Heaven Sent Rain by Lauraine Snelling

world? The two things did not fit, not at all. But maybe someone else did the artwork and they had the same initials, or…She could not come up with another scenario other than that he paid an artist and put his name on them. That certainly seemed plausible.
    Her cell rang, and a most familiar number popped up on the ID. She stepped outside to answer it. “Hi, Hal. I’m back at the vet’s so Jonah can visit Mutt.”
    “I thought you were there earlier.”
    “We were, we left, we returned. Long story.” A sign on a rather unusual house across the street advertised palm reading and other helpful offers. Dr. Miller had managed to choose a less-than-great neighborhood for his thriving practice. Reading the sign beside the office entry, she realized there were two Millers. So he was married? Why did that surprise her? He was good-looking, personable—at least to others if not to her. Perhaps he was even a father, or a father wannabe or…
    Hal was asking, “Where did you go?” She forced her attention back to the conversation.
    “When?” she asked.
    “Just now. You were making no sense whatsoever. I asked you if you’ve read all the media hysteria.”
    “No, I haven’t. Why?” She frowned.
    “Good. Don’t.”
    “Hal, there wasn’t anybody there. A couple independent agencies, but not the big guns, like AP. Why would there be a frenzy?”
    “There’s a lot of negativity out there right now, and we don’t want to feed into it. And leave your TV off.”
    She snorted a response. He knew she never, or at least rarely, watched television.
    He continued barking. “Radio, Internet, and do not agree to any interviews. So far they are calling me, as we requested in the press release, but someone is going to dig deep enough to find you.”
    “Oh, I hate this. I’m a chemist, Hal, a researcher. I find new uses for old chemicals. I’m—”
    “I know, I know. All food is chemicals. I talk about the tasty fat in a steak and you draw a picture of a long-chain fatty acid. You’re a lab worker, Dinah, but you are also a CEO, and you have a blockbuster on your hands here. Not a positive blockbuster, either. That one reporter for the indie is sure the FDA is going to nail you to the wall, and she wants to help them do it. I—”
    “Why can’t things just go on as usual? Ignore the little indie and perhaps she will go away.”
    “I won’t say I warned you, but…”
    “I know. Is there anyone I should stay away from the most?”
    He rattled off a stream of nonsense that filled her ear but did not gain entrance to her brain.
    “Thanks. I gotta go. Jonah is coming out. Oh, and by the way, you mentioned you had sources to research Jonah’s parents. Would you go ahead and see what you can find out about his mother, please?” She clicked off as he was saying Will do and shoved her phone into the bottom of her bag.
    The last thing she wanted right now was more attention. All these years she had managed to fly under the radar, which was just the way she liked it, but now…As Hal had reminded her more than once, she was going to be forced to face the world at some point. But she wanted to do it on her terms, not in desperation. Yes, the launch of a new product is intended to generate attention and interest, but nice, polite, manageable attention. Not a negative feeding frenzy.
    She smiled at Jonah. “Ready?”
    Jonah nodded. “She was happy to get her bone.” As they walked out to the parking lot, he grinned up at her. “Dr. G makes good pictures, doesn’t he?”
    “He does.”
    “He said he would have one for me, of me ’n’ Mutt.”
    “Really?” Good way to get faithful clients.
    “But we can’t take Mutt home until Monday and please can we come back? Today?” He searched her face.
    “If your mother agrees.” She clicked open the car doors and slid into the driver’s seat. He had the seat belt buckled before she could even remind him. One had to tell him something only one time and that was it. The