Sneak Thief (A Dog Park Mystery) by C. A. Newsome Page A

admirer had somehow learned of the scene, or if Desiree had altered the figure’s pose. Lia thought not. The foil had been deftly formed. It did not show the crinkling of repeated handling.
    Had he been there, clapping and hooting along with Charlie and the rest? She didn’t recall any strangers that morning, but she’d been preoccupied. Curious as she was, she was not about to end the silence and ask Desiree about it.
    Tension remained thick in the air until break time. Lia waited for Desiree to leave, then grabbed her bag and stood up. The room was almost empty.
    â€œLia, wait up a sec,” Eric called. He caught up with her at the end of the aisle. “What’s going on with you and Desiree? She comes in late, sporting a huge shiner, and asks to change seats on some bogus pretext. The two of you haven’t said a word to each other all night. Usually, you’re thicker than thieves in molasses.”
    Lia looked in the clear blue eyes and saw only concern. “I don’t want to talk about it. If Desiree does, that’s her business. Anything else you wanted, Kemosabe?”
    â€œIt’s affecting your performance. Your count is way up, but your accuracy is down. Not horrible, but not to your usual standard.”
    â€œI’ll be more careful.” She turned away, signaling the end of the conversation.
    â€œLook, are the two of you going to be able to work next to each other? Seating assignments are practically carved in stone. I need something more than a fake cough and a complaint about the AC vent. I can make it happen, but you both would wind up with a tick in your file about not playing well with others.”
    â€œNo problem on my end. I can’t speak for Desiree.” She kept going.
    She ran into Ted in the coffee line. He was a cheerful, middle-aged man who sat in front of her in the scoring room.
    â€œWho hit Desiree?” he stage-whispered.
    â€œNot talking.” She held her palm up and veered off to the other coffee machine.
    Coffee in hand, she scanned the tables until she spotted Terry in a back corner, munching on popcorn. The front of his tee shirt read “The answer is 42.” Lia knew the back of his shirt said “42 is 54.”
    â€œThat’s a serious mouse you gave Desiree. I’m sorry I didn’t catch your boxing debut this morning.”
    â€œNot you, too,” she groaned, sitting down with a thump. She pulled a baggie of mixed nuts and dried fruit out of her tote. “I didn’t realize you’d heard about it.”
    â€œYou kidding? Charlie was so enthused, he offered to turn the old entry corral into a mud pit for wrestling.”
    â€œCharlie is always the gentleman.”
    â€œWhat started it? Nobody at the park knew.”
    Lia sighed, abandoned her fruit and nuts. “You and I have been buddying up to one of the women Luthor was sneaking around with when I dated him. And she’s carrying the romantic notion that if only the bitch, namely moi , had let Luthor go, he’d still be alive today and her life would be complete.”
    â€œAh, the delusions of youth. Of course you had to disavow her of such a ludicrous idea.”
    â€œDelusions is right. I don’t think she got the message. It’s the Cold War all over on our row.”
    â€œI would sic Napa on her for you, but I couldn’t even get her to bite the IRS agent who audited me last year.”
    â€œYou’re a true friend, Terry.”

    H oney , Chewy and Viola rushed the door when she unlocked it. She bent over to pet them, then gasped when a strong arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against a hard chest. Another arm wrapped around her neck.
    â€œWhat are you going to do now, little girl?” a hoarse whisper sounded in her ear.
    Not in the mood for games, Lia raised her kubotan keychain, grasped it firmly with both hands and drove the end into a pressure point on Peter’s elbow.
    â€œOw!”