Three Dog Day (24 page)

“
Good.” Mae kissed the side of Ben's neck. “Did you by any chance talk to Katie about Matthew being in the wedding?”

Ben gave a little smirk. “Yeah. She jumped at the chance, said she'd been looking for a sitter anyway. I think she's got a new boyfriend.”

Ben paused. After a moment he said, “Mae … how do you feel about Matthew?”

Mae smiled. “I love him, what do you think?”

“
I mean, do you wish you had children yourself?”

Mae folded her hands in her lap, giving the matter some thought. “I have the dogs ….” Her voice trailed off. “I suppose it's never far from your mind when you're my age. I do love children.”

“
With Tammy being pregnant and all—”

“
I don't feel jealous, if that's what you mean,” Mae said, giving his knee a pat.

“
Well ….”

Mae put a finger to his lips. “No more talk for now, all right? I appreciate that you're asking me these questions, and I do need to think about them at some point.”

“
Can I just say … I love you?”

Mae laughed. “Yes, you
always
can say that.” She snuggled in closer. “And I love you too. Wanna go upstairs?”

“
Why, Miss December, how very forward of you.” Ben drained the rest of his wine in one long swallow and plunked the glass down on the table next to hers. He stood and held out his hand. “I thought you'd never ask.”

D
ory had begun her siege three days ago, arriving at six in the morning. She had it all planned with the military precision worthy of a four-star general, knowing she lacked the manpower for an all-out battle, and that a stealth attack would not achieve her aim. The objective was to have Sheriff Bradley surrender, abjectly apologize, and reinstate her privileges and title as an investigator. So, a siege it would be.

She had begun by clearing her desk of all the little tasks Ben had asked her to take care of. She was a bit embarrassed to see that some of them had sat on her desk for months. She sent out letters, took citations to people's houses, met with the drunk-tank inhabitants, called parole officers, and even managed to get some people to pay their tickets. She actually offered to take some of the paperwork off Ben's desk. He frowned in confusion but handed her a stack of paper that would keep her busy for days.

Today she would initiate stage two of her plan. She planned to stay at her desk until six that night, keeping her curvaceous bottom glued to her desk chair and never failing to answer so much as a single phone call that came in to the office. She could feel her fanny getting bigger. Plus it was bor…ing.

While Ben was out on a call, she attacked his office with multi-surface spray cleaners until the whole thing shone. She even washed his windows. As a final touch, she ordered red carnations from the local florist and arranged them in vases scattered throughout the office. Ben seemed pleased but said nary a word about reinstating her former rank. Blasted man.

Although her boss had told Dory after the Ferris case the previous summer that she could start attending staff meetings, she sanctimoniously remained at her desk while everyone else trooped in and then out of the conference room day after day. Instead, she began typing up little three by five cards listing Ben's appointments for the week. When he left in the evening, she handed him his card with the next day's appointments. She had purchased different-colored pouch folders, at her own expense, reserving one color for each day of the week. Inside the folders she planned to put the paperwork relevant to the meetings and case discussions for the day. And during all of this, despite her quite obvious perfection as office manager, Ben failed to get the point.
Was the man just dense?

During today's particularly long staff meeting—no doubt devoted to the Web Johnston murder or the copper pipe case—Dory called Evangeline in despair.

“
The man just doesn't get it,” Dory whined.

“
Hang in there, Dory. He's bound to cave eventually,” Evangeline said. “I have something to ask you about. It might just cheer you up.”

“
Give it to me, girl.”

“
Remember me saying that several buddies of my husband's would like to date you?”

“
Um hum.”

“
Well there's this one friend of his, a gentleman named Al Peckham. He was a very successful salesman who worked for the Buick dealership in town, ended up as part owner. He's retired now and has a condo in the Virgin Islands.”

“
Car salesman, huh? Those horn dogs are known for nailing every woman in the county. I trust he's not married, at least.”

Evangeline made an exasperated noise. “Dory, I wouldn't fix you up with someone who was married. Al's never been married, so no baggage there. I want you to give him a chance. He's really nice, has gracious manners and he says you two used to know each other from the clubs where Elmer, your ex, played music.”

“
I do have a faint memory of this guy. He's tall, right?”

“
Tall, dark, and fine looking.” Evangeline laughed. “So, how about Saturday night? We can make an evening of it. You know that old theater in town, the Granada? It's been totally redone. It's fabulous, gaudy, and tarted up like a madam's boudoir. They serve dinner and then there's a live performance. And they have a dress code. Women wear long gowns and men wear tuxes.”

They agreed that they would pick Dory up at her house at seven before Dory had to end the call quickly. She could hear that the staff meeting was breaking up. God forbid Ben would catch her indulging in a personal phone call when she was working so hard to get her investigator's job back.

Saturday evening arrived and Dory checked herself in her floor-length mirror. She had decided on purple velvet with long black gloves. The gown had languished in her closet for years and it still fit, but it had taken her a while to obtain the requisite foundation garments. She had purchased a “hide and sleek” high top panty and a strapless black bra from the department store in Rosedale. Black stilettos with a fair amount of toe cleavage showing, long chandelier earrings, and a black and silver evening wrap completed her ensemble. After her shopping trip she had visited her favorite hair salon, the Baroness Hair Boutique, and told Kiki to do her damndest. A stunning reflection looked back at her.

Just before Evangeline, her husband Gerard, and Dory's date Al were supposed to arrive, the phone rang. Her caller ID said Mae December.

“
Hi, Mae.”

“
Hi, Dory. I'm calling to see if you'll be home tomorrow morning. I want to stop by and bring you a present. Can I come over around ten?”

“
Sure. I'm not on duty tomorrow. Why're you bringing me a present?”

There was a brief pause before Mae said, “Sorry, Dory, I have another call coming in. See you tomorrow.”

Dory was thinking that when Mae came by she would use the opportunity to talk to her about what else she could do to get Ben to reinstate her in her investigator position. The doorbell rang, and when she answered, she saw a large tuxedoed man of color standing on her porch holding a bouquet of flowers.

“
You must be Al. Now that I see you again, I definitely remember you from the old club days. Are those flowers for me?” He nodded. “Thank you. Come on in a moment while I get them into water.”

Al followed Dory into her kitchen. She reached for a tall crystal vase, filled it with water, and installed the dozen white roses.

“
You haven't said a word, Al. Can't you talk?”

Al swallowed, and in a strangled voice said, “I can't seem to say a word except … wow. You're so beautiful.”

“
Thank you,” Dory said graciously. It was true, after all.

Hearing a beep from the car in the driveway, Dory took Al's arm.

He leaned close to whisper, “I always envied Elmer for being married to you. Lucky guy. But you might need to put on a little weight. I think you've gotten almost too thin.”

“
And you're almost too smooth, my lucky date.” Dory put a hand on her hip and a slow smile spread across Al's dark face.

Sunday morning dawned crisp and clear. The sun came out and Dory, only slightly hung over, made some coffee and popped a tray of blueberry muffins in the oven. Al did mention her needing to gain some weight, she thought with a smile. Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang and Dory went to let Mae inside. She was standing on the front step. In her right hand was a small white puppy with a black spot over one eye that also covered part of an ear.

“
Damn girl, what'd you bring me a white dog for? Haven't you figured it out yet? I'm black! That better not be my present. Return that little critter to your car and then you can come on in.”

“
Just hold her for a minute, Dory. I have something else for you.” Mae handed the dog to her before going to her vehicle. Dory took the puppy in and got the muffins out of the oven. She was sitting in the kitchen with the pup in her lap when Mae returned with two stacked bowls, a bag of puppy food, and a small leash held against her chest.

“
The supplies are your gift and her name is True,” Mae smiled.

True was licking Dory's hand. She broke off a piece of muffin, blew on it, and fed it to the puppy before sighing in capitulation. Dory cast Mae an oblique glance. “Okay. You win. Good to have someone be true to me. Lord knows it hasn't happened often. I'll keep the mutt, but on one condition. You have to help me with a little problem I've been having.”

“
What is it?” Mae asked.

“
Well, you know that Ben appointed me as an investigator when the puppy mill tip came in, right?”

“
I know.”

“
I stupidly talked to the press the day of the raid and it was reported later on Channel Three news. They got footage of the knife and bloody rag I found, plus I almost blurted out about you finding the body.”

Mae nodded her head emphatically, blonde curls bouncing on her shoulders. “Ben told me about that. He was furious.”

“
Did he tell you that he demoted me for it?”

“
No,” Mae frowned. “He didn't. That's too bad.”

“
I'm just trying to get my previous title back, that's all. I didn't pass the physical for my deputy exam, so until I take it again and pass I can't be a deputy,” Dory heaved a sad sigh. “I've been doing everything I can think of to get reinstated, but he doesn't seem to have noticed. Do you have any ideas?”

“
Like most men, my boyfriend doesn't exactly pick up on subtle clues.”

Dory raised her eyebrows and nodded in concurrence, passing another bite of muffin to her new dog.

“
So it's possible he doesn't even know you want the investigator job back. Plus, he's really been stressed about work. I think you need to wait it out, or maybe you should talk to my mom. Between the two of you, Ben wouldn't stand a chance. Or do you want me to talk to him about it?”

“
No, honey, that won't be necessary. But I haven't spoken to Suzanne in quite some time and she might have some advice. Sit down, child. Have a muffin and tell me what I need to know about this little stray.” True gave a little bark and both women laughed.

When she reached Mae's mother by phone later that day and filled her in, Suzanne December didn't have any ideas either.

“
I don't have to tell you how stubborn Ben can be, but don't let the situation get you down. You just need to be patient and he'll probably come around. I'll let you know if I think of any ideas, though.” Suzanne paused. “I can't believe you kept the puppy Mae brought you without asking first. That is
not
how she was raised. Besides, we've been friends for a long time, and I've never known you to have so much as a goldfish.”

Dory laughed. “It was a bold move, no doubt, but I do have a soft spot for that child of yours, especially when she shows up looking pitiful in a cast. You know it and she does too. And I can't believe it myself.”

W
ayne Nichols didn't pray often—he didn't really believe in divine intervention—but since the conclusion of the joint sting operation that led to the arrest of Manny Torres, he had been praying nonstop for Jocelyn. Enid had asked him to locate Becky Wilshire and if possible get a letter of support from her for Jocelyn's hearing before the parole board.

Wayne's fingers were shaking as he punched in the phone number he had found for Becky Wilshire. She was living in an assisted living facility in Escanaba called Northwoods Place. It had been tough to find her, but once he got a phone number and called the facility, the director, who had lived in the area for years and knew the Wilshire family, confirmed her presence.

“
Northwoods Place,” the receptionist said.

“
Can you connect me to Mrs. Wilshire's room?” Wayne asked.

“
Certainly, sir.” Wayne heard the phone ring four times before someone answered.