Murder Strikes a Pose Read Online Free PDF Page B

biggest regret is what my drinking did to my family. My
    wife finally gave up and divorced me, not that I blame her. I wasn’t exactly a good husband. I got drunk every night and disappeared
    for days at a time. She gave me plenty of chances to go into rehab, and I said no to every one of them. Last I heard, she had remarried and moved to Denver. I haven’t spoken to my daughter in years.”
    As his voice trailed off, I sensed an opportunity. Maybe alco-
    holism and homelessness didn’t have to be the end of his story.
    “What about now? Have you considered getting help? Your
    wife may have moved on, but I’m sure your daughter would love
    to see you again. It’s not too late, you know.”
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    He sighed. “I keep thinking that one day I’ll get my act together.
    But honestly, for now this life suits me. I sort of like disappearing into the woodwork. Nobody’s counting on me, except Miss Bella
    here.” He patted her affectionately. “No rent to pay, no employees’
    lives to ruin. Heck, I even get to meet nice people like you occasionally.” I smiled. People didn’t call me nice every day.
    “Besides, I can’t possibly go into rehab now. What would hap-
    pen to Bella? I may not be much, but I’m all she’s got.” Bella stared steadily at him, drooling and hoping for one last morsel. He ran
    his hand down her side. “I’m getting worried about her, though.
    Does she look skinnier to you?”
    I looked more closely; she did look thinner. Bella had been skinny the first day I saw her, but not like this. Her ribs clearly showed, and her formerly shiny black fur appeared dull and
    brown. Even her eyes seemed sadder, more desperate somehow.
    “Now that you mention it, yes,” I replied. “If you’re having
    trouble affording food, I can always help out a little.” I had my own financial worries, but an extra ten or twenty dollars a month wouldn’t break me.
    “Well, you know I never look a gift anything in the mouth, so if
    you want to buy us some dog food, I sure as heck won’t stop you.
    But she’s not underfed, believe you me. She eats better than I do.”
    He touched his nose to Bella’s and cooed. “I feed you lots, don’t I, Missy Girl?”
    He turned back to me. “But she’s always ravenous and she’s
    getting grumpier, too. She never liked other dogs much, but she
    only used to bark when they got in her face. Now she goes after
    them even when they’re clear across the street. And she keeps getting skinnier and skinnier. At first I thought she was having an-
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    other growing spurt, but this seems different. I even caught her
    eating dirt yesterday.”
    “Wait a minute. You mean she’s not done growing yet?” That
    wasn’t the most relevant comment I could make, but I couldn’t
    help but be dumbfounded. The Bella-beast was already ridicu-
    lously large.
    George smiled with obvious pride. “She’s a big one, isn’t she? A
    vet told me once that she’d be 100 pounds by the time she stopped growing. I think she could top that. She’s got at least six months’
    growth left in her. I’ll bet she hits 110. She’s a purebred shepherd, but some days, I swear she’s part malamute.”
    More like part horse .
    “And she’s a smart one, too,” he continued. “It only took me
    twenty minutes to teach her to ‘say hello.’” Bella looked up expectantly at the familiar command. “But I am worried about her, and people have started to harass me about her weight. They assume
    I’m intentionally starving her or that I can’t afford to feed her. A couple have even threatened to turn me into the Humane Society.”
    He scowled, clearly offended. “As if I’d ever hurt Bella!”
    “Anything I can do to help?”
    “Thanks, but I don’t think so. I’m taking her to the free vet
    clinic by Southcenter next weekend. Hopefully they’ll figure out
    what’s going on.”
    “Next weekend?” From what George described, I was afraid
    Bella might not make it that long.
    “I’d like to take