Page 44 of Keyoni & Sage
“Something like that,” she replied with just as much animation. “Which apartment do you live in?”
“None of your fucking business, lady.” I stood, pulling Cara’s leash taut. “I don’t know you.”
“And I don’t know you,” Dorinda countered. “But apparently, according to you, you’re a resident in this building.”
Dorinda revealed herself to be the property manager, which immediately raised my alarm. She stated they were cracking down on both undocumented occupants and undocumented pets and told me to make sure I was on a lease to avoid further confrontation. I walked off, looking over my shoulder to make sure she wasn’t following me. She remained seated with her eyes trained on me.
Things went from bad to worse in just a short time and it seemed like it wasn’t going to get better any time soon. I thought about my options as I made my way back into the building. The only resolution I could think of was getting my own place. I planned to do it anyway after I got settled into my job, but with all the crackdowns going on, it looked like it was going to happen sooner rather than later.
Chapter 10
Keyoni
“We figuredout where the rat poison came from.”
I sat up in my seat. “Where?”
Captain Rory leaned back in his chair. “Cameras caught somebody throwing something through the fence last night. I went out there this morning to inspect…and sure enough…” He shook his head. “Rat poison. There were blue-green colored speckles all along the gate.” He sat up. “As a precaution, I made a call to Poison Control. They confirmed it.” I nodded. “None of the canines are allowed outside until further notice.”
“Do you know who it was?”
“No, but I’m gonna find out. Best believe I will. And when I do…he’s gonna wish he kept his ass home!”
There was a patio we used for recreation when the weather was right, which was temporarily being set up for the dogs to use. Captain Rory laughed when he told me about his original plan, puppy pads, but the dogs just looked at them instead of actually using them.
Tanner stuck his head into the open office door, looking between us before retreating.
“Tanner!” Captain Rory called out after his departure. “Come here. You’re just the person I wanted to see.”
“Yes, Captain,” his flunky replied.
Captain Rory rounded his desk. “I got an express delivery just for you.”
“For me?” Tanner asked, walking further into the office. “What is it?”
The anticipation in his eyes disappeared when Captain handed him a brand-new pooper scooper. He snatched it with a sigh.
“I shouldn’t have to keep cleaning up after these dogs.”
“You wouldn’t have to,” Captain Rory said, “If you would stop getting complaints of misconduct.”
“People lying on me, Captain.”
“Yeah, well…eachlierequires a thorough investigation. And while the investigation is going on, you’ll be cleaning up after the canines.”
“I should call in sick,” he mumbled toward the door.
“Don’t do that,” Captain Rory said back. “You out of sick time.” Scoffing, Tanner walked away, dragging the pooper scooper behind him. Once he was gone, Captain Rory’s sigh filled the room. “If he wasn’t the commissioner’s nephew…”
I picked up on what he was trying to lay out as his words lingered.
Looking around the room, I pushed up from the chair. Captain Rory stayed seated as I started for the door.
Behind me, I heard, “Have you thought any more about what we talked about?”
I knew this was coming. Slowly, I turned around as my chest rose and fell. “I have.”
“And?”
