Page 72 of One In Vermillion

“At the ass crack of dawn on a Saturday? Get a life, Vince.”

The phone went dead.

I reached Factory Road and thought about the hairpin turn to the right where first Navy Blue and now Jim Pitts had died. Maybe we should just close the road? The country club wouldn’t be thrilled about that, I suppose. Nor Anemone, since it was the road to her Pink House.

Of course, right then my cell buzzed and I saw it was George.

What fresh hell is this?I thought since it was a Saturday morning and who called so early?

“Hello?”

“Vince,” George said. “I didn’t catch you at a bad time?”

“Nope.”

“Could you stop by the Pink House?” George asked. “We’ve got a, uh, situation here.”

“I’m two minutes away. Should I hit the lights and siren?”

George laughed. “Not that kind of situation.”

“On my way.”

I turned left and rolled up the hill. George was standing with Peri in front of the house, with the big red bear sitting between them. The lower half of it was sopping wet. There was a story here and I was going to hear it.

I parked and got out. “Hey, Peri.”

“Hello, Vince.” She looked worried.

“What’s wrong?”

Peri nodded at the stuffed animal. “Veronica peed on Big Red again.”

I blinked because that must have been a hell of a pee for a little dog, but George explained. “She’s been doing it for a while, so I tried hosing it out yesterday, but then it got soaked and I don’t think I did a very good job getting the pee out, and it’s taking forever to dry, and then she hit it again this morning.”

“Okay,” I said, uncertain where this was going since George must have known my bear cleaning ability was probably on par with his.

Peri was very serious. “I told Crys about it at swimming practice yesterday and she said they have much better hoses at the fire department and a couple of really big fans she could use to dry it.”

I nodded with what I thought was solemn understanding.

“I’d take it in the Suburban,” George said, getting to the heart of the matter, “but it’s still wet and a bit, well, odiferous.”

Peri stepped forward and looked up at me, as if ordering me to be part of the forlorn hope, the volunteers who charge the gates of a citadel in an almost suicidal mission to breach them. “Could you drop Big Red at the fire house?”

“When you get a chance,” George added.

“Certainly,” I said. “Your wish is my command.”

Peri nodded regally. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome.” I picked up the bear, which was indeed sopping wet, and carried it over the Gladiator, depositing it in the cargo bed, noting that George was right. It did smell. It was easier to put in there than it had been in the cruiser when I’d first stopped Liz Danger. It lay on its back, taking up a large part of the space, staring aimlessly at the sky with large beady eyeballs. I felt a certain camaraderie with it.

“Thanks.” George nodded toward the house. “Breakfast? I can ask Marianne to make extra.”

I waved that off. “Thanks. But I’m good.” I smiled at Peri. “I’ll take care of Big Red.”

She nodded and went inside with George.

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