Once Upon a Pet Show (A Redpoint One Romance) (10 page)

Oh great. When did he start thinking like
that? Not good.

And yet, he still continued on his way, unable
to stop himself.

He slipped out of the narrow aisle next to her
enclosure. The public aisle on the other side was still full, but
there was an empty area around a small group with Vallory in the
center.

She held a daubpup, the one that was the color
of an old-fashioned penny. Wasn't that the name of the creature, as
well? He couldn't remember. She'd talked to several of the animals
the last time.

"Just what are you trying to say, Mr. Pyman?"
Vallory challenged.

And challenged beautifully. Pale skin with
spots of red on her cheeks. Leaning forward with her shoulders,
feet planted firmly, placed under her shoulders as if ready to
fight or dodge either direction. He had a feeling she would have
had her fists on her hips if she wasn't carrying Penny.

"Now, now. We don't need to do this here," Ms.
Mishley said, standing to the side. The woman looked like a regular
exhibitor, with a nice gray suit against which her pets would
display well, complete with a conservative skirt and flat
shoes.

Then there was Vallory. She really didn't look
like any of the other exhibitors. Not with her long flaring skirts,
salmon-colored shirt with a dainty golden crocheted over-shirt. And
yet, it fit her well. He tried to imagine her in a gray or
dark-blue suit and failed utterly.

"What am I saying?" Mr. Pyman's voice raised a
tick. "That every time another pet enclosure is found empty, here
you come a few minutes later."

Other exhibitors loosely ringing the smaller
inner group murmured agreement. Obviously, other's had
noticed.

"I have meetings," Vallory said, her voice
rising to meet his. The daubpup in her arms squirmed, as if wanting
to escape the conflict. Damien didn't blame it.

"Has another pet gone missing?" Damien asked,
leaning against the edge of her enclosure. He purposely kept his
voice calm.

Mr. Pyman glared at him for only a brief
moment before returning his full attention to Vallory. "One last
night, one this morning, and now another just before the show ends
for the day. And every time, here she comes, trailing after." Mr.
Pyman's ample chin jutted forward, jiggling the second chin under
it. "Coming back to see how everyone reacts to your
handiwork?"

Vallory's sharp intake of breath was short and
small, but easily heard in the sudden silence around them. Her skin
went even more pale. The daubpup in her arms let out a squeek, and
he saw her forcing herself to loosen her grip.

"You're accusing me of being the thief?"
Vallory's asked, the words shaky. With more control, and her anger
rising again, she nearly shouted, "I am not a thief!"

"I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion
at this point. From what I understand, the investigation is still
ongoing," Damien said before she could say anything
more.

Mr. Pyman gestured angrily at her. "I just
told you why! Who else could it be?"

"Plenty of people. Security created a special
team to look into it," Damien said. He pushed off the corner of the
enclosure and also gestured towards Vallory, but specifically
towards Penny. "To me, it looks like she had an escapee
today?"

She nodded at his question, hugging Penny
tighter. "This is my group's escape artist."

"Simple explanation," Damien said.

"Yes, yes," Ms. Mishley said, wringing her
hands together as she looked between the two nervously. "I have an
escape artist myself."

Some of the others didn't look so convinced.
The situation needed diffusing and fast. This wasn't an argument to
have in the open with visitors all around them. He should probably
get Security over here to break it up. In fact, they should have
already noticed. What was wrong with Security this year? No wonder
pets were disappearing if this was their response time.

He froze. Something was pulling at his pant
let. Another of her pets escaped?

Only, it wasn't one of the other pets. This
one was so much smaller. A baby? He didn't remember a baby from the
day before.

"Simple? This is the third time!" Mr. Pyman
shouted.

But, the doubt had been put into the crowd
around them. Two left while two others started talking to each
other, nodding their heads.

"I am not a thief," Vallory shouted back. "I
was looking for Penny."

Well, at least he'd remembered the daubpup's
name right. "Uh, Vallory."

"And if you have an issue with me, take it up
with security," Vallory continued.

The creature on his leg reached his knee. He
deepened his voice and said with the same tone he used when
coaching the Fifth Ring Youth League soccer team,
"Vallory."

She responded the same as his team, giving him
her full attention. He pointed down at the baby that was now making
headway on scaling his thigh. How was it doing that? He could feel
the movements, but no claws. Or maybe its claws were still tiny
enough to not go all the way through the fabric of his
pants?

A corner of her mouth tried to quirk into a
smile. "Let it climb. Daubpups love to climb and I don't want to
ruin the learning experience."

He was now a learning experience?

"Don't divert the subject," Mr. Pyman said,
his voice still loud. His face was well on the way to turning a
bright rosy red.

"What subject?" Vallory demanded. "You accuse
me of being a thief but have no proof." She hugged Penny. "I have
proof I had to find my missing daubpup. The subject is
done."

Mr. Pyman took a step towards her. "Look at
you. You aren't even dressed like an exhibitor. Why are you really
here if not to steal pets?"

"Now, now," Ms. Mishley said, the wringing of
her hands growing more frantic. "No need to do this. Really. She
had a missing pet herself, Noah."

"I wasn't aware there was a dress code here.
Should I go to the principals office?" Vallory taunted.

Okay, this needed to end. Yes, she could
defend herself, but Ms. Mishely was right. This was not the time or
the place. He ignored the little voice inside him telling him that
he was motivated by something else. Such as wanting to protect
her.

With the baby now up to his waist, he felt
safe enough to move. At least, slowly. His movement was notice, and
not just by Mr. Pyman. He must be glowering to judge by Ms.
Mishley's quick step back and her nervous expression.

Mr. Pyman didn't back up, but then Damien
hadn't expected him to. Mr. Pyman wasn't the type.

But then, neither was Damien. Not since a
teen. He took a step forward, putting himself in Mr. Pyman's
personal space. The man took an involuntary step back, and then his
eyes flashed in annoyance as he realized what he had
done.

"The show is still open, and we are blocking
the attendees," Damien said, keeping his voice firm, but not loud.
He didn't need to be loud to get across the words. "This ends now.
If you have an issue with Ms. Schist, then take it to
security."

His authority may have been diminished by the
humming baby daubpup that was now nuzzling his ear. But, he kept
his gaze steady and clear, his shoulders back and legs
planted.

Mr. Pyman took another step back, having
received the signal. He looked past him to Vallory for one brief
moment before turning on his heel. He said over his shoulder,
"Consider this reported, Ms. Schist."

With his departure a collective sense of
relief went through those still remaining. Other voices rose in
conversation, and the milling crowd started to move
again.

"Oh, thank you," Ms. Mishley said, taking one
of his hands into her cold ones. "It was not going
well."

"No, not at all." Only then did Damien see the
dark-blue suit of one of the security guards. Mr. Pyman would not
be the only one to have a word with them. "Did I hear it correct? A
third pet-napping?"

"Oh yes. Right in the middle of the crowd."
Ms. Mishely's eyes went wide and she glanced down the aisle,
whispering, "No one knows how they could have done it, and the
security cameras show no one leaving the building with it. Everyone
is worried over their pets."

"I would like to see them try for Penny. There
isn't a cage that can contain her." Vallory tried to smile, but it
didn't go all the way up to her eyes. The bright red spots on her
cheeks were starting to fade, leaving her looking pale and wane.
She opened the front main door of the enclosure and set Penny
inside.

Penny whirled around to come right back out,
to be blocked by Vallory's hand. "Oh, right. Her baby."

"Which I have here with me." Making love to
his ear. Trying to be as careful as he could, Damien reached up for
the little humming bundle as he knelt next to Vallory.

This time her smile was genuine, infusing her
entire face. She reached up to help release its hold from his ear.
"Like I said, they love to climb."

"And hum."

She set the baby inside. Such a small thing,
barely bigger then her hand. It immediately climbed onto the top of
Penny's back. Penny turned her head to nuzzle the baby. Vallory sat
back on her heels and quickly closed the door.

"And safely back inside," she said, her voice
full of relief.

"How did she get out?" Damien asked. "Do I
need to repair something while I'm here?"

His bot echoed the question with a whistle.
Ah, so the little guy had finally arrived to gaze adoringly at its
new friend. Vallory let a hand drop to the top of his bot and
stroke it as if she would the fur of the daubpup. Soft gentle
hands. Ones he would like…

He clamped down on that thought
hard.

Vallory shook her head, even as a light blush
went through her face. Had she picked up on his thoughts? "The
enclosure is fine. As far as I know there is nothing to
repair."

He helped her rise to her feet, liking those
hands in his. Warm, unlike Ms. Mishley's.

Ms. Mishley. The sound of the crowd came
rushing back. The older woman was standing right next to them as
the crowd started moving by behind her.

"While you are here, perhaps you could check
the lock of my enclosure?" Ms. Mishley glanced nervously at the
crowd flowing easily down the wide aisle. "Just in case the thieves
decide to come back?"

"Not a bad idea, but not my specialty. I can
put in a request for one of my co-workers to come down," Damien
offered.

Ms Mishey gave him a pleased smile, even
though obviously still nervous to judge by the way she held her
hands tightly together. "Oh yes. That would be wonderful. Thank
you, young man."

"It's been a long time since I've been called
that," Damien said as Ms. Mishley joined the crowd to head back to
her enclosure.

"Why not? You are young." Vallory gave a sigh
and he realized her attention had returned to her animals. The
other daubpups in the enclosure came over to sniff at the baby, or
even to rub noses with it. "Maybe I should separate them. I'm not
sure how this works."

That comment he couldn't let go. "You are the
breeder. How do you usually deal with babies?"

"Well, that's the point. No one has
successfully bred them. No one has ever even seen a baby or
juvenile."

What the… "No one? How are you going to
increase the number so you can sell?"

Another flush of color, but this time deeper
and accompanied by a worried expression. Which didn't make sense at
all.

This didn't make sense. Mr. Pyman's annoying
accusations echoed through his head. Unable to stop himself, he
demanded, "Why are you here if not to sell?"

Any reply was lost in the reaction of what
came next. The crowd, the exhibitors, and a substantial number of
the animals started complaining. Complaining loud and long, with
some of the howls from the animals causing his eardrums to
cringe.

The stench had returned, and this time it was
hitting the Exotic Pet Show.

CHAPTER SEVEN