Free Raining Cats & Dogs (A Melanie Travis Mystery) by Laurien Berenson

that,” Borden instructed. “We’re just happy to have people come and visit us. None of us has any right to complain.”
    “Even if that dog does look like he wouldn’t mind munching on a person’s arm for lunch and spitting out the bones,” said Madeline.
    The description wasn’t far off. As always, there was an air of watchful tension about Boss. I loved dogs, and I’d never, for a minute, been afraid of one. But even to me the Akita didn’t look like the kind of animal that I would want to cross—or meet up with in a dark alley.
    “You go on now,” Mary said, as Borden gave Faith a pat good-bye. “We’ll see you again later.”
    Faith and I did as we’d been told. I’d expected the population in the sunroom to remain relatively constant during our visit; instead, people were coming and going all the time. Despite what Mrs. Ellis had said about wanting to sit by the windows, she disappeared shortly after I spoke with her. Her place was taken by a fragile-looking woman who leaned heavily upon a cane and was escorted to a seat in the sun by her visiting daughter. Both were no strangers to Poodles, and they enjoyed the opportunity to meet Faith and visit for a while.
    After I was finished there, I joined up with Julie and Jack. A group of residents, clustered around the Doberman, had asked whether he knew any tricks. Julie had cleared a small area and was demonstrating how well her dog responded to the commands to heel, stay, and come.
    Minnie brought her Standard Schnauzer, Coach, over to observe. “They asked for tricks,” she said when Julie and Jack were finished. “Not an obedience demonstration.”
    Julie turned and glared. An older man who’d been watching the performance leaped to her defense. “She did just fine,” he said. “That stuff looked pretty tricky to me.”
    Minnie looked at him and smiled. “Julie believes in classic obedience training. She likes to teach routines and patterns and specific exercises, the types of things that get rewarded in the show ring. Some of us like to have a little more fun with our dogs.”
    She led Coach out into the cleared area where Julie and Jack were standing. Minnie didn’t actually elbow Julie aside, but she might as well have. It was clear she intended to steal the other woman’s thunder, as well as her audience.
    As Julie and Jack stepped back, Minnie raised her hand, giving Coach a silent signal to sit. The Schnauzer’s hindquarter sank promptly to the floor. His dark eyes were riveted on his owner’s; his stubby tail wagged back and forth. Clearly, this was a game he enjoyed playing.
    Minnie lifted her hand again. Palm up, she wiggled her fingers. Coach lifted first one front paw, then the other. The third time he pushed off and raised himself up into a begging position. Balanced successfully on his hindquarter, he looked very pleased with himself. Several of the elderly residents clapped at the accomplishment.
    “Not yet,” Minnie said with a smile. “Wait.”
    She reached in her pocket and pulled out a biscuit. Taking two steps forward, she leaned down and placed the treat on the top of Coach’s nose. The Schnauzer trembled with anticipation but waited for Minnie’s signal.
    She didn’t make him wait long. “Okay Coach,” she cried. “Get it, boy!”
    The dog tossed his head, flipping the biscuit up into the air. Eyes never leaving the spinning treat, he jumped up after it and caught it on the fly. His strong jaw ground down on the biscuit, and he swallowed before he’d even landed. Coach hit the ground and spun around, tail wagging, face grinning, asking to do it again.
    As the group of residents laughed and applauded, Minnie clasped her fingers together and held out her arms, fashioning them in the shape of a circle. Coach saw the hoop and dove for it. Minnie leaned down, and the Schnauzer leaped up. He sailed through her arms and landed on the other side. Skidding on the floor, he caught himself quickly, whipped around, and