Hair of the Dog Read Online Free PDF Page A

firehouse that wasn’t really a firehouse but had a fire truck out in front.”
    Finally, she had everything that would help. Dan left after setting up an appointment for the following afternoon to talk about the fire. Promising more pictures of Sadie probably got him a second visit. That and the fact Fucher would get to see Sadie in the flesh two days in a row.
    The guard shushed him, but seeing Fucher jumping up and down, calling out for Sadie, even though the window was well fortified and protected by a maze of metal bars, was heartwarming. Elaine picked up her purse and keys at the first guard station and turnstile, then followed the Exit signs to the lobby. She couldn’t help but shiver as each heavy steel door slammed shut behind her. Incarceration. A world she was glad to leave.
    ***
    Elaine quickly filled Mrs. Carson in on how Sadie had been found.
    â€œSadie! Oh my, you gave us quite a scare, girl. You’ve been out on the streets all by yourself this whole time.’’
    The woman making over Sadie hadn’t taken the warnings about sunscreen seriously. Wrinkles and a deep tan signaled a lot of beach time and premature aging. Her age was difficult to determine, but Elaine guessed somewhere south of fifty.
    â€œIt was just so kind of you to go by the jail. There’s no way that dear boy should be in there. I knew his mother; she worked for me. I have the ten units here—all townhouses but there’s a lot of maintenance. Fucher paints, picks up the parking lot, and keeps the shrubs trimmed. All this in addition to his regular job at the track. That boy never stops. He’s such a good worker, but so was his mother. She just passed this last Christmas. Oh my, I guess it’s been almost a year now. Fucher took it so hard. I don’t know what he would have done if he hadn’t had Sadie.”
    â€œMrs. Carson, is he current on his rent?” Elaine wasn’t sure why she asked but how awful it would be if he lost his home, too. He certainly wasn’t bringing in a salary where he was.
    â€œPlease, I’m Joan. Oh, let me tell you, he was smart to tie up this place for five full years. You know, when he got his accident money—I’m sure you’ve heard about that?” Elaine nodded. “Well, he paid me sixty thousand dollars. We drew up a contract and all. There’s three years left on the lease.”
    â€œThat was looking ahead.”
    â€œEvery time he loaned anyone money or paid ahead for something, I made him draw up a contract. My brother’s an attorney and he helped him. Now, let’s go get this pretty girl’s food. I know where the treats are.”
    At the word “treats” Sadie wagged her tail so hard her entire body wiggled. And it was obvious she knew the way. Elaine had to hang onto the leash as Sadie took off to follow Joan.
    â€œHere, you can do the honors.” She handed two door keys to Dan. “This one is for the door handle and this one for the deadbolt. I’m due for cataract surgery and have a terrible time with my aim at close range.”
    Elaine had no idea what she thought Fucher’s apartment would look like but it wasn’t this. Granted the furnishings probably came from T.J. Maxx or Tuesday Morning, yet the place was bright and cheerful and actually tastefully done. A navy throw over a not-so-new couch sported several neon-colored, satin-covered pillows in green, pink, and blue. A wooden rocker had been refinished in bright yellow with grass-green accents. Another pillow in a luminous dark green finished the look. Geometric designs in the large floor rug of muted greens and yellows tied everything together. The place was inviting.
    â€œWhere did you say you were staying?” Joan was moving toward the kitchen.
    â€œWe didn’t. Haven’t gotten that far. Miss Sadie here sort of rearranged our priorities.” Dan patted the dog on the head. It’d take awhile to get