Page 22 of Death on Gallows Path

The trainer said, “She has an X. As you pointed out, they usually start. Donna?”

She nodded, but it wasn’t in response to Leo. It was directed at her granddaughter to take Bernie.

The girl made a face. Everyone could see that, but I’d guess no one farther away than me heard her say to Donna, “You do it. It’s complicated and I’m awful with him.”

Donna raised one commanding eyebrow.

With a gusty groan, the girl gave in, as everyone at the dog park did to that eyebrow.

She took the leash and released Bernie from his place on the bed. He bounced up with full puppy enthusiasm, turning toward Gracie and LuLu with such delight you could see the thought bubble Finally! Fun!

Gracie and LuLu tensed, poised to respond in kind. Clara and I each raised a hand with the stay command. Neither dog relaxed, but neither leapt up, either.

We take our victories where we find them.

“Bernie. With me.”

He ignored Layla.

“Make yourself more exciting than his temptation to ignore you,” the trainer said. “Try high-pitched, lots of excitement.”

“C’mon, Bernie! Let’s go!”

She was too self-conscious to go full falsetto, but Bernie’s puppy-sized attention snapped around to her.

Both of them trotted toward the grid.

At the edge, Layla paused, waiting until Leo nodded to indicate he was timing them.

She stepped forward, tugging at Bernie’s leash, then said with enthusiasm, “Bernie, sit.”

He looked around, perhaps checking if there was another Bernie she might be talking to, and, seeing that she was looking at him, wriggled with pleasure.

Then an expression came into his eyes that reminded me of what I felt like when I was absorbed in writing and wandered into a room only to wonder why I’d gone there. It was that I know there’s something I meant to do, but what was it? feeling.

Then, unlike me, his expression shifted to Oh, yeah, I remember.

He sat.

“Just in time,” Leo said with pleasure.

Layla gave a little hop. “Yes!” Her high pitch came naturally, and Bernie’s wriggle intensified.

Damon Swindell said, “He’s over the edge.”

From what I could see, Bernie’s butt was within the central square, though his fluff did overflow the edges.

“That works. Some dogs fit better than others. Besides, Bernie’s young. It was a good sit.” Leo focused on Layla. “Good job. Get Bernie back to his place.”

Even with the praise, the girl’s bounce wasn’t as pronounced. Bernie’s, however, was unimpeded.

As the girl and dog left the grid and started across the open area, Damon Swindell growled, “So, he sat. Big deal. It doesn’t help, because it was stupid to take the center square. Doesn’t take an expert—” Disdain dripped off the word. “—to know that. Now we’re going to lose. Don’t you know you’re supposed to play a corner?”

Layla slowed and looked over her shoulder at him. “I thought—”

“You’d take the hardest one first,” Leo inserted. “Good for you. Good for Bernie.”

He quickly called up the gray-haired man and his little black dog, who had an O card. Despite continued muttering emanating from the two guys from the Gang of Four, man and dog — Oscar and Quasar, according to what Donna told us earlier today — performed admirably, claiming one corner.