"Nope, it's got to be Emma."
"Ooookay. Here's a notepad. Write a message and your number. I'm sure she'll get back to you ASAP."
"Thanks."
I don't have any hope that a brief note will be able to impress upon Emma how much I need to talk to her, so I just say I need to talk to her and that I want shared custody of our pup. I like how that sounds. I add my telephone number and fold the note in half.
"Here. Thanks so much, Luna."
She offers me a smile and a nod and goes back to register duty. I keep looking around for Emma for a few minutes, but I'm already late enough. I have to go shower and change clothes at home. I send a quick text to my boss saying I'm late and then leave Furrylicious for now. I'll be back.
After a hurried shower at home, I go into the Storyville police station. Things seem as usual, except I've changed and I don't feel normal anymore. A piece of me is at Furrylicious, and I need to settle things between us. I sit down at my desk and write up the incident report from the night before.
Around noon, the sheriff calls me over to his office. We usually have lunch together. He's in his fifties, and we get along pretty well.
"Hey Tristan, I got us lunch from the Storyville Diner. Chili and cornbread. Comfort food at its best."
"Hey, Marc. Sorry I was late today. I'm exhausted. Got almost no sleep last night."
I hope I am able to say that with a straight face, because it wasn't the dog emergency that kept me awake, but pleasuring Emma all night long.
"Yeah I saw that report you put in late this morning. Where's the dog now?"
"At the pet shop. The vet is checking him out."
"Can you go today and deliver the paperwork with the fine to the owner?"
"I…"
"Do I need to send someone else? You seem unusually involved with this case."
"I mean. The poor thing was tied outside, left on its own to endure the elements. Who does that?"
My anger starts rising as I remember the state Buddy was in when I found him. But, no. I can do this. I have to do this. Facing the owner needs to be done.
"The shelter is waiting for the dog once they're done with him at Furrylicious."
"You talked to them already? I want to foster the dog."
"I knew it. You are too soft-hearted. You barely step foot in your cabin. Who is going to take care of the dog when you're out?"
"I've got a shared custody kind of deal going on with the groomer at the pet shop."
"That doesn't sound suspicious at all. Is that who helped you with the dog?"
"The dog, as you keep calling it, is named Buddy. And yes, Emma Matthews checked him out last night and groomed him."
"How late were you out there? Did the storm catch you?"
I am suddenly speechless as I try to figure out in my mind what to say to my boss.
"Ah, it's like that, is it?"
"Yes. I mean, no. Buddy and I had somewhere comfortable to sleep. I actually overslept."
"Right. Well, try to keep your cool when you go visit the owner, or should I say Buddy's ex-owner."
I finish my food and go to the clerk to get the paperwork I need to deliver. This is one part of my job that is difficult because even though they're in the wrong, I'm pretty sure there'll be pushback from the owner. I check my phone for the thousandth time to see if I got a message from Emma, but there's nothing.
