|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ward grimace to Mrs. Manning as if to say her young son had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. The woman turned anxiously to the window again, watching a raccoon drinking from the open pool. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Matty opened the cellar door and plunked down the bowl. "She outside?" he said. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinarily the cat would be right there, eager to get at the chow. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"No." Terry peered down the stairs. In the muted light she saw the cat crouched at the bottom stairpoised, her ears flat back, her eyes large. When Matty called her, she shot away. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"That's odd," Terry said, trying to deflect attention to the cat. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Maybe it's me," said Mrs. Manning. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"But she's not shy. Quite the contrary." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mrs. Manning glanced down the stairs. "She looks frightened." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Probably the raccoons," Terry said, grateful for new footing. "Last week a big male chased her onto the garage roof." She could see the cat hissing at her from the shadows below. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Bet it's rabies," Matty said. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Rabies?" Mrs. Manning said. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Damn, Terry thought. He's doing it on purpose. "Matty, she doesn't have rabies." But she made a mental note to call the vet. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"That's what the papers said." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He was trying to drive the woman away. To kill the sale. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
She took in a lungful of air. "Oh, there was some report of a few wild animals having the disease," she said, "but that was in the western part of the state, Pittsfield or someplace. A dog and a couple of skunks tested positive, but that's eighty miles away." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"The papers said strange animal behavior in Magog Woods." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Terry's face flushed. She imagined the woman's report to her husband. Nice home, lovely landscaping, big brand-new pool, woods full of rabid raccoons. Drawing out the syllables she said, "Matthew, you're going to be late." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He read the anger in her face, but before he was out the back door, he flashed a secret grin. She could feel its heat on her face. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Is there something I should know?" Mrs. Manning's expression looked like cement hardening. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Noo," Terry said. "Some frisky raccoons, a few dead squirrels, no big deal. And," she added, "they all tested negative. I can assure you, there haven't been any reports of rabies anywhere near here." |
|
|
|
|
|