LITMIR.BIZ

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to her face.

      Killer really didn’t want to be here. But then most dogs hated a trip to the veterinarian, knowing precisely where they were the second they entered the door and certain they were in for some cruel torture—like an injection via a long, sharp needle.

      “I just don’t know what to do,” Mrs. Callahan answered. “He won’t stop trying to eat his rear end.”

      “It’s okay, sweetie,” June murmured to the dog. “I won’t hurt you.” She ran a gentle hand across the dog’s bluish-gray fur to comfort him, then backstroked to look for problems and found an angry, inflamed area.

      “We’ve got a hot spot back here,” June said. “Have you checked for fleas?”

      “My Killer does not have fleas,” Mrs. Callahan stated, peering over her thick glasses.

      “Are you treating him with preventative medicine?” The dog twitched beneath June’s hand, then licked her fingers.

      “Oh, I don’t believe in chemicals.”

      “I see,” June said. “But he’s got fleas. Lots of them. That’s why he’s scratching.”

      Mrs. Callahan’s face flushed. “Are you sure?”

      “I’m afraid so.” June parted Killer’s fur to expose pink skin, and two or three of the hateful biting beasties scurried for cover.

      Mrs. Callahan’s mouth popped open. “Oh, no. Poor Killer. I—I swear I looked and didn’t see any.”

      The woman looked so distressed and embarrassed, June smiled at her. Both Mom and patient needed comforting today. And Mom might need new glasses.

      “Dr. Trujillo will be in shortly, but don’t worry. She’ll give Killer something to make him more comfortable.”

      “Thank you, Junie.”

      “You’re welcome. Just be patient. The doctor is running a little behind this morning.”

      June stepped out of Killer’s examination room just as Dr. Marisol Trujillo arrived. Her boss, the owner of Brickell Animal Hospital, wore her customary starched white lab coat over casual slacks, her smiling face framed by short hair that had turned a shade of soft gray at age fifty. Dr. Trujillo held a cafecito from Café Lulu in her right hand. June closed the examining room door, thinking that tiny foam cup contained enough caffeine to power a jet.

      “Sorry I’m late, June,” the doctor said in her lilting Hispanic accent. “Dios Mio, you know what traffic can be on US One.”

      “Actually, no.” June stepped behind the hospital’s counter and grinned at her boss. “Remember I walk to work.”

      “Don’t rub it in. I know all about your light carbon footprint.” The doctor took a sip of coffee and left bright red lipstick on the rim of the white cup. “Any emergencies?”

      “No, we’re good. Only Mrs. Callahan with Killer in room one.”

      The doctor sighed and moved toward her office at the rear of the hospital. “What is it this time?”

      “Fleas.”

      Dr. Trujillo didn’t pause. “Of course it is. I’ll be right in.”

      “Killer is shaking so hard I think the fleas might jump off to save themselves from whiplash.”

      The doctor laughed and entered her office as the front door to the animal hospital opened. Knowing it couldn’t be Elaine, Dr. Trujillo’s receptionist, June glanced over to find Agent Donald Gillis, her contact with the Fish and Wildlife Commission, an old and dear friend of her parents’, stepping into the waiting room.

      Had he already been to North Beach Pet Shop? Had he rescued the birds? She’d emailed him her photos almost immediately, but realized it was much too early for him to have visited North Beach and returned. Plus, that didn’t look like a pleased expression on his handsome, dignified face.

      “Agent Gillis,” June said.

      Gillis nodded. “June.”

      “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Although she had a sneaking suspicion.

      “Well, let’s see. Something about escaped birds taking over a pet shop on North Beach?”

      June sighed and sat down in a swivel chair. She’d kept such worrisome details out of her email and hadn’t expected Gillis to hear about yesterday’s disaster so quickly.

      “Who ratted me out?” Had Dean Hammer actually contacted Fish and Wildlife? The idea improved her opinion of the guy, but there was no way Gillis could have seen any report this fast.

      “Your buddy Jared posted the photos on Tropical Bird Society’s Facebook page.”

      “Oh, great,” June muttered. Jared was a Facebook junkie. “I didn’t know you were a friend of our society.”

      “How else am I going to follow your dangerous activities?”

      “I didn’t do anything dangerous.”

      “Jared’s post said you went alone.”

      Oops. June looked down to the desk. Damn Jared and his Facebook fetish. “He got sick. But it was broad daylight in a public place. I was fine.” She met Gillis’s eyes again, resisting the urge to rub the sore, bruised area on her left arm.

      “We’ve talked about this, June. Confronting smugglers is a terrible idea.”

      “This guy wasn’t the smuggler, just a greedy consumer of cheap, illegal birds.”

      “Please let my agency take care of it. It’s our job.”

      “But you’re too damn slow,” June said. “And you know it. You should be on Miami Beach right now confiscating those poor birds instead of lecturing me.”

      “You could get hurt, June.”

      “I’m careful. I promise. Don’t worry about me.”

      A small smile softened Gillis’s face. “I promised your parents I’d look out for you.”

      June stiffened. “So you’ve told me.”

      “They were worried about what would happen to you if they went to prison.”

      “Uncle Mike took care of me.”

      “June. Your parents loved you very much.”

      “Yeah? Seems to me they loved their money more.”

      “I’m sorry you think that way.”

      She raised her chin. “Come on. Weren’t you disappointed by what they did?”

      Gillis looked away, so June knew she’d touched a nerve. He was trying to use guilt over her parents to make her cease her commando raids, when he had to have been hurt, embarrassed even, by their criminal activity.

      “Everyone makes mistakes,” he said.

      “But some mistakes can’t be undone.”

      Gillis remained quiet for a moment, and she wondered if he’d become lost in memories of good times. Gillis’s deceased wife and her parents had been best friends. The couples frequently traveled and socialized together.

      “Do any of their old employees ever contact you?” he asked in a wistful tone.

      “You mean employees of Latham Imports?”

      “Yeah. Your parents had some very loyal workers who took the criminal charges and the fire hard. I thought some might stay in touch.”

      “I haven’t talked to any of them since the funeral, but Uncle Mike spirited me away.” June shrugged, wishing Agent Gillis hadn’t brought up her parents. “Truthfully I try not to think about my life before the fire.”

      Gillis’s

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