I watched her work, fascinated. “Explain this to me.”
“It’s really not that complicated. Just takes a lot of repetition. Once Max sniffs Griggs’ clothes, I take him around to each bag. When we come to Griggs’, I praise him and cue him to bark, then take him to the next bag where I don’t. And on and on we go, until he eventually goes directly to Griggs’ bag after sniffing something with Griggs’ scent. He should be able to pick up every person’s scent on the clothes and will bark when he comes into contact with that person.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Hopefully, the third person from my attack.”
If that person came within ten feet of Sunny, he or she was as good as exposed—and very likely soon to be missing a front tooth. It was a long shot, but at that moment, I was willing to try anything to get a break in a case that seemed to get fuzzier with every passing hour. On that note…
“Hey, what do you think about Max hanging out with me today?” I asked. “While you take Brute to the vet?”
“No. And it’s Brutus.”
“Not between me and him.”
“Oh you guys are BFFs now?” She looked over her shoulder.
“Only women use the term BFFs.”
She looked back at Max who was still moving from bag to bag, having a blast with this new, little game.
“I don’t know… Why do you want to ‘hang out’ with him?”
Max suddenly barked, leaping and pawing at the bag of clothes holding Griggs’.
“That’s why. I’ll be making a lot of rounds today, following up on leads regarding your case and Seagrave’s. Who knows what this guy could pick up.”
“Meaning, you think you might cross paths with the third person?”
“Never know.” I nodded to the beast. “Max could be my partner for the day. You know, like Turner and Hooch.”
“You’re old.”
“Thanks.”
She looked back and forth between me and her son.
“I don’t know… He’s a lot to handle, Jagg.”
“Comes with the name.” I winked, this earning me another eye roll. “Sunny, how’s he going to help at my brother’s house? What’s there? Let the old boy stretch his legs. Learn how to be a real man for a day.”
“Because the fact that his owner is a woman makes him less of a man?”
“Yes.”
She fisted her hands on her hips. “That’s chauvinistic.”
“No, it’s the truth. Men can do things women can’t, and vice versa. There’s certain things men have that women don’t, and vice versa. For example…” I unbuttoned my pants and started with the zipper?—
She slapped a hand over her eyes. “Okay, okay,geez,point taken.”
I chuckled, zipped up.
She uncovered her eyes.“Fine.You can take Max for the day and teach him how to pee standing up.”
“He’ll be in good hands.”
“I hope so. Just remember, he’ll listen to you, Jagg. Just be firm. Strong. You know, like a woman.”
“If you were any other woman than yourself, I’d take that as an insult.”
“Thanks… I think.”
