Free Home Is Where the Bark Is by Kandy Shepherd Page B

day, Joe. As good as can be expected.”
    Her client’s Adam’s apple jerked convulsively. “One of her last days here, I’m afraid, Serena.”
    Serena’s face crumpled; she snatched her hand to her mouth as she stared at Joe. “Oh no. Not that. The vet hasn’t said to euthanize—?”
    Nick immediately felt like a prize jerk. The poor animal was being pampered because she was on her last legs. If he’d sounded forth about the popcorn and the soda fountain, right now he’d be wrenching his size-thirteen foot out of his mouth.
    But Joe made a waving-away motion with his hands. “No. Thank God. We’ve been spared that. With everything else at least we’ve been spared that.”
    Serena’s brow furrowed. “Then I don’t understand. Why would this be one of Freya’s last days here?”
    “I’m sorry, Serena. I’m giving you the week’s notice I know you require,” said Joe, obviously having difficulty with the words. “We have to . . . to take Freya out of Paws-A-While.”
    Emotions rippled across Serena’s face. Shock. Hurt. A flash of panic. “But, Joe, I thought you and Rosemary were happy with the way we look after Freya?”
    Joe groaned. “I’m not doing this very well, am I? We couldn’t be happier with Paws-A-While. Freya will miss coming here and so . . . so will we. I know I also speak for Rosemary on that.”
    “So why—?”
    “To be blunt, we can’t afford to keep Freya with you any longer. We’re broke, Serena. Lost everything.” Her client’s mouth set in a grim line.
    Serena didn’t do a good job of hiding her bewilderment. She was either an excellent actor—as the best con merchants were—or she was genuinely distressed.
    “But, Joe, you’re a doctor . . . So’s Rosemary. You have your own business. How do doctors lose . . . ?”
    “Identity theft, Serena.” He spat out the words as if they were some bitter substance he had inadvertently swallowed. “That’s how people like us, who have worked so hard to get everything we have, can lose it all.”
    “Identity theft,” she said, as if she was only barely aware of the term. “Isn’t that when someone steals your credit cards, then uses your name?”
    Joe nodded, obviously too shattered by the event to say much more.
    Oh yes, Nick recognized Joseph Godfrey, all right. His file was in the third drawer down in the secure filing cabinet in the S&W Investigations office in South Beach.
    Drs. Joseph and Rosemary Godfrey, San Anselmo, Marin County. The bearded doctor’s photo was scanned into the report from the insurance company. Along with the details of the massive fraud perpetrated on him and his wife. Credit cards run up to the max. Bank accounts cleaned out. Debts all over the state. A massive mortgage taken out using their properties as collateral. All orchestrated by a scammer who had assumed the identities of this eminent pediatrician and his psychiatrist wife.
    Serena was reeling, obviously having trouble taking in what her client had told her. “Joe, this is terrible. I . . . I can’t say how sorry I am.”
    Joe shook his head. “It’s a mess like you wouldn’t believe, Serena. And now our poor, innocent dog will suffer, too.”
    “But . . . she’s so frail. Who will look after her when you and Rosemary are at work?”
    “We’ll have to leave her at home by herself.” His mouth twisted. “That is, if we get to keep our home. Not that we feel the same about it since it was burgled.”
    Serena’s lovely, full mouth was trembling. “But Freya hates being by herself. She’s too old. She . . .” She bit down on her bottom lip. Nick had the irrational urge to take her in his arms and comfort her.
    Comfort her in the distress she feels at having to face up to the effects of her crimes?
    She twisted her hands together and Nick got the impression she was fighting tears but was determined not to fall to pieces in front of her clients. “I’ll . . . I’ll go get Freya,” she said, turning on her heel.
    An