Page 28 of Shallow Remains

Rufus ignored her, too, now at the side of the fence to their left, nose stuck through a hole in the fence while he stared through two others cut above it for his eyes. His tail wagged so fast it was a blur.

Maddy laughed. That was so cute. “Spy holes?”

“I know, but he was trashing the grass and was frustrated at not being able to see what’s on the other side, so I had Tripp cut them in a few spots so he could keep watch without destroying the fence.”

“It’s adorable.” She pulled out her phone to record some video of it. She sent it to Blaine, Xanthe…and Lachlan too. Easily pictured the smile on his face when he saw it.

Her heart flip-flopped. She couldn’t wait to see how he responded.

“I was telling her how you and Bronwyn helped me paint the chairs,” Willow said to Mae.

“I just slapped a base coat of paint on them and then supervised you two. By the way, where is Bronwyn?”

“She went up to the winery for a tour so she can pick out a bottle or two for our paint night. Are you coming?”

“Oh. I checked my calendar, and it turns out I’m already booked.”

Willow looked surprised. “More house guests?”

“Yes.”

“Well, if you change your mind, you know you’re always welcome.”

Maddy went back to studying the chairs as Rufus started barking again. They were incredible works of art. “When you said you painted, I didn’t realize you could do this. Now I’m intimidated.”

“Don’t be! You’ll be fantastic, I know it. And anyway, it’s just for fun.”

“I could use a little more of that.”

“Couldn’t we all,” Mae murmured, patting her back. “All right, Rufus, that’s enough neighborhood watch. Rufus!”

Rufus hear Old Lady call him but ignored her. Rufus busy looking through his peeper holes.

Rufus go stiff when he saw someone go behind her house. Strange Man, too far away for Rufus’s peepers. Dis bad.

Old Lady and Nice Lady didn’t see. Too busy talking to Small Lady. So he borked.

And borked and borked. Had to make them listen.

“Rufus, that’s enough,” Nice Lady called in the voice that said Rufus being bad.

Rufus borked harder. Hey, Old Lady! Strange Man at your house! Look!

“Quiet, Rufus!” Old Lady said.

He borked twice more. Stuck his sniffer back out the snoot hole and looked with his peepers through the peeper holes at Old Lady’s house. Rufus not see anyone now, but he knew Strange Man still there.

“Rufus, come here,” Old Lady called. “I brought you a treat.”

Rufus whipped around and put his soundflaps up. Treat? Rufus loves treats!

Treats better than looking for Strange Man through his peeper holes.

FOURTEEN

Maddy didn’t know much about dogs, but whatever Rufus had spotted through the fence had sure captured his attention because he seemed hesitant to leave the fence.

“Come on,” Mae coaxed him.