She ducked her chin and glared at him from beneath her brow. “For the record, I do not consider this a satisfactory resolution to this problem. If you hadn’t gotten the law involved, I wouldn’t even consider it. Even if I go to your house and inspect it, Waffle is staying here with my two employees.”
“Okay, fine. My place is about ten miles out one-fifty-eight.”
“Where, pray tell, is that?
Nick couldn’t stop the are-you-stupid expression he felt overtaking his face. “It’s the highway going north out of town. You take one-ninety-one, then turn right on seventeen-eighty-eight. When you get to the four-way stop, turn left on twenty-four twenty-five. My place is on the left side of the highway before you get to one seventy-six going to Andrews. Do you want to follow me? Or would you rather ride with me?”
She returned a sour look. “I am not in the habit of riding into rural areas with men with whom I’m not acquainted.”
She was the most exasperating woman he had ever met. He set his jaw and summoned his patience. “Fine, then. I’m leaving now. If you intend to follow, you’d better get it in gear.”
He plopped his cap onto his head and stamped out of the store.
***
Sandi had no intention of making a ten-mile trip over a bunch of confusing roads with only numbers for names to look at Nick’s house when Waffle was never going to live there. Besides, she could get lost forever in that maze of highways and connections going north. Good grief! She could end up in Wyoming!
The minute Nick cleared the door, she yanked off her apron and turned to her two employees. “Girls, I’m going to be out for the rest of the day and tomorrow. If anyone calls for me, just say you don’t know where I am.”
She was already pressing in the number of Juanita, her animal shelter friend who soon connected with a “Hey, Sandi.”
“Hi, Juanita. How are you today?”
“Busier than that well known cranberry merchant. What’s up?”
“Listen, I have to make an unexpected trip out of town. I’ll be gone overnight. Can you arrange for someone to go to my house and feed the animals tomorrow morning?”
“Sure can. What about tonight?”
“I’ll take care of tonight. I have to run by my house and pick up a few things before I leave, so I might as well feed everyone while I’m there.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll do it myself. It’s the least I can do for somebody who’s as friendly to unfortunate animals as you are.”
“You know where everything is. You know I’ve found a home for Jake, so you won’t have to worry about feeding him. He was the one who took up so much time. Thank you so much, Juanita.”
The minute Sandi disconnected, she looked up and saw Betty Ann’s brow tented with concern. “You aren’t going to look at his house?”
“I am not.”
“But he’s so good-looking.”
“Which has what to do with the price of tea in China? Remember this, Betty Ann. Looks are only skin-deep. Ted Bundy was good-looking, but that doesn’t mean I would want to go visit him.”
“Where are you going now?” Jessica asked, her eyes wide and questioning.
“Waffle and I are going to my aunt’s house in Salt Lick. I’ll be back tomorrow. You girls will have to close the store tonight and open it tomorrow. You have my cell number if you need me.”
They could manage without her until tomorrow. Sandy had confidence in Betty Ann, her go-to employee who had a key to the store.
“Remember, if he calls, you don’t know where I am.”
“But you said Mr. Conway lives in Salt Lick,” Jessica said. “If you’re down there, too, won’t it be easier for him to find you?”
“But he’s not in Salt Lick now. I don’t want him to come back and catch Waffle and me here in Midland. He might go to my house. Even if he goes back to Salt Lick today, he won’t figure out that Waffle and I are there. Besides that, my aunt’s husband is a retired Navy SEAL. He’s six-feet-five and weighs over two hundred pounds. Aunt Ed says he knows three hundred ways to kill you quietly and he liberated Kuwait. We’ll just see if Mr. Nick Conway wants a confrontation with him.”
“Wow,” Betty Ann said.
“Holy cow. I hope no one gets hurt.” Jessica bit down on her lower lip.
Sandi rushed home. Adolph barked and stalked around as she gathered Waffle’s bed and a couple of his toys. Then she picked up Pablo and Adolph’s beds and toys. She put the two miniature dogs into the oversize pet carrier and was on her way to Salt Lick.
Chapter 13
Sandi arrived in Salt Lick soon after noon. The Styling Station was closed, but circling the block, she saw Edwina’s blue classic Mustang and Debbie Sue’s red pickup in the back parking lot. She parked beside it, picked Pablo and Adolph’s carrier off the passenger seat and set it on the ground, then let Waffle out of the SUV’s backseat. After they all did their business, she picked up Pablo and Adolph’s carrying case and walked around the building to the front door. Waffle followed like the well-trained dog that he was.
She tapped lightly on the front door. “Aunt Ed? Debbie Sue?”
“We’re closed. Who’s there?”
She recognized her aunt’s voice. “It’s me, Sandi. Can I come in?”
The door swung open. “Well, great day in the morning. Where did you come from?”
“Why are you closed?”
“Mondays are light days. Sometimes we just close and catch up. What are you doing all the way down here today, girl?”
“Oh, I just thought I’d visit Jake.”
“On a Monday? Who’s taking care of your store?”
“My two employees are there. I’ll bet you don’t want my
