“Come on, Mr. Graham Cracker. Let’s get you something to eat.”
She scrounged up two big bowls and filled one with dog food and the other with water. The dog went for the food first, pushing through it with his nose, hardly coming up for air. “You poor thing. How long has it been since you’ve had a decent meal, huh? A while, I’ll bet.”
Meg exited the office, joining her by the supply closet. “Aw, who do we have here?”
“I found him by the firepit, scavenging for food.”
“Look how skinny he is. He must be lost.”
“He acts like he’s starving, poor fella.”
“He’s so cute.” Meg ruffled his fur, but the dog kept chewing. “His fur’s a mess of burrs.”
“He needs a bath and a good brushing for sure. I think I’ll take him to a local vet and see if he has one of those microchips. Someone’s probably missing him.”
“He doesn’t have a collar or anything.”
“It might have fallen off.” She asked Meg for a vet recommendation and got the name of someone who attended their church. “Would you mind keeping an eye out here while I run this guy over there?”
“’Course not. I hope you find his people.”
Almost an hour later, the grandfatherly Dr. Nolan glanced up from the scanner. “He doesn’t have a chip. He wasn’t wearing a collar or tags?”
“Nothing. I found him just like this sniffing around our firepit.” He’d already given the dog a brief examination. “He has to belong to someone.”
“I hate to say it, but it’s likely someone dumped him on the side of the road. That happens sometimes.”
She wanted to cover the dog’s ears. Instead she gave him some affection and he licked her hand.
“Well, he seems healthy enough, other than being emaciated and dehydrated. Time and good care will take care of that. I’d put him at about three years old. I suspect he’s a Jack Russell terrier mix underneath allthat matted fur. Once he’s cleaned up and fed, he’ll make someone a good little pet.”
If only therewasa someone. She so wished she could keep him and, when her time expired at Pinehaven, take him with her. “I don’t suppose you know anyone looking to adopt a dog?”
His bushy eyebrows pulled together. “Sorry, no. Seems there are always more pets than people searching for one. You can’t keep him yourself?”
“I live at the resort.” They’d already covered their connection with the Landrys. “And the Landrys turned down my suggestion for a mascot weeks ago.” With all the regular chores that went with running a resort—plus the guests’ pets—Tom and Tammy didn’t want the extra hassle of a dog.
“That’s too bad. We have a bulletin board out front for animals seeking adoption. It’s already quite full, but you never know. There’s a shelter in town, but I’d make that a last resort.”
“Right.” Maybe Meg would take him or Jonah. No, Jonah’s apartment didn’t allow pets.
She attached the collar and leash Dr. Nolan had given her and checked out at the front desk, even though the kind doctor hadn’t charged her for the visit. On the way out of the office, she frowned at the overflowing bulletin board filled with photos of cute puppies and kitties. That wasn’t promising.
“Don’t you worry, Graham Cracker. We’ll find someone who wants you.” She walked the dog out to the harbor and around the patch of grass while she searched for the local shelter on her phone. She searched for some kind of promise they didn’t terminate animals. Nothing.
She closed the website and called Meg, filling her in on the situation. Then she jumped right to the question. “I don’t suppose you’d like a cute little doggy to come home to at night?”
“Oh, I wish I could. He’s so sweet. But my roommate’s allergic to dogs and just about everything else under the sun. If I so much as pet a dog without washing my hands, she goes into a sneezing fit.”
Lauren’s stomach sank. “That’s too bad. Can you think of anyone else who might be willing to take him in?”
“Gosh, not right offhand. I guess I could ask a couple friends. You never know.”
“Would you? Because the only other option is the local shelter and it’s not a no-kill kind of place.”
“I’d hate to see him go there. I’ll try a few friends right now and get back to you.”
“Thanks. I’ll check with Carson.”
