Poodle Springs Eternal
Introduction...
The last bullet missed, just like all the others had. From your point of view, you'd think that's a foregone conclusion. Or would be, once I got to that point. But there are plenty of things you don't know... yet.
...
I've never been much of a dog person. Generally, dogs are boss or be bossed. It gets to be too much like working. Cats, now, that's more like being part of a loose group of performance artists, each one convinced of having the lead role- but that's another story.
So it could be taken as funny that for a short time, I was one of the world's highest-paid dog sitters. Not a bad job to land, with no previous experience along those lines, and when you're stony broke. It was a tougher job to keep.
Given what I've become, the usual way these stories would start would be with a visitor to my office. But this was before all that. At the time, I had a home, a phone, and the looming prospect of having neither in pretty short order.
It was five AM when the phone rang. I was up anyway. I didn't recognize the number, or even the area code, so I answered. That came as a surprise to the person on the other end after a moment when he realized he wasn't talking to voicemail.
"Wait a minute, you're going to have to slow down..."
"Oh." There was a pause. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" If he was sorry, he wasn't very good at being sincere.
"That's a given hazard of calling people at five in the morning. But no, you didn't- but slow down, anyway."
The voice sounded like a thin, older, fussy man. Educated. Prissy. Later, I'd see just how well the voice fit the person.
"Well, as I was saying, I heard of the recent... unpleasantness... at your former place of employment."
"Most people that would be interested have by now. What I have to say is already on the record."
A trace of annoyance crept into the voice. "That's not why I'm calling. It just stood to reason that you would be at loose ends, and my employer is in need of someone with your... qualifications right now."
The annoyance was mutual. "My 'qualifications'? Other than a hard head, and a low tolerance for cheating, I'm not entirely sure what those would be at the moment. Now, if..."
"You seem in a hurry to end this call. Do you have a better offer? Do you have any offer?"
That almost ended the call. But for whatever reason, I stopped and thought a moment. A long moment.
"I can't say what would be a better offer. You haven't said what you or your employer are offering."
"You'll have to meet him first. If I provide a ticket, and pay for your time, can you be in Boston tomorrow?"
"Make the ticket round trip." I named my price. Per day, no fractions. It's a reasonable price, if you can pay it. He could.
And that's how my life as a detective began, although I had to be a dog sitter, first.
...to be continued...?
