Howl Deadly by Linda O. Johnston Read Free Book Online

hostess of Animal Auditions . In fact, a good percentage of the people part of our cast was now here, with Brody around.
    Rachel was waiflike, with huge brown eyes that glowed now with anticipation. She was dressed, as she often was off-screen, in jeans and a short T-shirt.
    “Private tour coming up,” I told her, glancing at Dante for confirmation. He nodded, and we all went in, waving at the volunteer who manned the entry booth. Inside, there were already quite a few visitors strolling the sanctuary’s pathways to see the wild populace.
    “Can I see the wolf pups first?” Rachel asked.
    “Sure,” I said. “We’ll all go to the infirmary, where they’re being cared for. That’s where Wagner is most likely to pick up the scent of their missing mama. Right, Dante?”
    “We’ll start there,” he confirmed, “to see if he senses anything. If not, we’ll go to the enclosure where she stayed when she first got here, before the pups were born.”
    We passed the main office building, just as Megan Zurich exited, clad in casual jeans and a HotWildlife T-shirt. She smiled at Wagner but warned, “Better try to keep him calm and not too close to the habitats, or we’ll have a lot of stressed-out animals here.”
    “Got it,” Dante agreed.
    At the infirmary, I accompanied Rachel inside, and we watched while Dante and Brody encouraged Wagner to sniff around the comfortable enclosed area where the mama had given birth. The pups were nearby, in an even more comfy nest where a warming pad had been added below the surface, in a simulation of mother’s heat. At the moment, the babies were alone, but I noticed Jon Doe in the rear area, apparently concocting their next nutrition.
    I oohed and ahhed over them for a few minutes along with Rachel, while Dante and Brody followed Wagner, whose nose was to the concrete floor. His presence was duly noted by other infirmary inhabitants, judging by the nervous reaction of the aging coyote and young raccoons. He soon headed toward the rear exit, and I followed. Was he tracking mama’s scent as she slipped out of HotWildlife?
    Could be, since he continued down the main outdoor path between the large habitats of the other wild inhabitants. We passed some visitors who eyed us curiously, but we offered no explanation for the German shepherd or his entourage. I heard lots of rustles and growls from beastly residents as they, too, noted the presence of the calm, tracking canine.
    At the far end of the sanctuary, Wagner stopped at the closed gate and growled. It was a locked barrier, but Megan, who’d also trailed us, used a key to get it open.
    To no avail. Once Wagner was outside, he apparently lost the scent. Maybe someone with a car had scooped up mama wolf. Maybe there were simply too many other aromas that confused poor Wagner. He sat down and stared up at Dante in seeming dejection, as if aware of how important his assignment had been to the man he adored.
    We all trooped back to the infirmary, Wagner included. “In a few minutes, I’ll take him to the area where the wolf was before giving birth,” Dante said. “But first I’ll let him retrace this path in case he missed an area where she veered off.”
    When we got back inside, Jon Doe, Krissy, and Anthony all held wolf pups and their bottles. A crowd of visitors had gathered to watch outside the glass, all with emotional smiles. Jon gave what seemed like an impromptu educational lecture.
    “In a few weeks,” he said loudly, to be heard where we were, “if their mother isn’t located, we’ll have to prepare special food to wean them. Wild wolves eat meals generally composed of their own prey, then regurgitate it so their pups can start learning the tastes. I’d rather let my own food digest, so we’ll try something else to feed them.”
    “I’ll bet the suppliers of HotPets products can come up with something,” said Krissy, who’d spotted Dante, and smiled at him as if he could do absolutely anything.
    Which, maybe,