Sit! Stay! Speak! (16 page)

A
DDIE GROANED WHEN SHE SAW THE BEAT
-
UP RED TRUCK PULL
into the parking lot at the clinic just as she was about to turn the sign to
CLOSED
. She stepped away from the door and moved back behind the counter.

“I know it's about closin' time.”

“It's all right. What can we do for you?”

The man pointed out to his truck. “One of my dogs is sick. Real sick. He won't even get up to eat.”

“How long's he been that way?” Addie asked.

“A couple of days.”

“Did something happen to him?”

“Dunno.”

“Can you carry him in? I'll go tell Doc. Just bring him on through those double doors behind me.”

The man nodded and scurried outside.

Dr. Dixon hovered over the dog in the examination room. “His
breathing is shallow,” he said. “I'm concerned he might have a blockage.”

“What kind of blockage?” the man asked.

“Oh, it could be anything. Food, trash, a dog toy.”

“Can you fix it?”

“We'll need to do X-rays first,” Doc said. “Then if there is a blockage he'll need surgery.”

“I need him better tonight.”

The veterinarian peered over at the man from above his glasses. “That simply isn't going to happen.”

Even lying listless on the table, the dog was menacing. Addie guessed he was some kind of mastiff mix. He had a slick red coat, wrinkled face, and weighed at least as much as she did. His face was deeply scarred in several places, including one large scar dragging across his eye.

“Redd Jones said to come to you,” the man said. “Said you could fix him right up.”

“I appreciate the endorsement,” Doc replied. “But there's nothing I can do to fix him tonight except to do an X-ray.”

“I ain't got time for that.”

“He's not well, and he needs medical attention.”

“He'll be fine.”

“Suit yourself.”

Addie glanced from Dr. Dixon to the man in front of her. “What, you're just going to let him go? Couldn't this dog
die
?”

“He could,” Dr. Dixon said. He wasn't looking at anyone. He was studying the cracks in the tile floor.

“And you don't care? Neither of you care?”

“I can't force anyone to allow X-rays.”

The man was already lumbering out the exam room door, his
arms bulging beneath the weight, the dog's massive head lolling from side to side with each step.

Addie chased after him. “What in the hell is wrong with you? Don't you know that your dog could die?”

The man ignored her. He sat the dog into the bed of his truck and slammed the tailgate shut.

“I'm going to call the police!”

He stopped. He turned around and walked back to the doorway of the clinic where Addie was standing. “You call anybody and it won't be this dog that'll need help.”

Addie gripped the doorframe and dug her fingernails into the splintering wood. “I'm not afraid of you,” she said.

The man curled his lips into a smile. Then he reached out to her with one hand and began to twirl a loose strand of Addie's hair. “You should be.”

Addie recoiled from his grasp and slammed the door in his face, locking it. Outside he laughed for a few seconds before turning around to walk back to his truck. He waved at her as he drove out of the parking lot.

“Just what were you thinking talking to a customer that way?”

Addie turned to glare at Doc. Her blood was boiling. “He was hardly a customer.”

“You should have just let him go.”

“You should have done your job.”

“I don't know who you think you are,” Doc began.

“I'll tell you who I am,” Addie cut him off. “I'm the only person here who acted like they gave a shit about the dog dying on your exam table!”

“You've probably just signed that dog's death warrant. He might
have brought him back tomorrow. But now he'll never come back here.”

“So this is my fault?”

“It's not your fault what happened to that dog,” Doc said. “But what happened here is your fault.”

“I've got to get going.” Addie grabbed her purse from behind the counter. “Everything is clean and ready for the weekend except that last examination room.”

“I'm just as frustrated as you are.”

“How do you know Redd Jones?”

“I'm the only veterinarian within thirty miles. I know everybody.”

“That's not what I mean, and you know it.”

“You can't just move into a town like Eunice and demand answers to questions that don't have answers,” Doc replied. “Forget about what you think you know about that man, forget about what you think you know about Redd Jones, and forget what you think you know about me. You don't know the half of it.”

Addie stood outside the clinic for a few minutes trying to collect herself. The evening fell just short of blistering, and the hot tears streaming down her cheeks didn't help. The smell of barbecue wafted through the air and filled her lungs. Fire ants crawled over her feet looking for a toe to bite. Music blared in the distance. She wondered what a place so calm, so small, so quiet could be hiding.

As she drove downtown, she noticed that most of the streetlights were burned out on the cobblestone street, leaving Addie a cover of darkness that she had not anticipated. She was glad that she'd chosen to leave Felix at home. She pulled into the driveway
of an abandoned house next to Redd's and cut the engine and lights. People streamed in and out of Redd's house. The dilapidated fence separating the two houses kept Addie hidden as she crept toward the backyard. She stumbled amid the overgrown grass, her only light the full moon shining directly above her. Addie knew she couldn't just walk through the front door, but she had to get close enough to the house to see what was going on.

Behind the house there was a large outbuilding—it had been what she'd tried to get a glimpse of the day she'd been there with Bobby. The lights were on inside and there was someone standing at the door—someone large with his arms crossed over his chest. Nobody went in or out before speaking with the man in front of the building. After a few minutes, the man was beckoned to the main house, leaving the backyard unguarded. Addie pushed at the rotting wood. The fence was already missing several boards. She shoved against it with her shoulder and managed to push enough that she could crawl through.

She crouched on top of one of the empty doghouses and peered through the window. The building was packed full of men. There was a layer of smoke so thick that the view was hazy even though the lights inside were blazing. The men were standing in a circle, many of them shouting and raising their fists toward something below them that Addie couldn't see.

There was one last final outburst, and the crowd dispersed. Redd Jones was left standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by a plywood ring smeared in blood. He was holding a huge pit bull by the collar. The dog was thrashing about, foaming at the mouth. There was another man in the corner, bent over another dog. He was kicking at it, and with each kick the dog
lifted its head for a few seconds before it fell back down into the blood-spattered dust.

“Finish him,” the man said, stepping away from the dog. “Fucking finish him.” He slapped several bloody hundred-dollar bills into Redd's hand and pulled Redd's dog by the collar out of the building, cursing under his breath.

Redd was alone in the room with the other man's dog. He shoved the wad of money into his pocket and wiped the blood from his hands onto one of the plywood boards. The dog struggled to lift its head as Redd neared, tried to drag itself away from his impending shadow. Redd reached behind his back and pulled out a gun—it was the gun Addie had seen in his bedroom—the one with the beautiful design.

He aimed it at the dog's head and pulled the trigger.

Again.

And again.

Addie fell back on top of the doghouse. She tasted vomit. She closed her eyes to keep everything from running together. Just then the door to the building swung open, and people began streaming out. Addie slid down the roof of the doghouse and into the dirt behind it. She hoped that no one had heard the thud of her body hitting the ground. She pulled her knees up to her chest and locked her arms around them.

When the voices drifted back inside the main house, Addie dared to raise her head. That was when she noticed a mass in front of her. Whatever it was, it was breathing—rather, wheezing—in front of her. She squinted into the moonlight. Her eyes followed a thick chain posted into the ground all the way up to the neck of yet another dog. Addie froze with visions of the dogs inside running rampant in her mind. Was it going to attack her?

The animal let out a whimper in Addie's direction, but there was no gnashing of teeth. Instead, the dog crawled toward her. Instinctively, Addie stuck out her hand. The dog sniffed it and slid closer to her. It was then that Addie realized the dog was heavily pregnant. She ran her hand down the length of the dog, and despite the bulging belly, Addie could feel every single rib. At each stroke, the dog's tail hit the dirt with a soft
thump, thump, thump.

“I have to go,” Addie whispered to her. “I've got to get out of here.”

The dog licked her hands, and Addie felt her heart sink. The chain around the dog's neck was held with a padlock. The chain led to a stake driven into the ground. She crawled over to the stake and tugged at it. When it didn't come out, she dug into the dirt with her hands until she could pry the stake free. She clenched the stake with both hands, giving the chain a gentle tug. “Come on. Let's go.”

The dog stood on four shaky legs. She walked a few paces forward, following Addie. They were almost to freedom when a light shined on Addie's back.

“Hey! Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?”

Addie started to run, pulling the dog behind her.

“Addie? What in tarnation are you doing here?”

She crouched down near the hole in the fence, looping her fingers through the chain. She knew that voice. “Bobby?”

“What are you doing with Delilah?”

“I thought you were going to shoot me.”

“Now why would I do that?” Bobby asked. “Where'd you come from?”

“Next door.”

“Ain't nobody live next door.”

“I parked there,” Addie said.

“Why?”

“I wanted to know what was going on in this house.” Addie took a deep breath. “And now I wish I didn't know.”

“This ain't no place for you.”

“You brought me here yourself.”

“In the daylight.”

Addie stood up. She felt the blood rushing back through her body. “Do you know what's going on here? Do you know?”

“Hush, now.” Bobby flicked off his flashlight and caught her by the arm. “If someone else hears you we'll both be in trouble.”

“Answer me.” She wanted to scream and beat her fists against his broad chest. But neither she nor the white dog dared move.

“I just stand at the door.”

“You just ignore what you hear?”

“You gotta get your tail outta here.”

“I'm taking her with me.”

“That's Redd's dog.”

“I'm taking her.”

“You ain't.”

“Does Wanda know what's going on over here?”

“This ain't her business.”

“I'm going to tell her if you don't help me.”

“What'll I tell Redd when Delilah comes up missing? She's 'bout to have pups.”

“I don't give a shit what you tell him,” Addie replied. “But it's the least you can do for her. It's the least you can do for the dog lying in the dirt inside that shed over there.”

“You saw that?”

“I saw it all.” Addie didn't know why she felt so emboldened. She'd never stolen anything in her whole life, not even a pack of gum, and yet here she was in the yard of one of the most terrifying men in Eunice, with what she could only assume to be thousands of dollars laced through her fingers. But she had to save this dog. She just
had
to.

Bobby reached up with the flashlight and scratched his head. He mumbled something that sounded like
shee-it
under his breath. “Go on, then. I'll figure somethin' out to tell the boss.”

“Thank you.” A wave of relief washed over her.

“I'm not a bad man, Addie.”

“I know you're not,” Addie said. And then she couldn't help but add, “But you're keeping secrets for a bad man.”

“I got to make a livin' somehow.”

“This is no way to live.”

“Don't tell Wanda.” Bobby was so close to Addie's face that she could smell the cigarettes on his breath. “I got me a job down in Mississippi. I just got to make it through the next couple weeks. I ain't gonna live like this forever, Addie. I swear it.”

Addie crouched back down and crawled through the fence, beckoning Delilah to follow. Addie didn't know what would happen once Redd discovered that his dog was gone, but that was for Bobby to figure out. It was, as she'd told him, the least he could do. With that one final thought, she lit out of the driveway and drove as fast as she could to the Floyd farm.

“W
HAT IN THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING
, A
DELAIDE?
” Jasper paced back and forth across his living room. “You stole a dog. You broke into a man's home and stole a dog. Have you lost your mind?”

“Dr. Dixon isn't answering,” Addie replied.

“I have half a mind to make you take her back. I cannot believe you stole a dog.”

“Technically, I had permission.”

Jasper sighed and sat down on the couch, rubbing his temples. “I don't even have the energy to explain to you how that justification is legally illogical.”

“So have me arrested. Call the police and have me arrested. Call Redd and tell him a crazy lady stole his dog.”

“You know I'm not going to do that.”

“What was I supposed to do, Jasper?” Addie said. “Look at her. Look at her and tell me what I should have done.”

Jasper busied himself untangling the massive chain around the dog's neck. He'd already cut the padlock. The chain had been so tight and so thick that it had all but grown into her skin. She was in pitiful shape, and Jasper winced more than once as he worked. “Why were you at that house? On that street? You could have gotten yourself killed.”

“I'm not a child. Stop scolding me.”

“You didn't answer my question.”

“It's not the first time I've been to that house.”

“What?” Jasper stopped to gape at her.

“I was there once before, with Bobby. Redd wasn't there.”

“Bobby Carter doesn't have the sense God gave him to come in out of the rain.”

“That may be true,” Addie replied. “But I went there with him just the same. I knew then something wasn't right; I just didn't know how bad it was.”

“You shouldn't have gone back there.”

“A man came into the clinic today. He had a dog with him. A big dog. Full of scars. He said his dog wouldn't eat, wouldn't walk. Doc suggested an X-ray, but he said he didn't have time. Said the dog had to be better by tonight. Then he said Redd Jones told him to see Doc.”

“So?”

“He wouldn't even get the dog treated, Jasper. I knew something was going on at that house.
I knew it,
especially after that ad in the paper. After what I found in Redd's nightstand.”

“You were in his room?”

“I found all these papers with these words on them, the same words that were in an advertisement in the paper for some puppies. And I found a gun, Jasper.”

“Everybody in Eunice has a gun, Adelaide. We've been through this.”

Addie gripped the side of the couch to steady herself. “When was the last time you shot a dog in the head with a .38 special?”

“My God.” Jasper couldn't look at her. He stood up swiftly and threw the chain outside. His hands were covered with rust and blood. “This isn't your battle to fight.”

“And whose battle is it?” Addie narrowed her eyes at him. “Felix's? That dog over there?”

“We're not getting anywhere,” Jasper said as his phone began to ring. “It's Doc.”

Delilah, if that was her name, was shaking violently, looking from Addie to Jasper. Addie very slowly sat down in front of her and allowed the dog to sniff her. She knew from taking care of Felix just how slowly she had to start. “I'm sorry,” she whispered to her.

An hour later, Dr. Dixon peered over the top of his glasses at Addie, who hadn't moved from Delilah's side. “This dog is covered in fleas. She's terribly anemic. She wouldn't have lasted much longer.”

Addie gave a sideways glance at Jasper and said, “But she's going to live?”

“If she survives the birth.”

“I stole her from Redd Jones,” Addie blurted.

“You did
what
?”

“I stole her. I went to his house. I saw . . . I saw two dogs try to kill each other while men cheered them on.” Addie didn't even try to fight the tears forming behind her eyes.

“Thanks for coming,” Jasper broke in, giving the veterinarian's hand a shake. “And thank you for being discreet.”

Dr. Dixon gave a curt nod. “I'll come back out in a couple of days to check on her. The best things you can give her right now are rest and food.”

“We'll make sure she gets plenty of both,” Addie promised.

“Addie, I don't condone what you did,” Dr. Dixon said. “I know we exchanged some harsh words earlier. But this dog, at least, is lucky you found her.”

“Nobody found anybody,” Jasper grumbled. “She's just lucky Addie committed grand larceny.”

Dr. Dixon cleared his throat. “Jasper, could we go outside and talk?”

“Fine.”

Addie strained to hear their conversation but could hear only muffled voices through the thick door. When Jasper walked back into the house, Dr. Dixon wasn't with him. The scowl on Jasper's face, however, remained.

“If you're worried about Redd going to the police once he finds out—”

“That's not what I'm worried about,” Jasper cut her off. “Promise me that you won't go back to that house again.”

“I promise,” Addie replied without hesitation. “I never want to see what I saw again, but Jasper, it was so awful.”

“Let me worry about that,” Jasper said. “Don't go back out there.”

“I can't just stop worrying about it, Jasper. Didn't you hear me when I said that two dogs were attacking and killing each other while people watched? It's called dogfighting. It's illegal. Even in Arkansas.”

“I know what dogfighting is.”

“Then you know that Felix must have been one of those dogs that Redd was fighting.”

“How do you know that?”

“It doesn't take a genius to figure it out.”

“You can't prove that, Adelaide.”

“Well, excuse me, Counselor. I wasn't aware we were in a court of law.”

“I'm not defending Redd Jones,” Jasper said. “But I am telling you that there is nothing that you can do about it.”

“Like hell there's nothing I can do about it,” Addie said. “I can prove it. I know I can prove it. There's got to be enough evidence there for the police to do something.”

“I meant it when I told you to stay out of it,” Jasper warned her. “Stay. Out. Of. It.”

“I'm not asking you for your help.”

“Oh, you're not?” Jasper spat. “I was involved the second you brought that dog to my house. You stole a damn dog.”

“I know.”

“Then please, just leave it alone.”

“I don't understand why this doesn't bother you.”

“Of course it bothers me,” Jasper said. “But I also know the laws in the state of Arkansas regarding animal abuse and dogfighting.”

“Does it always have to be about the laws?”

“It does when you're talking to me about having someone arrested,” Jasper said. “Proving animal abuse is difficult, and proving that someone is fighting dogs is even more difficult.”

“I saw it!” Addie exclaimed. “I saw it! Look at Delilah! Look at Felix. I'm sure that Redd hasn't had the decency to clean up the bloody body of the dog he shot tonight.”

“First of all, you can't prove that Felix ever belonged to Redd or anybody associated with Redd, and you can't prove that Felix was
ever involved in dogfighting because you don't have any evidence,” Jasper said. “And do not bring up that damn house again.”

“That house!”

“Look, I'm just giving you the facts,” Jasper said. “And the facts are that while dogfighting is a felony in the state of Arkansas, it's just a misdemeanor to be a spectator. That's a thousand-dollar fine at worst. And we can't prove that Redd was anything other than a spectator. Maybe we could get him for a class D felony, which is aggravated cruelty for the way he's treated this dog and the other two dogs you saw out there, but that's a very tenuous maybe. It's more likely that he'd be charged with a misdemeanor.”

“Whose side are you on?”

“I'm on your side, Addie.” Jasper's voice softened. “I'm always on your side. I wish you could see that. Redd Jones is a pariah. He deserves to go to prison. But we've got to be patient. We've got to use our heads about this. Acting with our emotions won't do us any good.”

“I am tired of controlling my emotions.”

“You're just going to have to trust me.”

Addie glanced from Jasper to the dog. “What are we going to do with her?”

“I'll keep her here for now.”

“I'll come over tomorrow and check on her.” Addie sighed, defeated. She didn't want to argue any more tonight.

Jasper stepped in front of her, cutting off her path. “Don't say anything to anyone about tonight. Not even to Wanda.”

“Okay.”

“I'm serious,” Jasper continued. “Redd's going to be looking for answers, and I don't know if Bobby will be able to keep this a secret.”

Addie reached up and touched his face, and she had to force herself to move her hand away. “I'll be careful.”

“Good.” Jasper stepped away from her.

She didn't want to leave and something inside told her that Jasper didn't want her to leave, either. Addie walked over to where Delilah was curled up on the floor. She scratched behind her ears and underneath her chin. “This cranky old man is going to take care of you. He's going to feed you. Don't be scared.”

“I'll make sure she's comfortable,” Jasper said.

“I know,” Addie replied. “I know you're mad at me. But I'm not sorry for what I did.”

For the first time that night Jasper smiled. “I know you're not,” he said. “I know you're not.”

Addie turned to leave but stopped at the door. She watched him for a moment until he looked up at her. Their eyes met, and it took all her strength not to turn around and walk away. Instead she said to him, “Are you embarrassed of me?”

“What?”

“Embarrassed.” Addie shifted from one foot to the other. “Are you embarrassed of me? To be seen with me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Come on, Jasper,” she replied. “You act like you hardly know me when Doc is around. When anybody is around. You touch me in hallways, in bathrooms. You don't want to be seen leaving my house.”

“That's not true.”

“You wouldn't even take me to work.”

“Are you still mad about that?”

“Forget it,” Addie said. “Just forget it.”

Jasper followed her outside and into the sticky summer night.
“Wait.” He grabbed her arm. “Just wait for a second, will you?”

“Let go of me.” Addie tried to shrug him off her.

“No.” Jasper's grip tightened. “Listen to me.”

“I've been waiting for weeks to listen to you.”

“Listen to me now.”

“What? What do you have to say?”

Jasper hesitated. He let go of her arm, looking away from her.

Addie pushed him out of her way. “That's what I thought.”

This time, when Jasper grabbed her, he didn't let go. Before she could say another word, he slammed his mouth against hers, hard. The force surprised her, and Addie lost her footing. She tumbled to the ground, pulling Jasper along with her.

“Are you okay?” Jasper asked in between feverish kisses.

Addie nodded. She couldn't think. All of her energy was wrapped up in Jasper on top of her. His mouth and his hands searching in the dark.

He pushed her skirt up toward her breasts, lingering for a second on her blue lace panties. He cupped his hands around her buttocks and pulled her panties down in one swift motion. They shriveled at her ankles. Addie lifted herself up to him, begging him with her body, but he pushed her back down into the ground, his mouth leaving her lips to kiss his way down into her nakedness.

Addie cried out and grabbed at Jasper, her hands grazing the top of his sweat-soaked head. She dug her fingers deep into his hair. When his mouth finally returned to hers, she wrapped herself around him until their bodies were synchronized.

T
HEY LAY THERE
together, bodies entwined, staring up into the Arkansas sky. Addie had never beheld such a clear night, never
lost count of the stars above her. There was nothing she wanted more than this night, this man, and for the first time in her life she could see, really and truly see, what was in front of her.

Felix was snoring in his bed when Addie got home. He didn't even look up as she came inside. “Some guard dog you are,” she mumbled. She didn't understand how someone could have abused him. He was so sweet and gentle, even after everything he'd been through. Even after—she knew, despite what Jasper said—even after Felix survived Redd. Redd had shot that dog as if it were nothing, as if he—she shuddered—had taken a life before. Addie wondered if Redd had shot Felix himself. She wondered how many times Felix had been chewed up and spit out before Redd and his friends had decided he was no longer of use. She wondered how many other dogs had suffered the same fate as Felix—dogs that nobody had saved.

Addie stood up to walk to the bathroom, feeling sick to her stomach. Felix heard her and stirred out of his sleep. He looked up at her expectantly. She crouched down next to him, putting her forehead up to his, just like she'd done with Delilah. Felix licked her face.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered to him. “I'm just so sorry.”