Page 22 of Good at Being Bad (Rock Canyon, Idaho 8)

“There was a whole litter somebody dumped in a sack to drown. I’m assuming the mom was in there, too, because there were tracks leading away from the shore, but I am pretty sure something got her.”

Zoe frowned as she stroked the top of the puppy’s head. “I don’t understand people! Why would you drown a litter of five-week-old puppies instead of just bringing them here?”

“People are idiots, I guess.”

“I’ll call Larry to go down there and pick them up. Maybe if I post something about it on Facebook, we can catch the bastards. Are you going to keep him?” Zoe asked.

Mike started a little. He hadn’t even thought about keeping the pup, but as he looked down into the dog’s tiny face and saw a pair of dark eyes watching Mike intensely, he nodded. “Yeah, I’ll keep him.”

“That’s good to hear.” Zoe took the pup from his arms and cuddled him against her white lab coat. “Do you want to leave him with us and we’ll give him a complete health check? I’m going to see if he’ll eat canned food and formula from a dish, but you may need to bottle-feed him for another week or so if he doesn’t get it.”

Mike smiled, not even thinking about what this puppy was going to cost him.

“Whatever he needs, do it.”

Ellie walked into Jenson’s Diner just after noon to meet her sisters for lunch, in dire need of some greasy food and girl talk.

Val and Caroline were sitting in a booth toward the back. Caroline was the oldest and five months pregnant with an adorable little baby bump hidden by the table. Her dark hair was up in a ponytail, and her face was scrubbed free of makeup, showing off the dark semicircles under her eyes. Ellie knew that Caroline had been suffering from insomnia the past month and had issues falling asleep.

Val was five years older than Ellie, and was sporting her own dark circles, but Ellie was pretty sure those had to do with her two-year-old son. Carter Silverton was the apple of his mama’s eye, but Val had been whining for weeks about Carter crawling into his parents’ bed and kicking her all night long. It didn’t matter if she put him back in his toddler bed. He always crawled back in and the kicking would start all over.

“Well, don’t the two of you look pretty?” Ellie said with a wicked grin.

Val shot her a withering look. “Bite me.”

Ellie kissed her cheek before sliding in across from her and Caroline. “That’s what you have a husband for, perv.”

“Ugh, that man is never touching me again. Not until I hit menopause.”

Ellie laughed, thinking that she should probably remind her sister that she had been afraid she wouldn’t be able to have children before Carter. That she had wanted at least three.

But then, Val didn’t really look like she was in the mood to be teased.

“Why are you so chipper today?” Caroline grumbled.

“No reason. Just had enough coffee, I guess.”

Ellie didn’t see any reason to tell her sisters about her possible deal with Mike, or especially the notebook. She’s promised him that she would remain hush-hush about it, and she was determined to keep that promise.

No matter how much her sisters looked like they could use a pick-me-up.

“Is Carter with Justin?” Ellie asked.

“Yeah, he decided to take him into town with him as a kind of father and son day so I could nap.”

Ellie quirked one eyebrow at her. “And did you nap?”

“Are you kidding? I slept in until nine, and had a cup of coffee in blissful silence. Then cleaned up the house and took Gus for a short walk. Poor guy is getting too old for much more than that.”

“I didn’t hear anything about a shower in there.”

Val stuck her tongue out at her. “I’m going to take a long, hot bath when I get home.”

“Nice. Caroline.” Her sister jumped in her seat, and Ellie was pretty sure she’d dozed off. “You okay?”

“Yeah, fine. Just tired.” She yawned, her mouth opening so wide Ellie could see halfway down her throat. “I did get the baby’s room painted last night.”

Val elbowed her. “I thought you were going to let Gabe do that? The fumes

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