Donally, Claire - Cat Nap (A SUNNY & SHADOW MYSTERY)

*

Sunny came homeat the end of the day, wanting nothing more than supper, a comfortable pair of sweats, and maybe some TV to vegetate in front of. Instead she found her father and a mortified Helena Martinson dabbing at a damp patch on the living room carpet.

“I didn’t expect that at all!” Mrs. Martinson’s face was pink as she looked up at Sunny. Mike rose to stand behind his lady friend, rolling his eyes as Helena went on. “How could he do that in the middle of the room?”

Well, the neighbor lady wasn’t talking about Mike. And the only other male in the house was Shadow. Oh, no! Could he have created that wet spot?

“I’m so sorry, Sunny.” Mrs. Martinson picked up a large bag. “I’m afraid this bad little boy made a mess on the rug.” She took out a golden retriever pup, who immediately began yipping with excitement at finding a new face in the room.

“How did Shadow react to this lovely surprise?” a worried Sunny asked her dad.

“Hissed in his face and scared the pee out of him,” Mike reported succinctly.

“I adopted this cute little guy from the animal shelter when I saw his picture in the Harbor Crier ,” Helena Martinson explained. “Jane Rigsdale is doing such good work to help the animals in town.”

Her expression grew rueful. “But I guess I’ve got a bit to learn about this whole adoption thing. Come on, little fella, let’s get you home.” She returned the dog to her bag and beat a quick retreat.

Mike Coolidge let out a long-held breath. “She came over straight from the shelter, all excited. Wanted me to suggest a name for the pup.”

“Toby,” Sunny suggested with a smile.

“Why that name?” Mike asked with a suspicious expression.

“Toby Philpotts was in my grammar school class—he had the weakest bladder in school.”

Mike laughed. “With a name like Philpotts, I imagine that would be a pretty embarrassing problem.”

“It’s just a suggestion,” Sunny said, grinning at her dad. “Where’s Shadow now?”

“He headed for the back after his warm greeting to the mutt.”

Sunny took the hallway into the kitchen, and found Shadow glowering down from atop Mount Refrigerator.

“Hey,” Sunny said, extending her hand. Shadow leaned forward, rubbing the side of his face against her fingers.

“Well, now we know how you react to puppies,” she told the cat. “Maybe someday we’ll get your opinion on kittens.”

Gently brushing fingers through his fur, she smiled up at Shadow. “At least you didn’t kill him.”

She was just beginning to relax when the phone rang. Sunny turned from the refrigerator to pick up the handset. Jane’s voice burst into her ear. “After you called me this morning, I rang up Martin, determined to have it out with him. He has late office hours this evening and told me to come over then. So here I am, ready to go, and wouldn’t you know it, I’ve got a flat. I suppose I could call a cab, but any chance you could give me a lift?” Her voice slowed in embarrassment. “I wouldn’t mind a little backup when I go to see him.”

And like me, she doesn’t really have anyone else to ask, Sunny realized. Sal DiGillio probably just closed his garage, and I know Will is on duty until midnight. At this time in the evening, it should take less than a half hour to get to anywhere in Portsmouth. Jane certainly wouldn’t waste time with Martin, and then the drive back—an hour and change should do it . She put a hand over the receiver. “Hey, Dad?” she called down the hallway. “Would you mind waiting a bit for supper tonight?”

After Mike agreed, Sunny told Jane she’d be there soon and hung up. It was a brief drive to the Kittery Harbor Animal Hospital, where Jane stood pacing beside her disabled BMW. She quickly climbed aboard Sunny’s Wrangler, and they took the bridge over the Piscataqua River to Portsmouth.

As she drove across the span, Sunny glanced at Jane. “Remember all the times we’d cross this in a school bus? And when we got to the middle—”

“That was childish,” Jane complained.

“Yeah, but it was fun—and you usually led it. Come on.”

Jane sighed but nodded. Then both of them chanted, “ Maaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnne, ” drawing out the word until they reached the sign in the middle of the bridge. Then they shouted “ NewHampshire! ” all in one breath as they crossed the state line.

“Childish,” Jane repeated, chuckling.

“It made you laugh, though,” Sunny pointed out. And I think you could use a laugh, she added silently.

Following Jane’s directions, Sunny cut through the downtown district and headed off to the outskirts of Pease Airport, where Martin Rigsdale had set up his office.

The practice was in an old house, large and impressive at first glance. The clapboard siding had a fresh coat of shiny white paint, and the first floor had been renovated as an office for Martin’s practice. But the upstairs gutters were old and discolored, and the roof looked a bit saggy in spots. Sunny pulled up on the street near a stand of wild-looking shrubbery, and she and Jane got out of the Jeep. Even on the ride over, the weather had gotten colder and damper.

Hopefully, those overgrown bushes will give the Wrangler some cover if it really starts to storm, Sunny thought. She took in the neighborhood. “Nice, but not many cars parked around the office. Either he doesn’t get many patients toward the end of visiting hours, or business could be a lot better.”

Jane sighed. “That’s probably why he’s after me for the foundation money.” She squared her shoulders, her face taking on that ice queen expression. “Well, he’s not getting any. I don’t care what he threatens to drag up. You can take that to the bank.”

With Jane in the lead, they headed up the walk to the entrance marked with a discreet bronze plaque: M. RIGSDALE, VETERINARY MEDICINE.

Jane jabbed a thumb at the doorbell as if she were aiming for Martin’s eye. A moment later, they were buzzed in. The reception area looked expensive—blond wood paneling and deep plush chairs—but it didn’t match the architecture outside. The receptionist was blond, too, slim but shapely, wearing a white smock that emphasized generous cleavage. She had a pretty but sulky face, with soft features and a pout that she tried to harden into a professional mask. “I’m afraid you don’t have an appointment,” she said, aiming for coolness, but it came out more snotty than anything else.

“I have personal business with Dr. Rigsdale,” Jane said, cutting through the high school mean girl attitude. To tell the truth, Sunny estimated that the receptionist wasn’t all that long out of high school. “I’m also Dr. Rigsdale. Martin asked me to come and see him this evening.”

As if Mean Girl here didn’t know that, Sunny thought. The young woman drew herself up in her seat, and Sunny spotted a name tag on her smock: Dawn.

Judging from the jealous look on Dawn’s face, here’s another one that Martin charmed the pants off.

Dawn fiddled self-importantly with the computer keyboard on the reception desk, glancing at a screen that neither Sunny nor Jane could see. “As I mentioned, there’s nothing listed—”

Jane had had enough, sidestepping Dawn’s desk and heading down the hallway. If this followed the typical layout for most medical practices, somewhere along this corridor would be an examination room, a private office, or maybe both.

“You can’t go back there!” Dawn’s professional composure cracked as badly as her voice.

“Martin!” Jane drowned out Dawn’s complaints. “Stop hiding behind this girl. You made threats to get me to come here, but that’s all you’re getting out of me. Do you hear me, Martin? Martin?”