Say No More by Gemini Sasson Read Free Book Online

much I could tell.
    Lise clasped her forehead. She took a step back, her shoulders collapsing with an invisible blow. She stumbled to the nearest chair.
    “Oh, God. Are you sure?” Elbows planted on the table, she cradled her head between her hands, crushing the phone to her ear so I couldn’t hear the voice anymore. “No. That can’t be right. It can’t be. Let me talk to Estelle.”
    Lise sucked in a ragged breath, squeezed her eyes shut. Her knees were bouncing up and down beneath the table. She started to rock back and forth in the chair. Its frame creaked in time with her motions. She stopped abruptly, exhaled loudly. Her words had a hollow tone to them. “She won’t come to the phone? No, I ... This is horrible. So, so horrible. I can’t even fathom ... Is Hunter —?” Another pause. “Oh, thank God. Tell her I’ll be there as soon as I can. Thank you, Officer Diehl.”
    There was a long pause and then a resounding ‘thunk’ as the phone fell from her hand onto the table.
    Sitting near the sink, watching her, I wasn’t sure whether I should go to her, stay put, or flee into another room. Her head folded down against her forearm. A tiny wail leaked from her mouth, hidden in the bend of her elbow. The sound rose to a howl, broke as she gulped in air, then rose again. Her shoulders shook uncontrollably with each sob that gripped her.
    On soft paws, I crept to her. I sat for a minute at her knee, waiting patiently while she continued to cry. Finally, I lifted a paw and tapped her on the foot. Then I pushed my muzzle against her shin and whimpered in sympathy. She sobbed twice more, sniffed, lifted her head to look down at me. Her eyes were puffy, ringed in red. Tears streaked down her cheeks. Her hand drifted down to touch the top of my head.
    “Halo, what are we going to do?”
    Do about what?
    The chair groaned as she scooted it back. She settled down on the floor and wrapped her arms tight around me.
    “Cam is never coming home,” she whispered into my ruff.
    Reaching my front paws onto her shoulders, I hugged Lise and licked away the trail of sadness on her cheeks as her tears wet my fur.
    I will always come home , I wanted to tell her. I will always, always come home.

chapter 4
    A whimper rose in my throat. The cold had settled deep in my bones. I stretched my paws to reach upward, but I was too short to see through the kitchen door window to inside. Scout was probably warm and asleep in his dog house in the kennels, which was inside the garage. I hadn’t seen him or the other dogs since Lise shoved me out into the backyard an hour ago. I wished I was curled up with Scout, muzzle to muzzle. I’d even put up with him chewing on my ear just to be out of this cold.
    Another frigid wind blasted around me. Shivering, I let out a few woofs, but still Lise didn’t come to let me in. It was the first really cold day I could remember. The wind was brisk and biting, the clouds gray and low. Gently, I scratched at the door, my nails scraping away the paint to leave tiny parallel marks.
    In the distance, a car rolled down the gravel lane, tires crunching over rock. I ran to the gate to see who it was, barking to alert everyone of a visitor. Even the dogs in the kennels joined in with me. I heard Scout’s high yip and Chase’s deep, long bellow, mixed with Cricket’s and Bit’s rapid woofs. Still, no Lise.
    A dark blue Buick stopped just outside the yard. Estelle got out of the driver’s side, blew her nose on a tissue, and wiped at her eyes with gloved fingers. As she walked toward the gate, my barks became a greeting. I kept my eyes on the car, waiting for Ray to step out and walk with her, but he didn’t. He just sat there in the passenger seat, gazing blankly at her through the car window. His face was an odd shade of pale, almost transparent. He raised a hand, waved at her, then leaned closer to the window, his breath fogging it until I could no longer see him.
    Why didn’t he get out and come in