It can be pleasant in an old, homey sort of way. My great aunt's house had been like that before it'd burned down. I missed it every day.
"Two sugars and some fresh milk off that little goat farm." He offered out a pink cup that looked as if it'd fallen directly out of a Tupperware catalog.
I took it with a nod of thanks, blew on it, and sipped. The coffee was surprisingly clean and refreshing. I'd expected something... less so.
"Now like I was sayin’, Louise wanted to shoot this pup. Said she figured it was diseased or infested, that it'd go and make old Henry sick by keepin’ it around. But I just couldn't let her do that," he said, fixing his own coffee as he spoke.
"That was kind of you," I offered around my cup, wishing I could just go see the pup and leave. Louise Jenner wasn't wrong; if the pup had distemper or another easily spread disease, I needed to get on it.
He shook his head. "I had me a raccoon when I was a kid. Tore the shit outta me until we made friends. I figure this pup's just the same. He don't know we don't mean no harm. Probably ain't never had a friend in his whole life."
It was becoming more and more likely they'd caught some coyote and I was going to be stuck rehabbing it. Worse, if it was a fox, I'd have to put it down myself. There was a rabies warning in effect for the species within the county, with one too many showing up on farmers' properties as of late.
Still, I swallowed down my coffee as quickly as it would go. When I was done, I toyed with the handle of my cup. "If we could see the pup, sir. That would be best. I have other calls to get to."
He frowned at me and grunted, pulling himself out of his chair and nearly losing his jeans; which were at least a few sizes too large for him. As I said, I understood poverty and I wasn't going to judge him. But I did make a mental note to gift him a nice belt from the trade day sale in the very near future.
Mr. Jenner led me outside and around the back. I couldn't help but keep one eye behind me, as if Mrs. Jenner was going to show up and shoot me. It was stupid. If she'd run off to her mother's, she really wouldn't be back until she'd cooled down. Our neighborhood was well separated from each other, but the Jenner household fights were legendary.
The live trap was a well-oiled, well cared for device. It made me feel guilty for leaving two of mine in the rain for the past week, attempting to capture a weasel that kept trying to eat my chickens. I was sure my springs were rusting while I stared at the pup within the bars.
Small, pointed ears led into a face that was entirely too intelligent. His tiny, black eyes stared back into mine and I felt as though I was looking into a deep, thoughtful pit of knowledge that identified me as a potential threat. I stayed back from the white and black pup even as I pulled out my cell phone to get a picture. It was amazing what a post on social media could do to help someone locate their lost dog.
...Assuming the pup was lost to begin with. I got the feeling that he was well aware of what he'd done, where he was, and perhaps even how to escape his current confines.
"You want me to take him with me?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
Mr. Jenner chuckled. "Unless you're willing to overturn those laws of yours."
"They aren't my laws, but no. I don't want him put down. If he's sick, we'll do it at the vet," I said, reaching for the cage.
Inside, the pup twisted around in a knot and hunkered. His ears lay flat and he gave me a look that said he had no interest in becoming my pal. I didn't bother him, instead wiggling out of my jacket and draping it over the cage. My teeth chattered. "I'll bring it back for you once we know something about him. All right?"
"Sounds good enough t'me. You just watch yourself and don't let him bite you. He's a rascal."
Without answering, I headed back to the car. The pup got the back seat. I kept a tarp back there just in case I picked up something wild and unassociated with the comforts of modern life. There were a lot of cases like that, especially in the winter, and I liked to be prepared when I could. Thankfully, this was one of those time. I wrapped the seatbelt around the cage, clicked it into place, then headed for the driver's seat.
The drive home was absolutely silent and my dread grew. Few wild animals would remain quiet in that pup's situation. It made sense for him to be sick. Most parents wouldn't just abandon their pup in the wild. I looked in the rearview mirror. "Pretty quiet, aren't you, little fella?"
A kind voice could bring around most animals. Instead, I heard a grunt and a squirm as he flopped around in the trap. That was a bit more promising. He should be trying to stay away from me, but I'd have expected more fight in him.
I hoped that he was just incredibly cold or hungry and not something worse than that.
Upon getting home, I unstrapped him and carried him into my house. "Bosco, Carrie Ann, Matilda, I'm home!"
But there was no response. Only three dogs had gotten the honor of running around loose when I wasn't in the house. The rest
