to roam. Shepherds need exercise and Maggie could handle that, mainly because she wanted Eli to love the outdoors. When she needed more exercise than Maggie could muster, she entrusted Eli to walk the dog. Vala knew the difference between the child and her master, and she never pulled at him or ran away.
Vala stayed in the car and only sat up when someone left the car. She watched Eli as he made it into the building safely, and she’d patrol the sidewalk again when Maggie went inside the coffee shop.
Claire was inside the mountain café, sitting by the couches at a small table for two. She sat back smiling with that ingenious glare on her face, “I see you brought Vala.”
Maggie looped her bag over the chair handle and sat down. “Yeah, she got sick this morning. I thought I’d keep an eye on her.”
“Sick? Like how?”
“Like she ate something bad; that’s never happened before.”
“So naturally you just put her in the car and took her with you?”
Oh, how she loved Claire’s sarcasm. Maggie withheld the fact that Vala had poison training. It was something Klaus did with all his security dogs. She wanted Vala to have it. So that ruled out her first fear. What she ate and where got it, was still puzzling.
“Did you take her on a hike? Maybe she ate a squirrel or something.”
Maggie nodded no and tucked her chair in tighter. Hikes were not on the’ To-Do’ list, especially with the nightmares she’d been having. Maybe in the spring, she thought to herself.
“I’ve got something for you.”
Claire handed her a business card.
“What’s this?”
“Just the name of someone I thought could be useful.”
Maggie sat back indignantly, “We’ve been through this. I am not dating.”
Maggie was agitated and her friend knew it. “What is so funny?”
“You obviously didn’t read the card. It’s a referral, not a date.”
“Claire, Eli and I are fine.”
“I wish you guys would move closer to town. I don’t like you being back in the woods like that.”
“Eli and I are perfectly happy up there. We aren’t big city people.”
Her friend ridiculed her with that know-it-all stare. “You could get in trouble up there, all alone. God only knows who wanders about in the woods. All that land behind you, the national forest. Damn fugitives could be lurking around.”
Maggie smiled, but that fear was something she wrestled with daily.
Maggie pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the card. “You can keep the card. I don’t want Eli finding it.”
“You do realize at this age he is more apt to find it on your phone than in your purse?”
She had a point.
“Make the call.”
CHAPTER 5
Eli raced into the bedroom at 6:45 am. “Mom, it’s working. I grew an inch,” He screeched as he pulled her out of bed. “A whole inch mom come and see.”
Maggie reached for her robe. The house was freezing. She tried to be interested in Eli’s growth but something was wrong with the heat. Had the fire died out? Did she leave the door to the garage open?
Eli proudly stood against the wall where his mother had taped a giraffe ruler. His head fit perfectly beside the last mark she made. “WOW, you are really growing,” She said proudly.
“I knew it. I’m gonna be big as Mr. Von Eiffer down the street.”
Maggie had to think about that for a minute. Mrs. Von Eiffer lived alone, or so she thought. Maybe it was her son.
“Thanks mom.”
Eli was average height but lately he’d been obsessed with growing taller than the other kids in his class. She wondered if everything was alright. “It’s too early to start the day baby, can you try to go back to sleep?”
“But I’m too excited mom. Can I just play quietly,please?” he begged
“Eli, you are supposed to stay in bed until 7am.”
“What if I bring my toys onto the bed with me, then I will be in bed till its time?”
What mother would say no to such negotiations? She would get another hour of sleep, and if he fell asleep early today, all the better.
Randall’s tree farm was just six miles ahead on the left. They had a small Santa’s village outside, which Maggie spotted before Eli. Parking was easy and they were reasonably priced. There was always hot cider and a tent that blew warm air while you waited for them to load it onto your car.
Eli would probably see a friend or two from in town. But right now he had two feet