Christa Nardi [Nardi - Dogs and More Dogs, Another Murder

T he holiday decorations were packed away, the house no longer festive. Id procrastinated much longer than any other year and now even New Years was a memory. Married to State Police Detective Brett McMann and stepmom to his teenaged daughter, Maddie, about six months now. I was sad to put our first Christmas as a family behind us. Still, I was truly relieved the hustle and bustle was over. Juggling two families had been stressful, though time with my parents and sibs, Kaylie and Kevin, was good. Drinking my never empty coffee, I relished the quiet and uncluttered living area.

Sheridan, can I go skating with Nedra and Willie? Miss Melina is taking us.

Is your room clean? And what time will you be home? Melina and I both volunteered at the local dog shelter, and her daughter, Nedra, was in Maddies eighth grade class. Little did Maddie know, Melina had texted me already about taking them skating. She knew I was volunteering at Pets and Paws today and this would give Maddie something to do. Winter break is great for a few days and then it gets old.

Yes, my room is clean. Ill be home before dinner.

Okay. Lets make sure you have everything and youre ready when they get here to pick you up.

I followed her to her room, our two dogs, Charlie and Bella padding behind us. Sometimes Maddies teen version of a clean room and mine didnt quite look the same. At least on the surface, this time we were on the same page. Even Bellas toys were all assembled in her bed.

Heavy socks, so you dont get blisters? Extra layers or a coat? It can get cold out there with the wind. The weather had been pretty mild for Virginia in January so far, with only a few nights of frost, and mostly in the 40s.

The eighth grader made a face. Jeesh, Im not a child. Besides extra layers make me look fat.

But youll be warm. What about the thermals? Theyre thin and help retain heat and then you might get by without a jacket.

Okay. Okay. Can you get my skates?

On it. Skates, gloves, scarf and hat coming up. I ignored her eye roll and gathered everything together as Melina pulled up.

Hurry up. Theyre here. She bustled out of the room, grabbed everything and was out the door. I waved to Melina from the door.

Only a few more days and Maddie would be back at school and Id be back to work at Millicent College teaching on Wednesdays and Fridays. I finished my coffee and cleaned up. After letting Charlie and Bella out, I headed for Pets and Paws.

Smiling, I remembered the way Mrs. Chantilly had all the dogs decked out in bells, bows, and bowties before Christmas. Pets and Paws was in an old colonial home. Mrs. Chantilly lived upstairs and the dogs were downstairs. With Lukes help, shed decorated the house, inside and out. Shed always reminded me of Mrs. Claus and for two weeks she dressed the part and bounced around with abundant enthusiasm. More than one of the dogs managed to destroy her holiday trappings around the place from time to time, but she took it in stride.

The house was on the news and people came from all over to view it. Shed go out and invite them in to see the rest of the decorations and the dogs. Not unintentionally, by any means, she managed to get many dogs adopted.

I chuckled to myself, recalling when shed tried singing traditional holiday songs. Unlike me, she had a beautiful voice. The problem was with some of the dogs. They tried to sing, only the howling was not quite in tune. Sure enough, as I pulled up in front of the house I noticed the decorations were gone from Pets and Paws now, too.

Luke was moving boxes and grunted hello as I arrived. A high school student with some bad habits, like the stray and rescue dogs Mrs. Chantilly collected, Luke was a restoration project. His legal issues led to his volunteering at Pets and Paws. When he first started his community service there, he scowled a lot and made me nervous. He was still an entitled beachboy type.

Hed made some attitude adjustments in the past few months and I was glad to see it. I still didnt quite trust him despite Mrs. Chantilly always singing his praises. She met me at the door, grandmotherly, only without the Mrs. Claus attire. I also noted the bounce in her step was gone. Even though she had to be in her sixties, she always seemed to have energy and a happy face.

Isnt this weather just delightful? Sunny, not too, too cold. I heard its going to freeze tonight and maybe snow. Those abandoned dogs wouldnt survive if that happened.

Now used to her manner of speech, I simply asked, What abandoned dogs?

Over at the Stoneham place of course, near Blake Buchanans. Have you ever been to his home? It is beautiful. A mansion fit for a king. His wife, Ava, studied interior decorating you know.

No, I didnt know. Did they find dogs at the Stonehams?

Thats what I said. Nobody ever bothered the Stonehams for many years. Older couple and all, their children grown and gone, they kept to themselves. Justine and Herman didnt live there when I was growing up here. Someone else did though. Never knew who they were.

Mrs. Dora Chantilly had left Clover Hill after high school and shed only returned when her grandmother died and left her the house, now Clover Hill Pets and Paws. Her grandmother had taken in strays and the place was a mess. I was about to ask again about the dogs, and an SUV pulled up.

Here they are with more of the dogs. Poor things. Luke and I already fed and bathed the first group Blake brought over. Im sure glad youre here to help.

I followed her as she hurried to the car and greeted Blake Buchanan, former mayor of Clover Hill. He took her in his arms and then seemed to realize I was there. He and Mrs. Chantilly had been an item in high school and they renewed their friendship when she returned.

Dora, we uncovered a mama and pups. He shook his head. One of them didnt make it. Dane mix. Wheres Luke? Even malnourished, itll take two of us to get her and her pups inside. Mrs. Chantilly rushed to open the door and see to the animals.

Mr. Buchanan, can you fill me in? Mrs. Chantilly hasnt had a chance yet.

He smiled and his eyes twinkled. We both understood that sometimes she was a bit hard to follow. Almost like putting a puzzle together. Me, I prefer things to be in order when someone is telling me a story.