Free Howl Deadly by Linda O. Johnston Page B

know I had to leave. “Lots of pet-sitting clients to visit,” I told him. “See you and Lexie later.”
    First thing, when I returned to my Ford Escape to escape to my next pup to care for, I used my hands-free phone system to make one of a couple of pending calls. “Mignon, it’s me,” I said to the receptionist at my law firm. “I’ll be in later, I promise, but I have some things to take care of first.”
    “Animals always come first, don’t they, Kendra?” she said in a giggly, nonjudgmental voice. Like Borden Yurick, the senior partner of our firm that specialized in practicing law for senior citizens, she understood my priorities. “Want me to check your calendar and call you back if there’s anything pressing later today?”
    “Yes, and please ask Borden, too.”
    When I hung up, I took a deep breath and called Althea Alton for the second time in only a few days. I kind of regretted having had her check her unusual online sources for the missing wolf mama—since I was about to ask her for an even huger favor.
    “Hi, Kendra!” she greeted me effusively. “Sorry, I haven’t found anything on the sudden appearance of a loose wolf in the area. I wanted to touch base with you, though, to let you know.”
    “Thanks,” I said as I stopped for a traffic light and saw a cop in the car in the next lane staring at me. Better that it appear I was talking to myself than violating the California law against use of hand-held cell phones in automobiles. “But I have another favor to ask.”
    “Oh?” I heard her backing-away tone. I was pressing my luck in pushing for more help, especially under the current circumstances.
    “Check with Jeff, of course, but . . . well, I’m looking into who could have committed another murder.”
    “Another one? Oh, Kendra, that’s so weird. Unless—did you go looking for this one?”
    “Hardly.” The light changed, and I accelerated slowly, not wanting to give the cop a reason to harass me. He went on ahead, and I sighed in relief. “Anyway, I would love it if you could find out all you can about a man named Jon—that’s J-O-N—Doe, who worked at HotWildlife. I checked with the director, and she said he applied with excellent credentials. He’d worked at zoos and other animal sanctuaries. But I’d really, really appreciate a whole history of the guy.” Like anything that gave me insight into why Dante and Brody were so interested in him.
    “You know what Jeff’s going to say, don’t you?” Althea’s young but grandmotherly voice was filled with warning.
    “Yes, and you can tell him I’ll schedule a lunch with him soon. I’ll even come to your office.” Which was located in Westwood, not exactly convenient to my mostly San Fernando Valley pet-sitting, nor my Encino-area law office. Worse, I’d have to deal with the hunky guy, once my lover, as he tried to convince me, yet again, to give him another chance. But, hey, it’d be worth the hassle if Althea, using her amazing Internet skills—and hacking abilities—got me the info I sought.
    “Okay, I’ll check with him and let you know,” she said. She added, in a kinder tone, “It’ll be great to see you again, Kendra, and to catch up with what’s going on in your life.”
    “Besides my still being a murder magnet?” I asked, attempting to punctuate it with a laugh.
    “Yes,” she said. “Besides that.”
     
     
     
    IT WAS MIDMORNING by the time I’d cared for and played with my remaining pet-sitting charges. I jotted the last info into my pet-sitting journal. I felt both exhausted and exhilarated. I loved this part of my life!
    But maybe I was schizophrenic, since I also loved my other major career: lawyering. I happily headed my Escape toward Encino and my law office.
    Mignon was, as usual, at the large front desk to greet me. The law offices were located in a building that had once been a restaurant, so the reception area was essentially where hostesses once hung out to seat guests.
    Mignon