“Thanks. We’ll stay close.”
Satisfied that Buster was in good hands, I turned my sights on the truck. A man got down from the cab, a clipboard in hand. I met him halfway to the building.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“I’ve got a delivery here for an Alex Sanders.” The man held out the clipboard. “If you’ll sign, I can unload the cargo.”
“What is it?” I glanced at the clipboard. Something about live animals jumped off the page. “Wait, you don’t have penguins in that truck, do you?”
“Sure do. Where would you like me to put ’em?”
My heart leapt into my throat. “Nowhere. We’re not ready. You’ll have to take them back.”
“Lady, I just drove all the way from Houston. There’s no way I’m taking them back.”
“But . . .” This was Alex’s problem. He was the one who ought to be fixing it.
“Can you sign please? Once I leave here, I get to go home for a few days.”
“Hold on a minute. I need to make a call about this.”
He huffed out a breath and rolled his eyes. “Sure, take all the time you need.”
I handed the clipboard back, then pulled my phone out of my back pocket. It didn’t turn on. I’d forgotten to plug it in last night since I’d been so busy with Alex. Speak of the devil . . .
Alex came rushing up the drive with his nieces and his grandfather in tow. “What’s going on?”
“Expecting a delivery?” I thrust my hands to my hips.
“I wasn’t. But I was just at the aquarium, and they heard we were ready for the penguins, so they went ahead and sent them over.”
“Seriously? What are you going to do about it?” I gestured to the line of cars waiting to turn into the parking lot. “I’ve gotpeople trying to get in here to meet the dogs. You know, the dogs you need me to get out of here.”
He put his hands to his temples. “Just give me a minute.”
“I don’t have a minute.”
“I’m on it.” He leaned down and pecked my cheek. “I’ll figure this out and then be in to help. Girls, why don’t you go with Zina?”
“Can’t we meet the penguins, Uncle Alex?” Dolly asked.
“Later. Just go with Zina, please?” He gave Dolly a gentle nudge toward the warehouse.
I took Dolly’s hand. “Come on, you can help me round up the dogs. They probably shouldn’t be out here if your uncle is about to parade some penguins across the parking lot.”
I took a few steps toward the warehouse, when I heard a chorus of oohs and aahs. Too late. The driver had opened up the back of the truck. A crowd of people stood on the drive, staring and pointing and smiling at the back end of the semi. Those were my people. They’d come to meet the dogs, not ogle Alex’s penguins.
Before I could complain, a loud bark came from my left. Buster. He charged the crates the driver had started unloading from the truck. Jasper ran after him.
I stumbled toward the dog, trying to grab onto his leash. Buster had always been a giant lug of a beast who usually wouldn’t move from his bed unless I offered him a treat. But now, he looked like one of those dogs who performed in agility competitions. He hopped the small makeshift fence we’d erected around the building and made a beeline for the penguins.
“Grab him!” I instructed anyone who might be near enough to snag his leash as he flew by. Alex sprang into motion, hurdling over one of his nieces in an attempt to intercept Buster before he reached the crates. The dog ran past, seemingly intent on reaching the birds. For a split-second time seemed to stand still.I imagined what Buster might do to the poor birds. If someone didn’t stop him, everyone who’d come to meet the dogs available for adoption might bear witness to a bird bloodbath.
“Buster!” Dolly pulled something out of her pocket and waved it in the air.
I strained, trying to see what she had.
“Want a treat?”
