She nodded, her hands folded tightly across her chest, her teeth ground so hard together he imagined she’d make diamonds.
Her gaze darted around the room.
Shaun did the same. He quietly stepped over to the washing machine, and carefully glanced behind it, trying to see the little critter before moving anything and sending it scampering.
He pulled out his small flashlight and shined it back there.
And immediately saw the problem. The critter had gotten behind the machines along the vent line.
He’ll look closer in a bit, but he was almost sure the animal must have squeezed in around the loose vent line.
“Do you see it?” Winter whispered.
He nodded. “I see it.”
“So catch it,” Winter said with her eyes wide.
He smiled. “Let me get out my magic wand.”
She rolled her eyes.
He reached into his bag and pulled out a little trap. “We need to coax it in.”
“And how do we do that?” Winter asked.
“Blocking all the other places for it to go,” he replied.
She nodded. “So we should move the washer and dryer.” She put her hands on the machine.
He reached over and stopped her. “Wait. If we don’t block that vent line, it might slip between the walls.”
“Wonderful,” She muttered, but she obviously didn’t think it was that wonderful at all. Shaun glanced around, looking for something--
“What about this?” Winter had picked up a broom with straight bristles.
“Here, you hold it, and when I say, slip it back there very carefully.”
She nodded, and he got set up, hoping the little critter ran straight into the small trap he’d brought. He put some bait inside and set it on the ground on the other side of the washer.
He nodded to Winter. “Now.”
She slid the broom back there.
And hit the animal.
It darted.
In the opposite direction of the trap.
Damn.
Winter screamed and started dancing in those fancy shoes.
“Where’d it go?” Shaun asked, rushing around to her side.
“That way… It went over my shoe!!!” Her face was white, and she grabbed his arm, her footing wobbling. “I will never wear these shoes again…”
He steadied her, at least until she jerked out of his touch. She shivered she took a few steps away.
