Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained Read online

  Delores took a step back. Louise leaned forward and put her elbows on the desk and rested her head in her hands.

  “Excuse me, sir. Would you mind lowering your voice, no one in here is deaf.” Delores stepped forward.

  He looked at her, covered his mouth with his hand and lowered his voice, and walked toward her. “And you are?”

  Delores looked up at him, smiled, and extended her hand. “Delores Bather-Schmidt. Who are you?”

  “Phineas J. Culpepper the Third.” He took her hand and held it longer than necessary.

  “Well, Mr. Culpepper the Third, how can we help you?” Delores eased her hand out of his. “Please sit, let’s talk about this.” Lord, he was a giant of a man. Even sitting, he was taller than she was.

  “I…uh…” Phineas coughed. “Maybe we can talk about this over dinner, Mrs. Bather-Schmidt. That is, if Mr. Bather-Schmidt doesn’t mind.”

  “If there was a Mr. Bather-Schmidt, he might mind, but since there isn’t one, I think that can be arranged. When?”

  “I suppose it’s too late to ask you for this evening?” Phinehas’s ears turned red, and he ran his fingers around his collar,

  Delores almost laughed at his discomfort. “I’m afraid so, but I am available tomorrow.”

  “Where can I pick you up and what time?”

  “Well, Mr. Culpepper the Third, I’d offer to meet you, but I don’t have my car yet. You can pick me up at my home.” She grabbed a piece of notepaper from the desk, wrote her address, and handed it to him. “I’ll see you about six o’clock if that’s agreeable.”

  “Call me Phineas, please. Six o’clock it is.” He turned to leave. “Goodnight, Delores.”

  “Good night, Phineas. I look forward to tomorrow.”

  He smiled and left.

  Beatrice Lulu and Louise sat stunned.

  “What just happened here?” Louise stood and looked between Beatrice Lulu and Delores.

  Beatrice Lulu burst out laughing. “I daresay our friend, Mr. Culpepper the Third, is smitten with Delores.”

  “All I can say is thank you for diffusing a very tense situation. I bet he even forgot what he came here for.” Louise patted Delores’s back.

  “What I came in here to talk to you about is Thor. I’d like to take him home.”

  “Today?” Louise sat behind her desk and pulled out a form.

  “If it’s okay with Lulu and Ed.” Delores looked at Lulu. “My car won’t be here for a couple of more days, so if you wouldn’t mind.”

  “I don’t mind at all, and I’m sure Ed won’t either.”

  “Okay, then,” Louise said. “Fill out these papers and we’ll arrange for you to foster him.”

  “Fostering’s fine, but I really want to adopt him.” Delores started filling at the form.

  “That’s fine, but we’ll start with fostering.” Louise smiled. “Do you have any more family or friends to bring here, Beatrice Lulu?”

  Beatrice Lulu laughed. “I have a very large family, but I’m afraid not all of them have either the time or desire to volunteer, let alone adopt a dog. But I’m working on them.”

  Ed came in, looked at Bea and Delores. “Are you ladies ready? It’s almost three o’clock.”

  “Just about. Delores, do you want to get Thor?”

  “Thor?” Ed stepped aside as Delores handed Louise the paperwork and opened the door.

  “Yes, Delores is taking Thor home with her. I told her you wouldn’t mind. I figured if you were willing to drive Bruno home, you’d be more than willing to take Thor.”

  “Oh, no, I don’t mind at all. Are you sure you don’t?”

  “No, why should I?” Bea, took her purse from the drawer and found her jacket.

  “After the way you reacted with Bruno in the car….”

  “Delores will be in the back seat with Thor, and I have no doubt she’s quite capable of handling him.” Bea put her jacket on.

  Ed laughed. “Oh, there’s no doubt at all that she can handle him.”

  Chapter 16

  Delores opened the car door and Thor jumped out after her. “Thank you for letting me come with you and for bringing Thor home.”

  “Happy to have you. We’re going again tomorrow if you’re interested.”

  “Thank you, I’ll see you in the morning.” Delores shortened Thor’s leash. “Oh, Lulu, can I ask a favor?”

  “Sure, what?”

  “I need to pick up a few things for Thor, would you mind taking me to the store later? I’d ask Mavis, but…”

  “Sure, I need to run out for a gift later anyway. Seven okay with you?”

  “Great. Thanks again.” Delores headed to her house. The moment of truth. She prepared herself for an argument and punched in the code for the garage. Mavis’s car wasn’t there. Reprieve. Mavis disappeared yesterday afternoon also. Wonder where she went. The woman needed a job. Too bad she didn’t have kids. Not that they wanted any. Harry didn’t like kids. Didn’t want to share Mavis with anyone. It’s a wonder he agreed to buying a house with her.

  Being in a financial bind was the only reason. They’d been darn close to losing their home. It’s amazing they got any profit from it at all, which was why she needed to put so much of her money into this one.

  “Okay, Thor, here’s your new home.” Delores found a bowl and filled it with water. She’d better make a list or she’d forget half of what she needed. Water and food bowls, food, a couple of toys, had to have something to entertain him. She debated on a dog bed. Maybe an old blanket would suffice. He’d been sleeping in the pen without anything, and who knows where he slept before. Supposedly he came from a young couple who couldn’t keep him in their new apartment.

  One thing for sure, he was well trained, so someone cared for him. Delores took the left-over meatloaf from the refrigerator and made a sandwich. The garage door opened. Sounded like Mavis was home.

  Thor sat up, looked at the door, and then at Delores. “Good boy. Stay.” Last thing she needed was Thor to charge Mavis. It’d give her a heart attack.

  Harry rounded the corner, stopped, and took a step back. “What the hell is that?”

  Delores set her sandwich on the counter, patted the top of Thor’s head, which came up to her chest. “This is Thor, Thor meet Harry.” Thor held his paw up.

  “Where’d he come from? Mavis never said you had a dog.”

  “He came from the rescue center. I just got him today. Isn’t he a beauty?” Delores found it difficult to judge Harry’s reaction. Talk about a poker face. Even his voice held no emotion.

  “And what do you propose to do with him?” Harry came into the kitchen, looked at her sandwich with disgust, opened the refrigerator, and took out a bottle of water.

  “I intend to keep him. What do you think?”

  Harry laughed. “Does Mavis know? Where is she anyway?”

  “Not yet, and I have no idea where she is. I just came home myself.”

  “She asked me to come home early, and she’s not even here. Par for the course.”

  Delores shrugged. No need to say anything, she’d never involve herself in her daughter’s personal life. What Mavis did with her time and how she dealt with Harry was none of her business. Not like her eating habits or lack thereof. That affected Mavis’s health. That concerned her.

  “I can’t wait to see what she says about that…that monster. What the hell kind of dog is he anyway?”

  “He’s a Saint Dane – part Saint Bernard, part Great Dane.” Delores continued to stroke Thor’s head.

  “Huh. I’ll be in the study when Mavis comes in.” He left without a backward glance.

  That went better than she’d expected. No uproar, no get that dog out of here. She’d expected more of reaction from Harry after his initial reaction. He recovered quickly. More than likely he’d let Mavis handle it.

  Mavis came in a short time later, took one look at Thor, pointed her finger at him, and exploded. “What the hell is that..that thing doing in my house?”

>   “I believe it’s my house, too.”

  “That’s not the point. You know how I feel about animals, especially dogs. Get it out of here right now.”

  Thor moved to Delores’s side. Obviously, he didn’t care for loud voices. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

  “Why not?” Mavis took off her jacket, hung it in the closet, and set several shopping bags on the counter.

  “Because he’s mine.”

  “What do you mean he’s yours?”

  “I didn’t stutter. I think it’s very self-explanatory. He’s mine, meaning he belongs to me.”

  “Where did you get him?”

  “At the rescue shelter. You should come with us tomorrow. Do something useful with your life.”

  “My life is plenty useful. And yours or not that monster has to go.”

  “May I remind you I own more of this house than you and even if it was fifty-fifty, I’d have just as much right to bring an animal home. You seem to think you’re in charge. That couldn’t be further than the truth.”

  “Well, keep him out of the living room, dining room, and kitchen and away from my furniture. I don’t want dog hair all over.”

  Delores laughed. “So, what you’re saying is those are your rooms and the only place the dog is allowed is my room upstairs.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “You certainly implied it.” Funny Harry hadn’t shown up. No doubt he was listening nearby and probably laughing his fool head off.”

  “Well, It is my furniture.”

  “Yes, so I’ve noticed. I wonder what you would have done if I’d insisted on bringing mine.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Mother. Yours was tattered and worn out.”

  “Yes, it was very well-worn. Very lived in, unlike yours that everyone’s afraid to sit on. Tell me, Mavis, when did you become such a snob? You certainly didn’t grow up that way. Your father and I taught you better than that.”

  Mavis opened her bags and began putting fruit in the bowl. “Really, Mother, I’ve told you before, sarcasm doesn’t become you. Where’s Harry? I see his car is here.”

  “I believe he said he’d be in the study. But you’ll find him around the corner, listening to our conversation.”

  “Don’t be preposterous. Of course he’s not.”

  “Then whose shadow is that?” Delores pointed to the dining room doorway where the shadowy image of Harry suddenly moved. “You may as well join us, Harry. We both know you’re there.”

  Harry came into the kitchen as composed and confident as ever. This guy was a darn good actor.

  “Seems to me, we have a bit of a conflict. Two against one, the dog has to go.” Harry sat at the counter, took a peach, and bit into it.

  “That’s not quite how it’s going to work. Otherwise every decision would go your way. This isn’t a democracy, it’s a home, and in case you forgot, I own sixty percent of it. That only gives you and Mavis forty percent of the vote. You lose.” Delores opened the refrigerator, took out the bacon, lifted three strips and put them in a frying pan. She’d see who had the last say around here. Thought he was so smart. Ha, she hadn’t lived seventy years without learning how to deal with men like him. Manipulative, smooth talker, handsome, and always got their own way. That wouldn’t work with her.

  “Must you fry that stuff when we’re home?” Harry held his nose. “I’ll be back later.” He grabbed his jacket from the closet and left.

  “Now see what you’ve done? You’ve upset him. I told you he gets sick from the smell of meat cooking.”

  “Really, Mavis! Is that what you think? He was looking for an excuse to leave, and I gave it to him. Are you sure he’s not having an affair? He’s acting might suspicious if you ask me.”

  “Oh!” Mavis stamped her foot and ran from the room.

  Looked like either bacon and eggs for dinner or a BLT.

  ***

  Delores walked in the store with Lulu. “You go your way and I’ll go mine and we’ll meet at the registers.”

  “Great. If you need me, I’ll be at the jewelry counter. William called this morning with a last-minute invitation to a thirtieth birthday party for Callie. She’s been going crazy not able to work or do anything around the house. She’s hoping the doctor lets her go back to work next week.”

  Beatrice Lulu stopped at the jewelry counter, trying to decide whether to get the gold or silver earrings. If she recalled, Callie was partial to gold. She paid the girl behind the counter and headed to the registers to wait for Delores.

  “Aunt Beatrice Lulu, what are you doing here?” Callie came out from behind a rack of maternity dresses.

  “Maybe I should ask you the same question. I thought you were supposed to stay off your feet, what are you doing shopping?”

  Callie hugged her aunt. “Just came from the doctor’s, and he released me. I’m free to do as I want, and, as you can see, I wanted to shop. Besides, I’m going back to work Monday and all my clothes are already too tight.”

  “That’s wonderful news. I’m sure William is thrilled also. Where is your handsome husband?”

  “Automotive Department, where else? You know men, never interested in shopping for what you want. So, I heard you’re dog sitting, so to speak.”

  “Can’t hide anything in this family. Yes, I’m watching your aunt’s dog until Saturday.”

  “Never thought I’d see you with one dog, let alone dog sitting.” Callie laughed. “I’d better get back to shopping or William will be wondering what took me so long.”

  Beatrice Lulu hugged Callie and hurried off. Delores probably wasn’t finished yet, but you never knew. She struck Beatrice Lulu as the no-nonsense shopper. Get in, get what you want, and get out. And, she was right. Delores was just turning the corner to the registers.

  ***

  “Did you remember to ask Ed about the people who lived in my house before the Ludwigs?”

  “Darn, I forgot. Remind me when we get home.” Beatrice Lulu turned into the parking lot at the dog shelter the next morning.

  “Where is Ed today?”

  “He had an appointment. He’ll be here later. How’s Thor getting along?”

  “He’s a gem. Whoever owned him before me trained him. He’s well-behaved and knows a lot of tricks, too.”

  “Good, I’m glad it’s working out for you. What did your daughter and son-in-law say?”

  “Let’s just say they weren’t thrilled.”

  “But he’s staying?”

  “Oh, he’s staying, no doubt about that. I’ve been thinking about that note I found about the money and gems. Do you suppose it might be a joke?”

  “Anything is possible. Why don’t you bring it over later and show it to Ed? Maybe he’ll have an idea.”

  “I would, but I’ve got a date, remember?”

  “Oh, right. Phineas J. Culpepper the Third. Funny man. Kind of cute, but an ornery old cuss.” Beatrice Lulu laughed, remembering how smitten he’d been with Delores.

  “Maybe he’s just lonely.” Delores defended the man.

  “You’re probably right. I didn’t mean to make fun of him, but you should have seen him when I first met him. Darn near had Louise in tears.”

  “Louise needs to learn how to stand up for herself.” Delores opened the door and got out of the car. “I think we’d better go inside.”

  Ed showed up at lunch time with pizza for everyone. It tasted good after working all morning. Who would’ve thought helping at a dog rescue shelter could be so much work? Hosing down the pens wasn’t too difficult, but took a long time. Mopping them with bleach was even worse. Today, they had to dust down all the walls and ceiling, too. Amazing how dog hair flies around and settles everywhere.

  After lunch, Beatrice Lulu and Ed walked a couple of the dogs. She explained about the note Delores found. “Who lived in the house before Elmer and Mildred?”

  Ed thought about it. “That would have been the Stewarts, yes, Mary and John Stewart. They had three kids I believe,
Holly, Noel, and Chris. They were all born around Christmas. Very religious family if I recall.

  “Do you think they could have written the note? Maybe one of the kids as a joke?”

  “I suppose anything’s possible, but I can’t picture any of them writing a note like that. They moved before the kids were old enough to write. I think the oldest was only six or seven when they moved away. Moved out to a farm, if I recall.”

  “Then what about the Ludwigs? Would one of them write something like that as a joke?

  “Elmer and Mildred lived there the longest. Had one daughter, Virginia, called her Ginny. Pretty little thing. Maybe one of them wrote it, but why?”

  “I don’t know. I asked Delores to bring it over and show it to you. Maybe it’ll spark a memory in you or something.”

  “I can’t imagine what, but that’s fine. I’ll look at it.”

  “I’m going back inside and see if Louise needs me to do anything in the office. I’ll see you later.”

  “Here, give me Sheba. I’ll walk her a little longer and put her away for you.” Ed took the leash, turned around, and walked the other way.

  Bea took off toward the office, trying to put the letter out of her mind. Something about it seemed familiar. Not that it should. She hardly knew the Ludwigs. Poor guy passed away and his wife moved. House sat empty for a long time. She passed Russell on the way back. “Hey, Russell, how’s everything?”

  “Good, Ms Eberhardt, how are you?” He pulled a bag from his pocket, took something from it. and fed it to one of the dogs that just came back from the vet.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Nothing, why?” He turned and looked at her, eyes wide, innocent.

  Cute kid, no doubt about that. Kind of shaggy blond hair, needed cut, but she bet the girls loved it. Looked like one of those boy singers, darned if she could say which one. Never was good at keeping track of stuff like that and less so now that she was older. Just remembered seeing them on TV one night.

  “Looked like you were feeding something to the dog.”

  “Oh, this?” He held the bag up. “Just a treat. I give it to all the dogs after they’ve been to the vet. I feel sorry for them. Kind of like a little kid getting a sucker after they’ve been to the doctor.”