they looked out the window and took down her license plate number.
Another possibility—telling them Mr. McGuire had told her to enter the premises to check on the unit. If she were lucky, they wouldn’t know this was illegal and they wouldn’t check with Tommy to confirm her story. They seemed like the kind of guys who wouldn’t know their rights. At least that’s what she hoped. People had a way of surprising her, and sometimes not in a good way.
Her best bet, she decided, was to not get caught.
She crossed through the living room and went into the small kitchen where the smell of feces was even stronger. Now that she had an explanation ready in case she got caught, she felt a little better, but she still moved quietly and quickly. She tucked the letter and key ring into her purse and went to the balcony door on the far wall of the room. The door had a hook-and-eye closure that wasn’t lined up perfectly, so it took a bit of tugging to free the hook. She turned on the outside light and stepped outside. The air was filled with swirling flakes of snow and the dog was covered with a layer of white.
“Anni?” Andrea knelt down next to her, and the dog shrank back, shaking. Poor little thing was either shivering from the cold or terrified. The dog’s red collar was attached to a short, bulky chain wrapped around a balcony spindle. Andrea followed the chain to where it was connected, relieved to see it had a simple thumb-push fastener rather than a lock. It only took a second for the chain to come free. “Come on, girl,” she crooned. “Time to get out of the cold.” She pulled gently on the chain and immediately regretted it. Anni cringed like she expected to be hit. “It’s okay, Anni. It’s okay.” She wished she had more experience with dogs. Was there some reassuring phrase that all dog owners knew? A secret code that would put Anni at ease? She was ill equipped for the situation, but doing the best she knew how. She ran a hand over Anni’s back and made what she hoped sounded like soothing noises. “You’re a good girl; yes, you are, Anni.” Anni’s ears perked up hopefully when she heard her name. Within a minute or so Andrea felt the dog’s body relax under her hand, and she knew what she was going to do. She was going to steal a dog.
Andrea disconnected the chain from the collar. It wasn’t the right kind of chain to be a dog leash, way too heavy and much too short. She stood up, patting her thighs. “Come on, girl,” she said, but Anni, even as her eyes pleaded, didn’t move. Andrea opened the door, and waved a hand toward the inside. “Let’s go!” She said the words with a faked enthusiasm. Although Anni lifted her head and looked longingly through the doorway, she didn’t get up. Andrea reached down and scooped the dog into her arms. Good grief, she was heavy for such a small dog, but at least she didn’t struggle. Andrea got the overpowering odor of wet dog; it was clear Anni needed a bath. She’d been afraid Anni would fight being carried, but the dog settled against her chest like she knew she was in good hands.
Andrea struggled through the balcony doorway, then closed the door with her back end, not bothering to latch it with the hook and eye. She crossed the room, shifting Anni’s body so that she could grab the knob. Once she was out in the hallway, she breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t left anything incriminating behind. They’d just be less one neglected dog—a dog they weren’t supposed to have in the first place. First, though, she had to get away from here. Far away from here.
As she made her way down the stairs with Anni in her arms, making sure to avoid the missing step, she prayed she wouldn’t run into any of the other tenants. The first rule of any crime: no witnesses. All she had to do was get to her car and she’d be home free. As she got to the bottom of the stairs, she got a whiff of marijuana mingled with the wet dog smell. So be it. Hopefully
Another possibility—telling them Mr. McGuire had told her to enter the premises to check on the unit. If she were lucky, they wouldn’t know this was illegal and they wouldn’t check with Tommy to confirm her story. They seemed like the kind of guys who wouldn’t know their rights. At least that’s what she hoped. People had a way of surprising her, and sometimes not in a good way.
Her best bet, she decided, was to not get caught.
She crossed through the living room and went into the small kitchen where the smell of feces was even stronger. Now that she had an explanation ready in case she got caught, she felt a little better, but she still moved quietly and quickly. She tucked the letter and key ring into her purse and went to the balcony door on the far wall of the room. The door had a hook-and-eye closure that wasn’t lined up perfectly, so it took a bit of tugging to free the hook. She turned on the outside light and stepped outside. The air was filled with swirling flakes of snow and the dog was covered with a layer of white.
“Anni?” Andrea knelt down next to her, and the dog shrank back, shaking. Poor little thing was either shivering from the cold or terrified. The dog’s red collar was attached to a short, bulky chain wrapped around a balcony spindle. Andrea followed the chain to where it was connected, relieved to see it had a simple thumb-push fastener rather than a lock. It only took a second for the chain to come free. “Come on, girl,” she crooned. “Time to get out of the cold.” She pulled gently on the chain and immediately regretted it. Anni cringed like she expected to be hit. “It’s okay, Anni. It’s okay.” She wished she had more experience with dogs. Was there some reassuring phrase that all dog owners knew? A secret code that would put Anni at ease? She was ill equipped for the situation, but doing the best she knew how. She ran a hand over Anni’s back and made what she hoped sounded like soothing noises. “You’re a good girl; yes, you are, Anni.” Anni’s ears perked up hopefully when she heard her name. Within a minute or so Andrea felt the dog’s body relax under her hand, and she knew what she was going to do. She was going to steal a dog.
Andrea disconnected the chain from the collar. It wasn’t the right kind of chain to be a dog leash, way too heavy and much too short. She stood up, patting her thighs. “Come on, girl,” she said, but Anni, even as her eyes pleaded, didn’t move. Andrea opened the door, and waved a hand toward the inside. “Let’s go!” She said the words with a faked enthusiasm. Although Anni lifted her head and looked longingly through the doorway, she didn’t get up. Andrea reached down and scooped the dog into her arms. Good grief, she was heavy for such a small dog, but at least she didn’t struggle. Andrea got the overpowering odor of wet dog; it was clear Anni needed a bath. She’d been afraid Anni would fight being carried, but the dog settled against her chest like she knew she was in good hands.
Andrea struggled through the balcony doorway, then closed the door with her back end, not bothering to latch it with the hook and eye. She crossed the room, shifting Anni’s body so that she could grab the knob. Once she was out in the hallway, she breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t left anything incriminating behind. They’d just be less one neglected dog—a dog they weren’t supposed to have in the first place. First, though, she had to get away from here. Far away from here.
As she made her way down the stairs with Anni in her arms, making sure to avoid the missing step, she prayed she wouldn’t run into any of the other tenants. The first rule of any crime: no witnesses. All she had to do was get to her car and she’d be home free. As she got to the bottom of the stairs, she got a whiff of marijuana mingled with the wet dog smell. So be it. Hopefully
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