Free Charming Lily by Fern Michaels

food, then drank greedily. Buzz waited patiently for her to finish before he headed for the door. The shepherd followed.
    Within minutes both dogs were back indoors. Lily stood rooted to the floor when the big black-and-tan dog lunged toward her and started licking every available inch of her skin that was exposed.
    â€œWhoa, girl, easy, easy. Yes, yes, I love you, too. Look how grateful she is, Sadie. I think she’s going to be okay, but we’re still taking her to the vet. Then we’re going to clean her up. She’s a mess.”
    Sadie smiled. At least for a few minutes, Lily was her old self. Why was it that an animal always brought out the best in everyone? “I think you got yourself another dog is what I think. At least for the time being. It looks to me like Buzz agrees. Let’s see who she belongs to. You look, Lily, she’s next to you. I don’t want to confuse her.”
    Lily dropped to her knees until she was eye level with the big dog. “This dog looks so much like Gracie it’s eerie. Shhh,” she said, when the shepherd started to bark. “I just want to see who let you get away from them. Whoever they are they should be horsewhipped.”
    Sadie sat down on the chair by the fireplace, her gaze on Lily and the smile on her face. Idly she scratched Buzz behind the ears. The moment she saw Lily’s face turn white she was off the chair. “What is it? What’s wrong? Talk to me, Lily. You’re hyperventilating. Drop your head between your knees and take deep breaths. Okay, okay. What? What’s wrong?”
    â€œThis . . . this ... this is Gracie, Matt’s dog. That’s why she was so happy to see me. She recognized me, and she remembered Buzz. That’s how he was able to get her here. Look at her tag. Gracie Starr. Owner, Matthew Starr, and his phone number in New York. Matt would never let this dog out of his sight. I used to wonder who he loved more, Gracie or me, and it was always a draw. Where is he, girl? God, if you could only talk.”
    â€œHow’d she get here?”
    â€œGood question. Listen, call Dennis and ask him to come over here. My cell phone is on the kitchen table. Matt would never dump this dog, and, by the same token, Gracie would never leave him. Never. That’s a given. Oh, Sadie, maybe something really did happen to him. Maybe he didn’t jilt me after all. You don’t think he’s dead, do you, Sadie? He can’t be dead. Sadie, say something. Did you get hold of Dennis?”
    â€œHe’s on his way. He said exactly what you said. He said Matt would never, ever, leave the dog. He said it was like Gracie and he were joined at the hip. He’s more convinced than ever that something happened to him. I don’t know what to say other than she’s a beautiful animal. I wish she could talk.”
    Lily stroked the big shepherd’s head with one hand as her other hand fiddled with the Wish Keeper hanging around her neck. She sighed. At the same moment she felt a hundred lightbulbs go off behind her eyelids. A rough-hewn building among a stand of hardwoods assailed her. A second later the vision was gone.
    â€œWhat’s wrong, Lily?” Sadie said shaking her shoulders. “You’re scaring me. What’s wrong, dammit?”
    â€œI don’t know. I closed my eyes and saw this . . . this . . . I don’t know what it was, maybe a shack. It looked old, and it listed to the side. There were these big monster trees everywhere. It was just a flash. Am I losing my mind?”
    â€œOf course not. You were staring off into space. That happens to me all the time. You’ve been through a rough time, Lily. Anything you experience now can be chalked up to your emotions and finding Gracie. I think I hear a car. Maybe it’s Dennis, or maybe one of the workers. I told him we were out here in the cottage. He’s nice, Lily, and very concerned about his friend. Please don’t