Florida Heat

  “Of course I do. I just didn’t place your name when you called for the interview.” For a moment Sylvia just stared. “Why do you need a job?” she finally asked.

  “Well,” Julie hesitated, not sure how to respond. She definitely wasn’t going to blurt out because my mother is making me. “I’m a senior this year,” she started slowly, “and after talking it over with my mom, she finally agreed that I could get a job so I could have my own spending money.”

  “I see.”

  Julie wasn’t sure what it was that Sylvia ‘saw,’ so she hurried on. “I’m very responsible, I really like animals, and I’m a hard worker.”

  “Well, I also know you’re good with dogs,” Sylvia said with a smile. “But you need to know up front this isn’t a job where you’re going to spend your time playing with the puppies or petting kittens.”

  “I don’t care what I have to do,” Julie interrupted. “Except….”

  Sylvia narrowed her eyes. “Already an except?”

  “I really don’t like snakes,” Julie said weakly. “If the job means I’d have to handle snakes then I don’t think I could do it.”

  “Do you have a problem scooping up dog poop or cleaning cat litter?”

  “Oh, no ma’am, I just really hate snakes. And to be honest I’m not so sure about the lizards either. But I don’t mind the rats or the mice,” she offered hopefully.

  Sylvia nodded and walked around the counter. “Well, actually most of your time would be spent stocking the shelves. I’m here by myself since I had to let my assistant go, and I just can’t keep up with it. I’d open the cartons and check the orders in, then it would be your job to carry the inventory out to the shelves and stock and stack the items.”

  “I can do that,” Julie felt a flicker of anticipation. She was going to get this job.

  “Wait before you say yes,” Sylvia cautioned. “Cartons of canned cat food can get pretty heavy and bags of dog food weigh up to 50 pounds. This isn’t an easy job.”

  “I’d be willing to try,” she offered. “I’m pretty strong and, like I said, I’m not afraid of hard work.”

  “Can you do school nights? I’m going to need someone on Tuesdays and Thursdays and all day Saturday. We’re closed on Sunday.”

  Julie wanted to dance. She wouldn’t have to work on Friday night so she’d still be able to go to the football games with Marques. Well, if he asked her again that is.

  “Your sign says you’re open until 9:00 each evening. But how early would you need me to come in the afternoon?”

  Sylvia tapped a finger against her chin. “I think I could manage if you got here by 5:00. Now, even though we close at 9:00, you’d need to help with closing so you probably wouldn’t get to leave until 9:30. And on Saturday I’d need you from 10:00 in the morning until 6:00 that night. You’d get a half-hour lunch break on Saturday. Can you promise those hours? I don’t want to train someone and then have them quit a week later because it’s too much work.”

  “I can do that!” Julie said with excitement, realizing she’d have Saturday nights free, too.

  “Then I guess you’re hired.” Sylvia stuck out her hand.

  Julie tried not to gush with relief. “Gosh, I was so nervous. I promise I’ll work really hard for you.”

  Sylvia just smiled. “Let me show you around. After you get to know the stock, I’ll train you on the register, but for now it’s more important that you know where things are.” She walked Julie toward the rear of the store. “This is my office. When you come in you can drop your purse or whatever back here.” She showed Julie a small room with a desk and several filing cabinets. “The bottom two drawers are both empty so you can put your things in either of those. Over here,” she moved across the hall, “is where I do the dog grooming. And back here,” now she walked several feet down the hallway, “back here is the stockroom. This is where I receive inventory.”

  Julie looked around at the small stockroom. The walls were lined with shelves containing a number of boxes. She could see the roll-up door where the trucks could pull up to make their deliveries. “What’s over there?” She pointed to a wooden door on the far side of the room.”

  “That’s nothing,” Sylvia said quickly. “I keep my private things back there so that’s off-limits okay?”

  Julie nodded. “Sure, no problem.”

  As they started back to the main part of the store, Sylvia’s phone rang. She checked the readout then motioned for Julie to go ahead. “I’ve got to take this,” she said. “You go start getting familiar with where things are. If the phone behind the counter rings just answer ‘Pet Palace’ for me. And if it’s someone asking about the job, just tell them it’s been filled.” Sylvia smiled then turned and moved back to her office.

  Julie wandered toward the front of the store and started going down an aisle trying to memorize what items were where. It didn’t take long to figure out Sylvia’s system. As she neared the back of the store again, she heard Sylvia’s voice through the office door, which was partially open.

  “I don’t care what you say, I need somebody here… no, not on the delivery day.What am I? Stupid? Look, it’s a dumb high school kid. She’ll never notice anything, so stop worrying.”

  Julie stood in stunned silence. Dumb high school kid? Never notice anything? She heard Sylvia start to move so she quickly stepped around the corner of the closest aisle. She was halfway down the aisle and looking at items on the bottom shelf when Sylvia found her.

  “Oh, there you are. Sorry about that. Now where were we? Right, if I’m with a customer, you can answer the phone at the counter and we always greet everyone who walks into the store. You’ll find we have a lot of traffic that just wants to look at the new arrivals. Especially on Saturdays, we’ll get a lot of families who want to see the puppies or kittens. I don’t mind if they want to hold them but you’ve got to watch the little kids because sometimes they squeeze too tight.”

  “What about the birds?” Julie asked as they moved toward the aviary section.

  “We carry a wide variety of exotic birds,” Sylvia said proudly. “But be sure to discourage anyone from sticking their fingers into the cages, especially the kids. Some of the birds will give a nasty bite. Eventually, I’ll teach you how to clean the cages, but that can wait. You just concentrate on learning where things go so you can keep up with the stocking for me.”

  Julie gave a happy sigh. “When can I start?”

  “I’d like to have you start today but there’s paperwork first. How about this Thursday? I’ll give you the forms to take home to fill out and you can bring them back then.”

  “Perfect,” Julie said taking the papers Sylvia dug out from behind the counter. “I’ll be here at 5:00 on Thursday.” She folded the forms, and sticking them in her purse, pulled out her sunglasses.

  “Hey,” Sylvia said as Julie turned to go. “Where are your fancy sunglasses?”

  “What?” Julie paused.

  “Those sunglasses you wore the day you came to the shelter.”

  Julie thought for a moment. “Oh, those.” She shook her head. “Those weren’t mine. I returned them.”

  “Borrowed them from a friend?”

  “Something like that,” Julie said, then turning, she hurried from the store. “See you Thursday,” she called. Reaching her car Julie felt her heart beat double time. How in the world had Sylvia remembered those sunglasses? And if she was hired, why had Sylvia referred to her as a stupid high school kid? And why wouldn’t she keep her private things in her office? And what was she not going to notice? And what was really behind that wooden door? She stood for a moment until her breathing slowed. But I have a job, she thought, and giving herself a silent hug, she climbed into the car. She couldn’t wait to get home and gloat to her mother. I don’t need your allowance anymore, she thought. I have a job!

  Chapter Sixteen

  Kate pulled into AL’S parking lot and noted that Jo and Isaac’s cars were already there. She found Tony waiting at the
bar, drink in hand.

  “Sorry I’m late. I got tied up with another witness.” She waved a greeting to the bartender.

  “They’re out on the patio,” the bartender called.

  Kate nodded thanks. “Grab your drink and let’s go,” she said and headed for the patio. She found Isaac and his wife Nola sitting with Jo. “Sorry I’m late,” she said again when they reached the table. “This is Special Agent Tony Lincoln. Tony, this is Isaac and Nola Martin. Isaac is one of our best counselors. And this is Jo Cazimer, one of our probation officers.”

  “And detective extraordinaire?” he said with a smile. “I understand you were the one who found Ricky’s contact book.”

  Jo shrugged, “Lucky find.” She turned to Kate as they sat down. “So what happened to you? I thought I was the one who’d be late.”

  “Got caught up with a witness. Seems the woman from across the street saw someone enter the Witmore’s home on the morning of .…” She trailed off as the waitress set a martini down in front of her.

  Taking a sip of her drink Kate sighed, “Is there anything better than a cold drink at AL'S, good friends,” she lifted her glass to the group, “and two new leads for a case?”

  Tony lifted his own drink in salute. “I guess you come here often.” At Kate’s questioning stare he continued, “You didn’t even have to order. The waitress already knew what you wanted to drink.”

  “It’s one of our favorite places,” Jo said. “The sliders are great.”

  “No, you want to try the fish,” Nola suggested.

  “Forget that,” Isaac said. “You look like a steak man and the steaks here are kickin’.”

  “Thanks,” Tony said with a chuckle. “But I must admit I’m disappointed. I thought with a name like AL’S there would actually be someone named Al running the bar.

  Isaac’s laugh boomed out. “Don’t worry, man, lots of folks make that mistake.”

  “It means Air, Land and Sea because that’s how everyone gets here,” Jo said.

  “I just realized that,” he said turning to Jo. “I haven’t been on a sea plane in ages, but it’s always a thrill to watch them land and take off from the water.”

  “You fly often?” Jo asked.

  “More often than I wish. I’m stationed out of Washington but I actually spend more time on the road, or in the air as it were, on assignment.”

  “And are you liking our fair city?” Isaac asked.

  “I’ll be honest, the heat is killing me. How do you put up with it?”

  “You get used to it,” Nola said. “After a few years, when one’s blood thins and the temperature goes below 70 you think we’re having a cold spell.”

  Tony chuckled. “And up north if it hits 50 in the middle of winter we think it’s a heat wave and everyone sheds their coat for the day and some even fire up the grill.”

  Nola shivered. “Give me good ole Florida heat any time.”

  “Well, you’re certainly getting your wish this summer,” Kate said taking a grateful sip of her drink.

  The evening progressed companionably. Jo and Tony found they both had a passion for music. Isaac joined the discussion and it turned into a debate as to how rap had evolved and hip-hop influenced the teens of the day.

  Not interested in adding her opinion, Kate turned to Nola to discuss their mutual favorite subject - fashion.

  “I swear, Kate,” Nola said looking at Kate’s purse, “you never cease to amaze me. Who would have thought to put a broach like that on their purse?”

  “This?” Kate laughed. “It’s a security device.”

  “No… how in the world does it work?”

  Kate looked across at Jo. “Get your piece out so Nola can see how cool this is.”

  Jo sighed, then reluctantly dug into her pocket. She pulled out the broach then pinned it on the front of her blouse with a flourish. “It’s really my style, isn’t it.” She struck a pose. “It just takes this outfit to a whole new level.”

  “Press the center,” Kate urged.

  Jo rolled her eyes and pressed the center jewel of the broach. Kate’s piece immediately started to vibrate and flash.

  “And why would you need something like that?” Tony’s smile had vanished.

  “We’re just testing out some toys for a friend of Kate’s,” Jo said before anyone else could speak. Her expression dared anyone to comment. Tony gave her a dubious look then shrugged.

  Nola shook her head. “What will they think of next?”

  “Kate,” Isaac asked, “how’s Aggie Witmore doing? She called me the other day but we haven’t met yet.”

  “They,” she indicated Tony, “found Christian in Wyoming.”

  “Well, that’s good news,” Nola said patting her heart. “But how did the little guy get all the way out west? I’m guessing this wasn’t a simple runaway.”

  “Nope,” Jo signaled for a second drink. “We found a witness who saw someone actually take the child and put him in a car. She was the one who gave us the clue so the FBI could look in Wyoming.”

  “Where,” Tony jumped in, “the woman who took him claims to be his natural mother. It’s documented that her child was abducted and she’s been searching for him for the past seven years.”

  “Oh, my.” Nola shook her head. “That poor woman.”

  “Which one?” Jo and Kate said at the same time.

  “Aggie Witmore has raised that child since he was an infant,” Jo said quietly.

  “And his natural mother has just found him but is going to face a court battle for custody,” Kate added.

  “I guess I’m sorry I asked,” Nola said. “I’ll just be happy we know the little guy is safe and leave it at that. Okay, no more shop talk. It gives me indigestion. Jo those butterfly photos you put up on Facebook were just beautiful.”

  “Thanks,” Jo smiled. “I haven’t had a chance to get out with my camera the past few weeks. I’m going to have to remedy that soon.”

  “You shoot?” Tony asked. “What kind of camera do you use?”

  Warming to a topic she loved, Jo grinned. “I shoot with a Canon EOS Rebel T 2i.”

  “She gets unbelievable pictures,” Nola added. “You should check out her Facebook page. The set of squirrel antics make me laugh each time I look at them.”

  “Do you shoot?” Jo asked. “I mean with a camera, not your gun.”

  Tony nodded. “Since I travel so much it’s the one hobby I can take with me. When and if I get a few hours of down time I try to get out and take some pictures.”

  “What kind of camera do you use?”

  Tony cleared his throat. “I have a Hasselblad.”

  “What?” Jo choked on her drink. “You own a Hasselblad? Those things have what, about a million megapixels!”

  “No just 60.”

  “Just 60 he says,” Jo looked around the table. “My camera, which I admit freely takes tremendous pictures, only has 18 megapixels and his has 60! Be still my heart. Did you bring it with you this time? Would you let me see it? Damn, those things cost a fortune. Are you rich or something?”

  “Jo!” Kate looked embarrassed.

  “What?” Jo looked over at Kate. “The man owns a camera that cost more than I make in a year! I can ask if he’s rich. I mean, damn, I’ve never even known anyone who has a Hasselblad.”

  “Actually, if it will make you feel better, I inherited it from an Uncle who used to take pictures for National Geographic Magazine.”

  “The only thing that would make me feel better would be to take some pictures with it,” Jo said.

  “Well, I’m here for a few more days, so maybe we can arrange something.”

  “You name the time and place. I don’t care if I have to take a vacation day but I want to see that camera.”

  “Hi, you guys!” Jo looked up to find Rhonda from the probation office.

  “Hey yourself! When did you get back? Rhonda’s been on vacation,” Jo explained to the group.

  “We got in late this afternoon a
nd I just couldn’t deal with cooking. I’ll be in tomorrow morning and that’s soon enough to face reality again. But Jo, the reason I stopped by was to ask a favor.”

  “As long as it’s not to cover for you again tomorrow, ask away.”

  Rhonda laughed. “No, would you mind taking a picture of my other half and me? I’ve been doing a photo log of this vacation and I’d like something that shows we’re home that doesn’t involve suitcases and piles of dirty laundry.”

  Jo chuckled and stood. “Sure, where’s your table?” she asked taking the camera Rhonda handed her.

  “Right over there,” Rhonda pointed toward the corner where her husband waved. “You’re the best,” she said then turned to the table. “Sorry to interrupt but you can have her back in a minute.”

  Jo took the pictures and returned to the table. “Mission accomplished,” she said, “and not a moment too soon.” Their food came and conversation rounded from photography to sports to Kate and Nola sharing recipes. But when the meal ended with after dinner drinks and the conversation turned to where they might go for dancing, Jo excused herself from the table.

  After a quick trip to the ladies room, Jo flagged down Cindy at the bar and wrote a note on a napkin. “Would you wait a few minutes then pass this on to Kate?”

  Cindy took the napkin. “Sure, everything alright? How was dinner?”

  “Great, as usual. Look I want to slip away before they realize I’m gone okay?”

  “No problem. I’ll see that Kate gets it.”

  Jo made her way from the restaurant swaying only a little as she walked. If they want to go dancing, she thought, more power to them, but she wanted to go home. She didn’t usually have three drinks with dinner but tonight had been a sort of celebration, she justified. Christian might be in Wyoming, but he was safe. Now all she wanted was to go home and climb in bed.

  “Show me the way to go home,” she began to sing softly. “I’m tired and I want to go to bed. I had a little drink about an hour ago and it went right to my head.” She started to chuckle at the sound of her own voice. Taking a breath, she stopped as she looked for her car. And where was the damned car? “Oh car, where are you?” she called playfully. She straightened and looked around again. Where had she parked? Oh, my gosh, she thought. Am I so drunk I can’t even find my car? Maybe I shouldn’t ….