Whiskers In The Dark

29

April 26, 2018

Thursday

Warmth still proved elusive since the temperature, at 50ºF, would drop even more when the sun set in about an hour, at a little after 7:30 P.M. Harry, Susan, and Arlene drove in two vehicles up to Aldie. The basset trials would begin tomorrow and the ladies wanted to help the attendees get settled the night before, rise early to do whatever the organizers wished. The weather, not comfortable, wasn’t bitterly cold, but spectators and participants would need layers. Also, a light rain was forecast for tomorrow. Harry decided not to focus on it. She’d wake up and deal with whatever fell from the sky.

The problem wasn’t what fell from the sky but what had sneaked into the car. The two cats burrowed under the comforter, as did Tucker. Pirate, larger, remained in the farmhouse where he would be with Fair. But the others were sneaky and neither Harry nor Susan knew they carried stowaways until they reached the outskirts of Culpeper. Given that the two talked nonstop even if Tucker snored or Pewter coughed, they might have missed it. Also, Susan’s Audi station wagon was big.

Once they discovered their passengers, the two decided to keep going. Turning back would cost them about an hour each way, so the plan was to secure the very bad children in the cabin. Once at the cabin, the two cats and the dog were literally bundled inside, the door rapidly shut behind them. Given the chill, Harry set to building a fire while Susan unpacked, hanging up their raincoats—as well as short, flannel-lined front-zip jackets for use if it didn’t rain—on the pegs by the door. Each had brought silk underwear, three sweaters apiece, four pair of silk socks, and four pair of thin wool socks to wear over the silk. Both hated for their feet to get cold, which happened often. One would think Harry, a true country girl, would have figured out the secret to warm feet, but even with Thinsulate-lined hiking boots, her feet grew cold. Gloves were easier, plus she could stick her hands in her pockets. The temperature for tomorrow, the first day, was predicted to nudge up to 53ºF. If it didn’t rain, that would be refreshing, especially if one was running.

“There.” Harry stepped back as the flames touched the logs.

“Given that these cabins, the first three built in 1917, have no insulation, the fire is a godsend. As it is, even in this small space it takes about an hour to really warm up.” Susan found the history of the Institute and its buildings fascinating.

“Our ancestors were tough. Even the rich were tough.” Harry had brought water in plastic gallon jugs.

She poured water, which she’d brought for tea, into a large water bowl for the animals.

A knock on the door sent Harry to open it a crack to keep her pets in. She opened it farther and Arlene slipped in.

“Didn’t read your text until I parked.” She stared at Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker. “You’re going to really need to keep them in.”

“I know. If it gets impossible, I guess I’ll borrow Susan’s car and drive them back home.”

“Thought I’d check around. We have about an hour of sunlight.”

“Good idea.” Susan reached for her short coat.

Harry did likewise and they stepped outside, Harry carefully closing the door behind her.

First they walked over to the kennels. Almost everyone drove in early to get their hounds settled.

Ron Ausman and his wife, Lei Ruckle, waved to them.

“Are you ready?” Susan called out.

“You bet,” Lei called back.

They waved, heading back toward the Institute, when Arlene saw Clare.

“Clare,” Arlene said, then turned to Harry and Susan. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

“Jason always hunted the hounds for the contests. I brought two couples of beagles, which I’ll hunt tomorrow. I think he would want Chesapeake Beagles to participate. He loved this fundraiser.” Clare, although grieving, was determined to show off Jason’s pack.

“I’m sure you’re right,” Arlene agreed.

Harry encouraged her. “Just seeing other beagles work, that’s exciting. And tomorrow we can all watch the bassets.”

“I love their voices.” Susan flipped up the collar of her jacket. “Getting close to sunset.”

“Well, it is a little damp. I guess there’s a front coming in.” Clare smiled, then turned to Arlene. “Let’s go to where Jason was found.”

“Twenty-minute walk, thirty if you poke,” Harry offered as they started down the path, first climbing the low rise, then walking along.

The buds seemed larger and they were. Some daffodil shoots poked up their heads, late, but it had been a hard winter and a very late spring.

They chatted about hunting, about looking forward to meeting veterans tomorrow.

Reaching the flat stretch where the tractor had been parked, Susan stopped. “We’re close. The rains since then have washed the tracks, but we’re pretty close.”

Harry walked off the road, over a mound, then dipped down again. “Here.”

As she sounded sure, the others joined her. Harry, with her fine-tuned sense of direction, was almost on the spot.

Clare peered down, saying nothing.

Arlene, consoling, said, “It was quick.”

“I hope so,” Clare, heartfelt, uttered, then turned to get back up on the farm road, the wide path. “I just wanted to see it, you know. Give me energy for the hunt. I’m doing it for him.”

As they all walked back, the sun set. The twilight lingered, as it does near the change of the seasons, on either side of the equinoxes.

Clare spoke again. “I can’t imagine why someone would kill him. I regret every time when we’d have an infrequent fight and I’d say, ‘I could kill you.’ ”

Harry fell in beside her. “Every wife says that. A husband can pluck your last nerve.”

They walked quietly, then Clare, obviously somewhat overcome, said, “The damned police. Crazy questions. Did he have a mistress! They sure asked a lot of questions about money, which I also resented. I told them we didn’t steal anything, we invested our own money, and we built a very successful car dealership that survived through hard times as well as flush.”

Arlene, more familiar with Jason’s history than Harry or Susan, changed the subject. “Did you bring any whippers-in?”

Clare’s face registered more discomfort. “No. I mean, Jason had registered for the Hounds for Heroes and I decided at the last minute to come over. I called our whippers-in but everyone was committed. So what? I was coming.”

“We can whip-in to you. Plus a brace is easy,” Harry volunteered.

Arlene smiled. “There, you have two whippers-in if you wish. I am the director and will be on the wagon, but Harry and Susan can run.”

“Thank you,” Clare replied with feeling. She looked up. “Low clouds.”

“I think the bassets will be hunting in the rain, but then again, unless it’s a downpour, it will intensify scent.”

“They have spectacular noses,” Clare mentioned.

“They do. My grandfather always said bloodhounds first, bassets second, and beagles third. Foxhounds fourth. Of course, when he and his friends would get together, this order would change according to who was hunting what. Those old guys loved their hounds,” Harry said.

“We all do.” Arlene grinned as they reached the row of cabins, bidding one another good night.

Harry opened the door enough to peek. She felt a bit of cold air at her ankles as Ruffy trotted in. The three animals slept by the fire. Susan hurried inside as Harry shut the door, which awakened her animals. They hung up their coats. Harry tossed more logs on. The cabin felt wonderful.

Ruffy sat next to Tucker. “I’d hoped you’d be here.”

“We’re not supposed to be here. We sneaked into the car.” Tucker stretched.

“We’re in the doghouse.” Pewter laughed.

“Well, I’ll go in and out and keep you posted,” Ruffy promised.

“Nothing on finding the killer, I guess.” Tucker figured Ruffy was in the middle of things.

“No. The killer is here, though.”

“What?” The tiger cat was surprised.

“Do you want us to help you catch him?” Tucker felt certain she could be of service.

“No. I want to make sure the killer doesn’t get caught.”