But Meryl pulled away, her attention riveted on Milt. “Never mind that. Introduce me to your cowboy friend.”
Jessie made the introductions and stood back to watch two hopeless flirts in action, knowing full well it was all in good fun. Milt had his beautiful younger wife, Catherine, at home, and Meryl was as happily married as they came, complete with four kids. But that never stopped either of them from enjoying the game.
“Why, Jessie, if I’d ’ve known you had such a pretty thing working with you, I’d ’ve come to visit you at that animal hospital of yours instead of going to my own doctor for my last physical.”
Meryl cocked an eyebrow at him. “Mr. Dodd, are you implying you’re an animal?”
“Yes, ma’am. With the right woman, that is. And I have to say, you look like my kinda woman, all right.”
Meryl let loose a peal of laughter. “I do love sweet talking cowboys.”
“He’s no cowboy,” Jessie corrected. “He’s a blacksmith.”
Meryl seated herself on the edge of the desk and leaned languidly toward Milt. “Close enough.”
“All right already.” Jessie made the hand signal for a time out. “Cool it before I have to dump a bucket of water on you two. Meryl, why are you here?”
She snapped out of flirtation mode and glowered at Jessie. “I want to know when you’re coming back. Carrying your load is killing me. I haven’t gotten home for dinner all week.”
Jessie was about to tell her about the sixteen-hour days at the track, but Milt cut in. “Darlin’, you’re gonna have to get used to it, ’cause Jessie here’s taking over Doc’s practice permanently.”
Meryl jumped to her feet. “What?”
“No, no, no. I am not.”
“Then what’s he talking about?”
“It’s all over the backside,” Milt said, as if Jessie was the only person who didn’t know. “Daniel Shumway asked her to take over Doc’s practice.”
“I turned him down.”
“That’s not how I understand it.”
“Then you understand wrong.”
“Whatever you say.” Milt gave Jessie an ornery grin and headed for the door. “Now if you ladies’ll excuse me, I have a horse to shoe.”
“Wait,” Jessie called after him. “I need to know about Sherry Malone.”
“Who the hell is Sherry Malone?” Meryl demanded.
Milt paused, his hand on the doorknob. “I told you Sherry won’t want to work for you.”
Meryl gave Jessie a searing look that should have caused her to spontaneously combust.
“I don’t want to talk to Sherry about a job.” Jessie aimed her words at Meryl as much as Milt. “I want to talk to her about Doc.”
Meryl folded her arms. “What about Doc?”
Exasperated, Jessie flopped onto the battered sofa. “I promised Amelia I’d find out what happened last Sunday night. She wants to know why he died. So do I.”
The fire went out of Meryl. “Anything I can do to help?”
“I don’t think so.” Jessie looked at Milt. “But you might. Any idea where I can find Sherry?”
“What do you expect to find out from her?”
“I have questions, that’s all.”
He rubbed his chin. “If I was to venture a guess, I’d say check Neil Emerick’s barn.”
“Neil Emerick?”
“And don’t be expecting a warm welcome. Sherry’s a little...well...let’s say she’s rough around the edges.”
“Thanks for the warning.” Jessie didn’t mention Neil Emerick wasn’t exactly the president of her fan club either.
“I’m outta here.” Milt tipped his hat to Meryl. “I sure hope I’ll be seeing more of you now that your former partner will be working here.”
Meryl grabbed a stapler from the desk and winged it at him. It slammed into the door as Milt closed it behind him. “That man is a troublemaker.”
Jessie laughed. “Yes, he is.”
Meryl fixed Jessie with what she’d come to refer to as The Mom Look. “Out with it. What’s this about Daniel asking you to work here?”
“That much is true. He did ask.”
“And?”
Jessie hesitated.
“Oh, my God. You’re really considering it.”
“No.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Considering isn’t the same as accepting.”
“It better not be. I have no intention of being the sole owner of Cameron Veterinary Hospital. Cameron. That’s you.”
“I know. I have no intention of accepting the offer.”
“But Daniel Shumway?” Meryl made a pained face. “He’s got certain powers of persuasion. Like those blue eyes. And those dimples.” She sighed dramatically.
Jessie thought of the brunette who’d reluctantly left them to talk business at the track last night. “Those powers are deeply diminished by his drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend, huh? Well, that’s good. If you don’t get back to your hospital asap, I’m going to start killing people.”
“Who’s on your hit list now?”
“That damned ditzy receptionist you hired.”
“Vanessa? She’s sweet. The animals adore her. So do the clients.”
Meryl thought about it. “She does have an incredible memory for clients’ names and phone numbers. It’s like she’s some idiot savant. But something’s gotten into her. She’s been late for work three times in the last week.”
Jessie grinned and elbowed her friend. “Are you sure you aren’t just being tyrannical?”
“Tyrannical my ass. I don’t mean she’s been five or ten minutes late. We’re talking two or three hours.” Meryl shook her head. “I’m telling you, Jessie, I’m not the diplomat. You are. And if you don’t get back soon, I’m going to kick her butt all the way to Pittsburgh.”
“I’ll be back. I promise.”
“Good. I’m counting the days. Ten, including today.”
Jessie squirmed. “About that...”
Meryl cocked her head. “Oh, don’t tell me.”
“I may not have accepted Daniel’s offer, but I did tell him I’d stay until he finds another vet.”
“Jessie,” Meryl growled. “You realize he isn’t going to try very hard.”
“I’ll help him look.” In an attempt to placate her partner, Jessie added, “You can too.”
With the same growl, Meryl said, “You bet I will.”
“And don’t fire Vanessa.”
“I won’t fire her. I may kill her.”
“Call me if you need bail money.”
A wicked smile crossed Meryl’s face. “Maybe Greg could pull some strings and get me off.”
“A murder charge isn’t like a parking ticket. Besides, I don’t have the same influence with him that I used to.”
“True. But he’s divorcing you. He still likes me.”
As usual, Meryl was
