Page 40 of Bears Behaving Badly
“She did it to mess with me and you’re complicit. And the notebook and pens for Caro were thoughtful…”
Soft pens, David thought.Tough to hurt anyone with them. Or herself.Mama Mac had been around the block.
“…but Caro doesn’t communicate. At all. With…um…”
For a good minute, the only sounds in the kitchen were the scratching of Caro’s pens and the rumble of Annette’s belly.
“Wejustate.”
“Shut up, David.”
Finally, Caro stopped writing long enough to rip off a page and hand it to Mama Mac.
Dear Mama Mac,
I’m happy to earn my keep while staying with you, whether that’s for hours or days or weeks, so if you’d be kind enough to provide a list of chores, I’ll get to them ASAP.
I’m fine with indoor work like making beds, doing dishes, washing floors, scrubbing counters, sorting, washing, folding, & ironing laundry, vacuuming, and/or washing windows (both sides). I’m good at cleaning out gutters, raking, mowing, trimming weeds, gardening, weeding, mulching, & shaping hedges, but I can only make rabbits that look like balloons with pointy ears. (I’m working on that skill set.)
If it’s allowed, I’d like access to a laptop or smartphone with Wi-Fi. If not, may I see whatever fiction & nonfiction books you deem appropriate?
Where do I sleep? I’m fine on any floor if you’re short of beds. I don’t mind the cold so the basement is also fine. Will a change of clothes be provided? If not, I can provide my own.
“Uh,” Annette said, which was more than David had been able to come up with.
Caro’s pen was still flying across the page, and then there was anotherri-i-i-i-p!and another page handed off.
“Is professional speed-writing a thing?” David asked. “Because I feel like she’d be great at it.”
I believe I’ve covered the basics but if I’ve omitted anything please don’t hesitate to say so. Thank you for allowing me in your home.
Please know that (1) I’m not a pet, (2) I’ll hurt anyone who tries to hurt me or mine.
Sincerely yours,
Caroline Daniels
“Welp, that’s clear enough.” Mama Mac folded Caro’s first communique and tucked it away in the pocket of her jeans like it was NBD. “So. Lunch?”
Chapter 16
They were half a mile away when David succumbed to the giggles. “So there you were…”
Argh.“It was two minutes ago, David. There’s no need to reminisce.”
“…in the midst of explaining about our incommunicado werewolf…annnnnnd then she wrote out a chore manifesto.”
Annette covered her face and groaned through her fingers. “And then just casually handed it off. My teeth almost fell out! The only saving grace is that we were the only ones present for the ritual humiliation.” Andourincommunicado werewolf? That warmed her. David often gave the impression that the kids he investigated were just pieces of paper in a file to him. But that wasn’t fair. It wasn’t like she’d ever sat him down and asked him about it. Any of it.Why have I never asked this guy out for a meal? Oh. Right. Because I’m horrible at it.
“I think fleeing the premises was the right thing to do.”
“Theonlything,” she agreed.
They were both downplaying their relief at seeing Caro’s capacity for clear communication, not to mention proof of what appeared to be formidable intelligence and fortitude. Should this horrifying debacle ever come to trial, she’d make a compelling witness.
David made a heroic effort to stop giggling. “And that wasn’t the strangest part. I still can’t believe you turned down lunch.”
“Not because I wanted to. But time is not on our side in this… Oh. You’re mocking me.”
