Once Bitten (A Melanie Travis Mystery) Read Online Free PDF

up with you?” I asked as I hopped Faith back onto her table and began gently to pull apart her topknot.
    “Up?” Peg said innocently. “I don’t know what you mean.”
    Davey giggled. “You know what up means, Aunt Peg. It’s the opposite of down.”
    “Down?” She pulled her nephew into her arms and pretended to consider. “Isn’t that the fluffy stuff they take off geese and put inside pillows and comforters? How can that be the opposite of up?”
    Davey howled with laughter. He’s reached an age where puns and word-play are among his favorite things. “There’s a girl in my class whose name is Fluffy. Do you think she’s made of down?”
    “It’s entirely possible,” Peg agreed. Releasing her nephew, she pointed him toward Bertie who was working at the other end of the aisle. “Go see if Bertie has time to join us for lunch, okay?”
    “Okay!” Davey skipped off.
    “I’ll tell you what’s up,” I told Aunt Peg. “You’re entirely too cheerful. You’re beginning to get on my nerves.”
    “And you’re entirely too morose. So Sam left. Guess what? Bad things happen. It’s about time you got over it and moved on. Get a life.”
    “I have a life.”
    “Not one that’s good enough, apparently. For God’s sake, Melanie, it’s been nearly four months and you’re still wandering around like a lost lamb. Sam will come back when he’s ready. In the meantime, I’d like to think that my niece has something better to do than put her whole life on hold and wait for his return.”
    That stung, as it was obviously meant to. Even worse, there might have been the tiniest bit of truth to her words.
    “I haven’t been that bad, have I?”
    “You’ve been worse,” Peg informed me. “I’m trying to soften the blow.”
    Not very hard, apparently.
    “I have to admit, I’ve been worried about you. And so has Frank.”
    “Frank?” My carefree younger brother had never worried about anyone but himself in his whole life.
    “He even asked Bertie to keep an eye on you, maybe get you involved in the plans for their wedding.”
    Wasn’t that just like a man? I thought. Somehow it hadn’t occurred to my brother that the best cure for being dumped by my own fiancé might not be helping out with someone else’s wedding.
    “Wait a minute.” My eyes narrowed. “That’s not what Bertie told me. She told me I was supposed to baby-sit you.”
    Aunt Peg spun around. “Baby-sit me? I’ll have you know I’m entirely capable of taking care of myself.”
    And any other hapless individuals who happened to wander into her sphere of influence.
    “Baby-sit me?” Peg repeated. “We’ll just see about that!”
    Drat, I thought. I knew I shouldn’t have spoken so fast. Double drat.
    If things kept up like this, I was going to have to cultivate a whole new crop of swear words.

4

    “L unch?” Bertie said, coming back down the aisle with Davey. “You must be kidding. I have thirteen dogs to show, and at least two are going on to the groups. The only food I’ll get today is going to be on the fly.”
    “Why didn’t you say so?” I asked. “Faith’s all done and she doesn’t mind hanging out in her crate for a while. Aunt Peg and Davey can go get something to eat and you can put me to work.”
    “You don’t have to do that, Melanie.”
    Despite her words, I could tell Bertie was considering the offer. Fiercely independent, she had built her business over the years through sheer talent and determination. During most of that time, she’d had nobody but herself to depend on.
    Being a professional handler isn’t an easy job for anyone, much less a young woman alone. The days start and finish in the dark, and the work is often arduous. Weekends demand constant travel, driving to out-of-the-way places, often in less-than-ideal weather. And even on a handler’s day off, the dogs must still be cared for.
    Not only that, but the pressure to win, to produce results for your clients, is constant. I knew the