Death on a Short Leash Read Online Free PDF Page B

of her dress. “That’ll have to do.” The face that reflected back to her belied the fact that she would be fifty-two next March. Her English peaches-and-cream complexion and her sparkling blue eyes still caused a few hearts to flutter, the main one being that of her boss and lover, who was downstairs preparing breakfast.
    â€¢ • •
    SANDRA OWENS NERVOUSLY pushed her lank brown hair away from her face. “I don’t think I can help you very much,” she said, peering short-sightedly at Maggie through her thick glasses.
    â€œBut you are Johanna’s friend?”
    â€œWell, kind of.” She reached for her cup of coffee. “Sometimes she asked me to go to the movies with her . . .” Her eyes misted over. “We went to see The King and I . Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. Did you see it? Wasn’t it marvellous?”
    â€œYes. I saw it a couple of years ago. About Johanna . . .”
    â€œWell . . . it was a Saturday afternoon,” the girl continued, hitching her chair closer to Maggie. “We saw the show and then Johanna suggested we go have tea at the White Spot.”
    â€œYes?” Maggie encouraged.
    â€œWe were eating our cream puffs when she told me that she was going to Abbotsford the following Saturday.”
    â€œWho did she know in Abbotsford?”
    Sandra put her cup down and leaned across the table conspiratorially. “She said that she was going to see some dogs there. It was someplace that had a really weird name. Something about a light.”
    â€œA light?”
    â€œSomething about a circle of light. Have you heard of anything like that?”
    Maggie shook her head. “Did she say why she was going there?”
    â€œNo. Just that she needed to see this place.”
    â€œAnd did she get in touch with you afterwards?”
    â€œNo. That was the last time I saw her.”
    â€œHow long have you known Johanna?”
    â€œWe were in high school together. Then her parents moved up the coast someplace . . . Gibsons, I think it is . . . but Johanna stayed in the city to take some courses at the vocational school for looking after animals. So we lost touch.”
    â€œEasy to do,” Maggie commented. “So what did you do after you left school?”
    â€œMe? Oh, my dad got me my job in Eaton’s. You can just imagine the surprise Johanna gave me when she walked into my department about six months ago.” She leaned toward Maggie to add in a whisper, “To buy a push-up bra!” Then she sat back in her chair. “We’ve seen each other a few times since.” Then she added as an afterthought, “I do hope you find her.”
    â€œIf you hear from her,” Maggie said, picking up the tab, “please call me at this number.” And she handed over one of the agency’s cards. “I’ve written my home phone number on the back.” Then, gathering up her purse, she asked, “Have you ever met Johanna’s boyfriend, Hans?”
    â€œNo. Didn’t know she had one.”
    â€œDo you have a boyfriend?” Maggie asked brightly.
    Sandra nodded, a faint blush rising up her thin neck. “Desmond. He’s in menswear.”
    â€¢ • •
    NAT WAS ACTUALY quite nervous around small dogs and cats—he tolerated Emily because she belonged to Maggie—so he was rather glad when he opened the door to the waiting room of Richmond Little Pets Hospital and found it devoid of pets, except for a black rabbit clutched in the arms of a small freckled-faced boy. A short man sporting a neat black goatee and dressed in an immaculate white coat stood behind the counter. “Dr. Williams?” Nat asked.
    â€œBe with you in a minute,” the man answered before turning back to the child. “Get your mother to give the rabbit these pills. Instructions are on the bottle.” The boy nodded and began trying to stuff the squirming animal back into its cardboard