I quickly covered the cage back up and thought about the best way to get him outside. A combination of a metal strainer to keep me safe from his beak and another larger box did the trick.

Moving quickly with my now-agitated, wild friend, I glided through my apartment and out the side door, slamming it before Buddy could sneak out. Hoping for the best, I placed the box on my doorstep, turned it on its side, and opened it.

The bird stuck his head out, assessing his situation and getting his bearings. In no time he hopped out, looked around—then spread his midnight black wings and flew up into the nearby trees. A chorus of cawing ensued.

I still had a bit of the seed mixture left in my pocket that I’d intended on feeding him. Since he was recuperating, I didn’t want to throw it in the snow. I bent down and pulled up the rubberized mat I usually wiped my wet boots on.

Walking over to the truck, I cleaned off the hood, placed the rubber mat on the level part, and then sprinkled the bird food mix on it. At least for the time being, the crow might be able to easily enjoy some food without digging in the garbage or foraging in the snow.

When I returned to my apartment, a confused Buddy greeted me with a woof. “Sorry, guy,” I told my dog. “We’ll go out in a minute. I promise.”

From behind the living room curtain, I snuck a peek out my window into the parking lot and watched first one crow, then another, then another fly out of one of the pines and land on the truck hood. Within no time the three birds had finished up most of the food.

One of them was my patient. I could tell by the uneven wing feathers on one side. To avoid another flying accident, I planned to spray the shiny metal of the outdoor camera over my door with a matte finish paint, leaving the lens clean and functional.

It felt good to be able to help such a beautiful wild creature return to his natural life with his crow family.

I envied them.

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