There are days when my job puts me in an awkward position. Physically, this happens quite frequently. I have to crawl under houses to talk to terrified raccoons or go out on a limb– literally– to untangle a fishing line from nesting egret’s leg.
But worse, is when I’m forced into awkward social positions– like the one was currently facing.
“Of course it was Ziggy, who else could have done it?” my client, Mr. King, asked.
Feigning thoughtfulness, I looked down at my feet, then cast a glance at the kid sitting at the kitchen peninsula. The boy was around ten and was ignoring the conversation I was having with his dad. Or at least pretending to. He swung his feet, thumping the toe of his tennis shoe against the wood cabinet base in an incessant rhythm, thump-thump-thump, as he deftly navigated both a smart phone and the inside of his nose.
“Well…” I began, then stopped myself.
I knew who the guilty party was– Ziggy had told me. The fact that Ziggy was a boxer and currently accused of the crime was the problem.
You see, I can, and do, communicate with animals. My telepathic ability– and the fact that I keep it a secret– is why I’m so good at my job. I’m very good at talking to animals. People? Not so much.
“The front yard is fenced,” Mr. King went on. “We keep the gate locked. There’s no way another dog could have gotten in.”
“Probably not,” I agreed.
The kid paused for a moment to regard the tip of his finger then– looking directly at me– wiped whatever he’d mined from his nasal cavity under the seat of the stool.
Nice.
The boy started up with the kicking again.
Thump- thump- thump.
I looked at the accused. Ziggy, like his owner and the kid, was a few pounds north of a healthy weight. The dog sat next to the bar stool looking up at the boy with a goofy, doggy smile.
Loyal as the day was long. Ziggy had no idea the kid was throwing him under the bus.
I couldn’t tell my client the truth– that his bratty kid had been the one to tear a hole in his wife’s giant, inflatable Easter Bunny yard ornament. Though that was exactly what had happened.
Offering solutions to an animal’s problem behavior is my job. What was I supposed to do when the problem behavior didn’t belong to the animal?
“You know what, Mr. King,” I said as a flash of inspiration struck. “I think this is a case of a dog with a little too much energy. Your son here looks like a nice, strong young man. I think I have a solution.”
I suggested the boy walk Ziggy twice a day in addition to the dog being allowed constant access through the doggie door to the yard.
The kid stopped the rhinotillexis and stared at me.
“If we let him out, he’ll do it again, won’t he?” Mr. King asked.
I angled my head and looked at Ziggy, then up at the kid. “If he does, he’ll have to be taken on longer walks until his behavior improves.”
The boy’s eyes went wide. My psychic ability doesn’t work on people. I couldn’t flood the kid’s mind with calm guidance or even compel him with a dose of because-I-said-so alpha energy, but I’d made my point.
Now, I just had a couple of crazy house cats to chat with and a paranoid parrot to council and I could call it a day!
You can read more about Grace in A Tiger’s Tale, the second book in the “Call of the Wilde” mystery series, published by Berkley Prime Crime. The first book in the series is Woof at the Door. Books are available at retail and online booksellers.
GIVEAWAY
Comment on this post by 6 p.m. EST on June 4, and you will be entered for a chance to win a copy of A TIGER’S TALE. One winner will be chosen at random. Unless specified, U.S. entries only.
Meet the author
Spending the first years of her life on a Costa Rican coffee farm blessed Laura Morrigan with a fertile imagination and a love for all things wild.
Later she became a volunteer at a local zoo, helping out with everything from “waste management” to teaching an elephant how to paint. Drawing from her years of experience with both wild and domestic animals and her passion for detective novels, Laura created the Call of the Wilde series. She lives in Florida with her husband and far too many cats, loves the Blue Angels, wearing flip flops in November, and thunderstorms.
Follow dru’s book musing on Facebook for book giveaways, contests, posting about discounted books and some of my reading musings.
Great solution…this is going to be a great series!
This sounds really interesting! Thank you for the giveaway!
Wow, the author was teaching an elephant to paint…amazing and rewarding 🙂 Thank you for the chance!
It was easy, Lisa- she was an artistic pachyderm.
I enjoyed the first book in the series. This one sounds even better.
New to me author and series, sounds good !
Eager to read this cozy. Thank you for the chance.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
What a great premise for a series. I always love the books that feature animals!
I love the cover of this book with the wolf and the cats. This sounds like a good book
I live the cover, too! So excited when my editor showed it to me.
This is new to me and would love to read it. The cover is beautiful with the wolf
Intriguing excerpt…can’t wait to read it.
Very interesting. Looks like a good and different series to start.
This gave me a good laugh! I worked in an elementary school for four years and this brought back many a conversation I had had with a student who had done something naughty.
Sounds like a fun series.
Our pets do speak to us. We have to learn how to listen.
Thanks for having me, Dru Ann!
Good Luck everyone. 🙂
This sounds like too much fun, I’m adding this to my tbr list now. Thanks for the chance to win!
I just cannot believe how I have not heard of this series with my love for animals, and having had cats that have always “spoken” to me. OMGosh I am looking forward to reading this book, whether I win it or not, I am going to get book one ordered today. Thank you once again for letting the readers know about another great series, Dru.
Back to getting my feet up and finishing Murder at the Breakers. Loving that book as it isn’t often we get to see a sleuth performing her investigations in 1895 and doing such a fine job of it too without the aid of a cellphone, computers, cameras, etc. 🙂
Take care,
Cynthia
Like the commenter before me, I can’t believe I wasn’t aware of this series. I am a huge animal lover! I am going to see if I can get the Kindle version of the first book in the series right now. Thanks for the chance to win.
Of all thlngs, I would seriously like to have the ability to communicate with animals. What an enrichment it would be to one’s life. Please enter me into your book drawing.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Sigh another new series to start. I am a sucker for animal cozies. Looks like fun.
Enjoyed the first and looking forward to this one! Thanks for the post & giveaway!
I absolutely love this! I would love to win — thanks for the opportunity!
This sounds like my kind of book! I’m heading over to buy Woof at the Door right now. Can’t wait to read it! I’ll refrain from buying A Tiger’s Tale in case I win 😉
Sounds like a great new series.
I can relate to the author’s wanting to wear flip-flops in November. I hate to give sandals up in the fall. An amateur sleuth who can communicate that well with animals will make great reading.
This looks like a lot of fun.
kaye.killgore@comcast.net
I have heard a lot about this book. It just sounds like a great read. Thanks for this chance to win it.
I am a huge animal lover, and I LOVE this series!! Thank y’all for the opportunity to win! 🙂
What a brilliant solution! Well done!
You had me at “Ziggy.” Not a pet but a childhood discount store I frequented. Such memories. 🙂
Would love to have a chance at this book!
I can’t wait to read this book!!
This is a good book and I really enjoyed it. I am a big animal lover would love to be able to do what Grace is able to do.
Thanks, Lorraine!
Looking forward to reading.
I’ve heard so many wonderful things about thise series. I can’t wait to read it.
Grace’s solution is sheer genius! Would love to read the rest of her story (which is sure to be as clever).
Thanks Laura for introducing us to Grace.
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