Finders Keepers (39 page)
Authors: Fern Michaels
“We'll manage, Alvin. Thanks.”
“Tell your friend to call me if she has any problems. Is your friend a woman?”
“Yeah.”
“It's a lock then. Female dogs bond with females. The little guy will go with the crowd. See you around, Luke.”
Luke felt something burning his eyes when he picked up the mother dog. Just before he lowered her into the bed of the truck she raised her head to lick at his cheek. “Watch them, Buzz. I'll go slow, but we have to make a couple of stops.”
It was seven-forty when Luke pulled the truck to the curb outside Jessie's building. He checked on the dogs before he rapped sharply on the door, his brow furrowed at the intricate digital lock. When the door opened he grinned. “I was going to make up this excuse about being in the neighborhood, but I didn't think you'd buy it. Buzz wanted to come here. It's really a very long story. However, I come bearing gifts. It's . . . ah, what it is . . . is the kind of gift you have to see. It's in the back of the truck with Buzz. He really did want to come here. You did say you would invite us to dinner. I was going to buy Chinese, but the time got away from me.”
“It's okay. I almost called you myself, but I thought it was too soon. I have a whole pot of spaghetti. Does Buzz like meatballs?”
“Buzz eats anything. So do I. Do you want to see your gift? Now listen, it's the kind of gift that can't be returned. If you don't like it, I guess I can keep it. You are very pretty. I like that color you're wearing. What do you call it?”
Jessie flushed. Thank God she'd brushed her hair and washed her face. For some strange reason she'd also splashed on some perfume. “It's called plum. I'm glad you stopped by because I really don't like eating alone. Can I see the gift now?” How breathless she sounded. Did he notice? Of course he noticed.
“Uh-huh. You bet. I mean, yeah, it's waiting for you.”
“Oh! Oh! I . . . Oh! Is she for me? Is it a girl? A puppy! Is she for me, too? Oh! You did this for me! You dear, sweet man!” Jessie threw her arms around Luke's neck. A moment later, her face brick red, she backed away. Buzz howled. The pup made a snarling sound that sounded like meow, meow. The mother dog struggled to get to her feet.
“I'll carry her in for you. The mother is a girl, the pup is a boy. I guess that's kind of obvious,” He was babbling. “All this other stuff is for them. It will take six trips. We even brought some food. It's the kind of stuff I gave Buzz in the beginning until I more or less weaned him off it to dog food.”
“She's scared. Look how she's shaking. What if she doesn't like me?”
“She's going to love you. All you have to do is . . . bond with her. She's had a rough time of it this past week, maybe longer for all I know. You carry the pup and go first. That way she'll trust you.”
“I don't know what to say.”
“Then you'll keep her?”
“Just try taking her away! He's adorable.”
“Didja hear that, Buzz? She said the pup is adorable.”
“Well, what have we here?” Luke said as he plopped the last of the dog's gear in the small gallery.
“My pictures. Actually, they're sketches my friend Sophie had framed for me.”
“Did you have a dog like this?” Luke asked, going from one picture to the other.
“I never had a dog. My parents wouldn't allow it. I had tons of picture books when I was little, though. Most of them were dog books. There must have been one in particular that I liked more than the others. I seem to draw the same dog over and over. I took the pictures off the wall right before you got here. I'm sending them to Milan to a shop that has a gallery. Where should we put all this stuff?”
“Let's look around. Where do you think you'll want her to sleep?”
“In my room. On my bed with me. I always wanted to have a dog sleep with me. You know, at the bottom of the bed to keep my feet warm. Where does Buzz sleep?”
“On my bed. He started out at the bottom but worked his way to the top. He has a pillow, and so do I. My housekeeper tells me he snores louder than I do.” Jessie laughed as she gathered up a load of stuff to carry to the second floor.
“Spread out that bed. It has a shearling lining. Completely washable. Okay, good. Now I'm going to put her down and you catch that pup and put him next to his mother. A few toys, a warm fuzzy or two and I think they'll both go to sleep. Ooops, a water bowl. This is a ceramic bowl made by an Indian in Santa Fe. If you take it back to the store later, they'll stencil the dog's name on it. A dog's name is very important, so you might not want to rush into just any old name. Buzz and I will go out to your living room and wait for you. You need to spend a little time with her so she understands that she's safe and has a new home. Stroke her head and talk softly.”
“Listen, I'm sorry about what I said that night about you not taking care of your dog. I was in a very bad place that night,” Jessie said.
“Sometimes appearances are deceiving. Did you see the news this evening?”
“As a matter of fact, I did. I don't want to talk about the Kingsleys. You can set the table if you don't mind. The kitchen is small, so just look around and you'll find everything.”
Jessie closed the door behind Luke and Buzz. She sat down next to the oversize dog bed to stroke the animal's silky head. The pup was sound asleep. Tears welled in Jessie's eyes. “I know there's a sad story behind you, but you don't ever have to worry about anything ever again. I'm going to take care of you. Forever and ever. Your pup, too. This is just a guess on my part, but I think you're going to make up for a lot of things that haven't worked out in my life.” An overwhelming urge to pick up the dog and cradle her in her arms and squeeze her till she yelped was so strong Jessie beat her hands on the floor. The weary dog opened her eyes and whined softly. Jessie crooned to her as she stroked her head. “Sleep now. Everything is going to be okay. I won't close the door.”
In the open doorway, Jessie turned for one last look at the sleeping dog and her pup. “Thank you, God,” she whispered. “Thank you for sending Luke, too.” Later, when Luke was gone, she'd think about what he'd just done for her.
“This looks festive,” Jessie said.
“It's the red napkins.”
“I love red. Purple, too.”
“Buzz has a red neckerchief we use on holidays. Are you a holiday person, Jessie?”
“I am now. I'm starting a new life. You're serving me, too!”
“You cooked it. It's the least I can do. I don't do dishes, though.”
“I hate cleaning up. It goes faster when two people do it. Is it good, or is it just okay?”
“Tasty. I washed off a couple of meatballs for Buzz. Dogs shouldn't have tomato sauce. Did you know that?”
“No, I didn't.”
“We brought you two question-and-answer dog books. I put the chicken in the refrigerator. It will take about two weeks to build her up. I say give her lots of vegetables mashed up in the chicken. That is not in the books. It's what I did for Buzz, and look at him now. I can't take credit for it, though. Alvin told me to do it. He has a dog that's nineteen who has never eaten anything but vegetables and fruits. Alvin is a vegetarian. The dog is in perfect health aside from his age and he's slowed down.”
“Amazing.”
“Nice place you have here. What's behind the gallery? Are you going to work in the gallery or what?”
Or what? Jessie set her fork next to her plate. “This is my building. There's an office behind the gallery. I'll show it to you later. It is absolutely mind-boggling to me at times how things work out. I have a feeling, Luke, that you and I are going to become good friends, so I don't want to start off on the wrong foot. If I'm wrong about our friendship, that's okay, too. I'm going to tell you who I am and what I'm all about. I hate lying, and I hate subterfuge. I hate always being on guard, of being afraid I'll say something that will . . . will blow my cover. I don't want a cover. All I want is to be me. I can't even do that because half the time I don't know who me is. This is a long story. Do you want to hear it?”
“Yes I do.”
Jessie talked steadily for almost an hour. She watched Luke carefully for his reactions to what she was saying. When she didn't see anything to alarm her, she finished up with, “and that's the way it is.”
“You never told Tanner? Why?”
“Instinct. Sophie's warnings. My own lack of confidence. I wasn't sure if I loved him or not. I didn't think it was a good idea to marry him. It was all a big mistake. It's behind me now. All that money is an albatross around my neck. I'm working on it, but it certainly isn't going to be my life's work if you know what I mean. Now, tell me about you.”
Luke frowned. “It doesn't compute. Tanner not knowing, I mean. Tanner makes it his business to know everything.”
“He couldn't have known. Sophie was the only other person who knew. I don't like what I'm seeing on your face. Do you know something I should know?”
“I don't know if I do or not. It was common knowledge, so it isn't as though it was a secret.”
Jessie's face settled into hard lines at the prospect of what she was about to hear. “I want to hear.”
“During my high school years, Angus brought young kids to the ranch. City kids. Fresh air, wholesome food, animals, space, that kind of thing. They stayed the whole summer. The first time was in our freshman year. The kids were different each summer, except for one kid who came every year. I don't know if this is true or not, but the rumor was Angus paid for his college education. That's one plus in Angus's favor. Anyway, the night of our high-school graduation there was a big party at the Kingsley ranch. I was there. It got rowdy, and there was a lot of beer. We were sitting around a big bonfire toasting weenies and marshmallows and the talk got around to girl talk. It was late, and the girls were already gone because Mrs. Kingsley heard Bop say she'd play Lady Godiva. There was a big discussion between Tanner and this kid about how their life's agenda was to find and marry a rich girl. Someone started a pool, and we all put money into it. The first one to snag a rich girl got the pot. I think there was eighty bucks in it. That whole summer until we went off to college, Tanner and the kid schemed and plotted. I stopped going to the ranch about then because they became obsessive about it. Especially J.J. I think they spent the entire summer at the library. J.J. was one of the smartest kids I ever met. He knew how to research and network. In that respect he was a lot like your friend Sophie. When we parted at the end of the summer, they had a list of eligible young women and profiles of those women. Tanner had his own car and plenty of money. All they did was tool around doing their research. About two years ago, maybe longer, it's kind of hazy right now, I heard from one of the guys in town that J.J. had a lock on a really big fish that was going to be the answer to the lifestyle he and Tanner had always dreamed of.”
This was not what she wanted to hear. In spite of herself, she asked, “I thought Bippity-Bop was wealthy.” She hated the warm flush creeping up her neck to her face at her words.
“She's more than comfortable from what I hear, but her parents, like all the other ranchers, had problems. Most of the money was gone years ago. They keep up a front. I'm not talking about simple rich if there is such a term. I'm talking about the kind of wealth associated with Aristotle Onassis.”
“Oh.” The only person she knew who ever had that kind of wealth was Sophie Ashwood. And now that wealth was hers. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach.
“I know what you're thinking, and as much as I hate to say it or even think it myself, I tend to agree. I am not a big fan of coincidence.”
“What . . . what was J.J.'s name?”
“I don't know if I ever knew it. If I did, I forgot it. It was a long time ago. The guy wasn't someone I wanted as a friend any more than Tanner was at that point in time. I don't like talking about this. At least now you know a little more about Tanner. For all I know it could have been a pipe dream. To my knowledge J.J. has never been back here. Someone in town would have mentioned it. Now, to get back to your question, I'm pretty much an open book. Where's Buzz?”
“Maybe he went to check on my new roommates. Let's go see.” Later, when she was in bed she would think about what Luke had just told her.
In the doorway, Luke clapped his hands over his mouth so he wouldn't laugh aloud. Jessie did the same thing. Buzz was sprawled on Jessie's bed, his big head resting on one of her pillows. The second pillow was under the mother dog's head. All were sleeping peacefully.
“Buzz has this thing about pillows,” Luke whispered. “I wasn't kidding when I said he wanted to come here.” He told her about Buzz's antics back at the ranch. The story brought a smile to Jessie's face.
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