Read Paddy Plays in Dead Mule Swamp Online

Authors: Joan H. Young

Tags: #mystery short story amateur detective midwest amateur detectives cozy mystery small towns women sleuths regional anastasia raven

Paddy Plays in Dead Mule Swamp (24 page)

After much discussion, Len and the
girls had decided to put most of the money into savings for their
college educations. A newer house was considered, but they all
agreed that they didn’t mind the small trailer all that much, and
they’d rather be certain of being able to go to college.

They spent a little bit on themselves.
Sunny picked out a new bicycle, and Star signed up for a year of
tennis lessons. They whispered and giggled, and enlisted my help to
take Len to Emily City one afternoon. At the furniture outlet he
tried out all the recliners until he found the most comfortable
one, which they bought on the spot, with a matching love seat. They
were obviously delighted to use the words that sounded so
sophisticated, “We’ll have it delivered, please.”

After that, I was informed that the
next stop was the mobile phone store, where they replaced my cell
phone which Larry had broken the day he had been
captured.

The town was a-buzz because of the
solution of these old crimes. Adele was telling everyone of her
small role, and making people believe (at least she thought so)
that she had done much more than spearhead literacy training and
the purchase of a refrigerator. “It will do for Len for years, long
after the girls are grown,” Adele assured the committee members. Of
course, the Family Friends voted to buy the Leonards the appliance,
despite their new fortune. The money really belonged to the
girls.

Len’s reading lessons finally began.
The old couch with a recliner section was trucked to the library.
It became the first piece of furniture in an area of relaxed
seating where people could read. This also made it possible for Len
to take his lessons in comfort. New methods of helping dyslexics
were working well, and the tutor advised us that Len was making
great progress. Since he loved books so much, he was already
checking out the maximum number allowed each week, and didn’t seem
to mind that they were books for children. “I just can’t get over
how I can see the words now!” he had told me, wonder in his
voice.

School would be starting in just a few
weeks, so Star, Sunny and I spent more than a few days struggling
with the less-dangerous mysteries of fabric, pins, and the sewing
machine. Oh yes, and the seam ripper. But with plenty of time to
spare, the salmon top and bright skirt and vest were finished. The
girls were already planning their next fabric purchases.

Finally, the day came we’d all been
dreading. My second cousin, Vic, was coming to pick up Paddy. Star
and Sunny had asked to be at my house for the sad event, and I had
agreed that they could come. Actually, I’d had a long phone
conversation with Len about this very topic. Saying goodbye to
Paddy would be very emotional for all of us. And yet, I knew I
couldn’t keep him, even if he hadn’t been Vic’s dog. As much as I’d
enjoyed his company, I didn’t really want to have the continual
responsibility for another life. I was enjoying my new freedom too
much.

The girls were playing with Paddy in
the yard when, much to their dismay, Vic pulled into the driveway,
slightly earlier than expected. I was sitting on the
terrace.

Vic stepped out of his battered
Subaru, and looked around. He had returned from Egypt tan and fit.
Vic is about ten years younger than I am, and he looked great in
jeans and a white polo shirt. However, Paddy showed no interest in
going to him, and continued to chase the ball Sunny had just
thrown.

“Hey Paddy! Come.” Vic
called.

The dog glanced up and trotted over to
Vic, but he looked at me for reassurance. Vic ruffled the long red
ears.

“Come in and have some iced tea,” I
said. I didn’t want to hurry the goodbye.

“Sure, I can do that,” he
said.

“Do you want to come in too?” I asked
the girls.

“No, we’ll play with Paddy,” Star
answered.

Vic and I went inside and chatted for
about thirty minutes about family issues over tall glasses of tea.
I had hoped Vic would be able to spend some time with Chad this
summer, but I knew from a phone conversation that the timing wasn’t
going to work out this year. Vic’s mother, Rita, was well, but Vic
reported that she still thought I was crazy to live in such a small
town. Finally, it was time to say goodbye.

I broke down Paddy’s wire kennel and
folded it. Vic carried the awkward package to the car and slid it
through the hatchback. I piled on the blankets and bowls and
toys.

“It’s time, girls,” I said
solemnly.

“Don’t you have to take down the cable
run?” Star asked. I thought I heard her voice catch.

“I’m going to leave that up in case
Paddy or another dog visits me.”

“Oh, OK,” Star said. “But I thought
Vic lived in Chicago. That’s a long way to visit very
often.”

Sunny was hugging Paddy and not even
pretending that she wasn’t crying.

“I do live in Chicago,” Vic said.
“But, I’m leaving soon on another research trip, this time to
Kenya. So I thought maybe Paddy would like to live in Hammer Bridge
Town.”

It took a minute for the girls to
process what Vic meant. They both looked at me.

“But Grandpa...” Sunny
began.

“Your grandpa already said it’s a
wonderful idea,” I told them with a grin. “The things are already
loaded. Shall we take Paddy to his new home now?”

“Yes!” both girls said. Sunny suddenly
started hiccupping, and Paddy nuzzled her in the ribs, which
changed the hiccups to uncontrolled giggling.

“You and the girls lead, I’ll follow,”
Vic said. Sunny, Star, Paddy and I climbed into the Jeep as fast as
was possible given all the hugs that were being exchanged. Even Vic
was not immune from the happy embraces.

The dog and both girls were in the
back seat of the Jeep bouncing with joy. Vic came over to shut the
back door and fondled the dog’s red head. He asked playfully, “Hey
Paddy, weren’t you bored in this old dead swamp all summer? It
looks like nothing much ever happens here.”

About the
Author

Joan Young has enjoyed the
out-of-doors her entire life. Highlights of her outdoor adventures
include Girl Scouting, which provided yearly training in camp
skills, the opportunity to engage in a ten-day canoe trip, and
numerous short backpacking excursions. She was selected to attend
the 1965 Senior Scout Roundup in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, an
international event to which 10,000 girls were invited. She has
ridden a bicycle from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean in 1986,
and on August 3, 2010 became the first woman to complete the North
Country National Scenic Trail on foot. Her mileage totaled 4395
miles. She often writes about her outdoor experiences.

Recently, she has begun
writing more fiction, with several award-winning short stories
awaiting publication at
Twin Trinity
Media
.
Paddy Plays in Dead Mule Swamp
is the
third story in the Anastasia Raven mystery series.