JayB’s reaction to seeing Walter was to suck in a breath, and I glanced at him curiously. “You bought a Ferrari?” JayB demanded.

  Walter flashed his big smile. “Yeah. I’ve always wanted one. I had to pay cash for it, can you believe it? I guess my credit isn’t what it should be.” He shrugged and laughed. “Who’s this pretty lady?”

  I sensed some discomfort as JayB turned and gestured to Alana. “This is Alana. Remember Helen? I told you about her. This is Helen’s daughter. She’s here from Marina del Rey.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry about your mother. I never met her, sad to say.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m Jago’s father, Walter. I’m an investor.”

  JayB made a snorting sound and Walter glared at him. “What?”

  “An investor?” JayB chided. “Really?”

  Walter waved his hand. “How else do you explain that I have a Ferrari and own a house in Mission Hills while your house is here in Prairie Village?” Then he shot a look at Alana. “Not that there’s anything wrong with Prairie Village.”

  JayB turned to Alana. “What my dad’s not telling you is that his ‘investment’ was in a Powerball ticket, along with all the other employees in shipping and receiving.”

  “And it paid off, didn’t it?” Walter bragged. “All you did to get your money was be beaten up by a woman.”

  “Thanks for that, Dad.”

  Alana frowned. “I feel like I’m missing some backstory.”

  Odin and I turned as a car pulled up. I wagged because I recognized the scent of the woman who got out of the car. It was Maddy. She slammed her door and, as the car drove off, came striding up to us.

  “Who’s this?” she asked suspiciously, jabbing a finger at Alana.

  “This is Alana Knox. Her mother, Helen, is the woman who died,” JayB replied emphatically. “Alana, this is Maddy.”

  “Hi, Maddy.”

  Maddy looked Alana up and down and said, “Oh.”

  “We are very sorry for her loss,” JayB stated pointedly.

  Maddy blinked. “Oh. Of course. I’m sorry your mother died. I never said I wasn’t. I just didn’t expect to make a surprise romance visit to my boyfriend and find him talking to a woman in shorts.”

  JayB frowned. “Maddy…”

  “Thank you, Maddy. Well, I should be going,” Alana observed.

  “Oh no, you can’t leave yet,” Walter boomed. “Jago’s about to tell you how he makes a living being punched in the nose by women.”

  JayB shook his head and sighed.

  “Oh,” Maddy joined in, “I wish I could get paid for that. I’d be rich.”

  “Besides, Alana,” Walter continued, “I want you to meet Jago’s best friend, Rodney. He’s on his way over—I just called him from the Ferrari.”

  JayB stared stonily at his father. “And why,” he asked Walter, “would you do that?”

  “To see the new car, of course.”

  “You have a surprisingly busy social life going on in your driveway,” Alana remarked.

  “As well he should,” Maddy interjected.

  “Tell the story,” Walter urged. “She’ll love it.”

  Alana eyed JayB. “I can see that whatever we’re talking about is painful for you. Please don’t feel like you need to say anything for my benefit.”

  “No,” Maddy objected. “Men should always do what they don’t want.”

  “It’s okay,” JayB assured her. “Anything to amuse Walter. But there’s not that much to tell. So, back in Walnut Creek I was an HR director for a tech firm that needed to lay off some people.”

  “This was before I made all my money,” Walter interrupted. “Otherwise, I might have bought the company, saved my kid’s job.”

  “Thanks, Dad. Anyway, so it was in the procedures manual that the company was required to have a security guard on site whenever mass firings were taking place, in case, you know, of violence. Or people with toy guns.”

  Alana smiled.

  “Toy guns are worthless,” Maddy sneered.

  “Well, the CFO, my boss, decided we couldn’t afford a security guard,” JayB continued. “So I started having meetings with people to tell them they were being laid off, and this one woman got furious and threw her laptop at me.”

  Alana winced. “That sounds painful.”

  JayB grinned. “Well, she missed, but the laptop got hurt pretty bad.”

  “Come on. Then what happened?” Walter prodded impatiently.

  JayB gave him a long look. “And then,” he responded slowly, “the woman came back with her husband. He also was unhappy, I guess, and he punched me.”

  “Oh! no,” Alana said.

  “I would have beaten him to a pulp of blood,” Maddy declared.

  “Then he held me while she punched me.”

  “Wait,” Alana objected. “The woman hit you?”

  “My grandma stabbed a guy once,” Maddy remarked.

  JayB nodded. “Yeah, and what made it worse was that she actually hit harder than her husband. So I settled with my company and bought a house here in Kansas City. I figured my dad needed moral support because he had just been fired himself.”

  Walter arched an eyebrow. “Well, I have a different take on what happened.”

  “Oh, do tell, Dad.”

  Walter turned to Alana. “See, I had some innovative ideas for what we should be doing in shipping and receiving. I wanted to expand the business.”

  “As I understand it,” JayB interrupted, “you were taking boxes and selling them to moving companies.”

  “Exactly,” Walter agreed triumphantly.

  “That’s brilliant,” said Maddy.

  Walter grinned at her. “It represented a, what you call it? A separate income stream. We bought the boxes so cheaply, and then I figured you mark them up a little bit, you sell them, and bingo, Walter gets a bonus.”

  “Except in this case, you paid yourself the bonus instead of giving the money to the company,” JayB pointed out.

  Walter shrugged. “Every business has startup costs. Anyway, what Jago here is not saying is that, even though I was temporarily seeking new and better opportunities in my profession, I was continuing to contribute to the pool every week for Powerball. I mean, I know a good investment when I see one. And then, of course, it paid off.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever heard a story like that,” Alana said.

  Walter nodded again. “I know. Call me a dreamer, and maybe I am, but I’ve always said, if you do what you love, the money will follow.”

  “You should write a book,” Maddy told Walter. “I’d for sure watch the movie version.”

  “I really should go,” Alana decided. “You’ve got company.”

  “No, I invited you to dinner.”

  “Hey, that’s great,” Walter proclaimed brightly. “Let’s all get dinner. I’ll buy.”

  “Excellent!” Maddy enthused.

  “We’ll order when Rodney gets here,” Walter declared. He turned to Alana. “You’ll like Rodney. Man has a real head on his shoulders. We’re doing some business together.” He winked. “Rodney is Jago’s best friend since they were little boys.”

  Alana glanced at JayB. “Jago,” she repeated.

  “First name Jago, middle name Burr. JayB,” my person explained. “So, Dad, you mean to tell me you’re actually going into business with Rodney? Wait, this isn’t the restaurant, is it?”

  “Oh, it’s way more complicated than that,” Walter boasted.

  I looked up then because I could hear and smell a dog approaching. I knew instantly who it was: Spartan.

  Spartan, of course, barely acknowledged there were two other dogs, though both Odin and I would have been willing to exchange butt-sniffs.

  “Whoa, look at that Ferrari! You gotta let me drive it, Walter,” Rodney hailed. His eyes widened when he saw Alana. “Hell-lo.”

  JayB gave Alana an apologetic look. “This is Helen’s daughter Alana,” he told Rodney.

  “I am so glad to meet you!” Rodney told Alana. “This is going to be great!”

  Alana seemed puzzled by this.

  We all entered the house together. Spartan busied himself sniffing the corners. Kelsey made a haughty appearance, but when she spotted Spartan and Odin, she vanished down the hallway.

  Everyone sat in soft chairs. Odin folded his legs to lie down, watching me for a clue as to what to do. When I eased down on the floor next to my person, Odin relaxed a little.

  “Have you ever been to Kansas City before, Alana?” Walter wanted to know.

  Alana shrugged. “I visited Mom a couple of years ago, but otherwise, no.”

  Rodney grinned. “I’ve lived here my whole life, if you can believe it. Went to Shawnee Mission East, even though there’s no such place as ‘Shawnee Mission.’ That’s just part of the allure. I’ll have to show you around. It’s really a great town. I have a lot of friends here, of course.”

  Alana nodded. “Okay.”

  “Well, if you’ve never been to Kansas City, then the choice for dinner is obvious,” Walter declared heartily. “We’ll get barbecue. Kansas City’s known for its barbecue.”

  “Let’s get Jack Stack, that’s my favorite,” Rodney said decisively.

  “Just don’t tell them it’s for me,” Maddy cautioned. “I got thrown out of there when I went back after the incident.”

  Later, a man brought fragrant bags of meat to the front door. Odin and I reacted to this promising development by leaping to our feet and making our presence known to all the people assembling at the table. Spartan, however, reacted not at all. What kind of dog ignores food? I mean, it was meat in a bag, something that was absolutely dog business. Fine, let him do what he wanted. As far as I was concerned, all the people were happy, so it was only logical that some food items soon would be tossed onto the floor. Odin and I decided to do Sit. Sit is one of those dog things that humans find irresistible.

  “How long before you leave?” Maddy coldly asked Alana.

  “I don’t know,” Alana replied with a quick look to JayB. “It depends.”

  “On what?” Maddy challenged. “On JayB?”

  “Oh, no. I mean, I have to take care of all my mother’s things. I don’t know how long that’s going to take. JayB’s offered to help.”

  “Oh, JayB’s offered to, quote, help, unquote, has he?” Maddy asked, with two fingers bending in the air. She stared accusingly at JayB. “Like I haven’t heard that one before.”

  “Please don’t misinterpret anything,” Alana objected mildly. “I live with my boyfriend back in Los Angeles.”

  “He have a name, this anonymous LA boyfriend?”

  Alana laughed a little, nonplussed. “Of course.”

  Everyone was looking at Alana expectantly. “Guy Trulock,” she finally admitted with something approaching reluctance.

  Rodney guffawed. “What kind of name is that? Is he a Muppet?”

  “Good one, Rodney.” Maddy admired. “I totally agree.”

  “I do understand it’s an unusual name,” Alana acknowledged.

  “Oh yeah. Try this one on for size,” Walter interjected. “Twain Wolfe. I mean, that’s got to be straight out of witness protection or something. Nobody has a name like that.”

  “Well, except at least one person does,” JayB commented.

  Maddy waved her hand dismissively. “Those fools in witness protection are worthless. At least the people in prison are honest.”

  “Right? Tell that to my son.”

  Thus far, no food had fallen to the floor. Odin and I glanced at each other in concern. Sometimes people get so busy talking, they forget that their dogs are right there doing a good Sit.

  “I didn’t know when I took this remodeling gig that my best buddy lived right around the corner,” Rodney announced. “This changes everything.”

  Maddy nodded. “Sometimes things happen for a reason, even in the presence of deficiency.”

  Walter was smiling. “I love having everyone here like this. It’s like a family. The only person missing is Celeste.”

  JayB gave him a bleak look.

  “So, Alana,” Rodney speculated slowly, “you’ve never been to Kansas City. You need someone to show you around. That’s me. What’re you doing tomorrow?”

  Alana looked surprised at the question. “Oh, well, mainly just taking care of my mom’s house, I guess. Packing things up and going through boxes. Going to the store. Things like that.”

  “I’ll tell you where the best grocery stores are,” Rodney promised. “Everybody knows me by name at those places, I’ve been going there for so long. They’ll give you a special deal if you tell them Rodney sent you.”

  Maddy gave Rodney an admiring look. “So, you’re like, famous or something?”

  Rodney nodded. “Famous? More like well-known, really. Locally, anyway. Hey, JayB?” Rodney stood. “I need to talk to you about something really important. In private.”

  JayB looked around. “Can it wait?”

  Rodney shook his head. “Actually, no. I need to talk to you now.”

  Dear Diary:

  Kelsey eats in the most unappreciative manner. Dogs consume dinner with gusto, letting everyone know from the sounds we make that we love the food that has been given us by our people. Cats, on the other hand, eat silently, without gratitude or acknowledgment. It’s disgusting.

  If JayB didn’t so reliably set out the fragrant cans of food on the counter, I’m not sure that Kelsey would even live with us.

  I’m thinking about that counter, about her can of food. Could I climb up there? If I could get on top of that counter, I could eat her food.

  That would change everything.

  Love,

  Clancy

  Eight

  Everyone went quiet at Rodney’s dramatic pronouncement. When my person, looking resigned, stood, I naturally followed him into the kitchen, though Odin remained behind with the food. Sometimes being a loyal dog means walking away from potentially lucrative opportunities.

  In the kitchen, JayB gave Rodney a puzzled look. “So, what’s up, Rodney?”

  Rodney winced. “Can you keep your voice down?” he whispered.

  “They saw us come into the kitchen. I think they pretty much know we’re in here. Is this about the restaurant?”

  Rodney drew back a little. “What did Walter tell you about it?”

  “Actually, my father has told me nothing. What I’m telling you is you cannot rope him into investing in a restaurant. Understand? I’m serious.”

  “It’s not just a restaurant. You need to talk to Walter about this.”

  “I’m talking to you, Rodney, because it’s your idea. My father … my father isn’t very good at managing his money. Or anything else, really. He likes to take leaps of faith. But I read a book about restaurants one time—the title of it was Never, Ever, Ever, Ever Invest in a Restaurant. Can you guess what the conclusion was?”

  “A book?” Rodney mocked. “This is far better than anything in a book. But no, that’s not what I need to talk about.” He stared intently into my person’s eyes. “I have to tell you something really serious, and I mean it. This is me being really serious. Can you tell the difference?”

  JayB shrugged noncommittally. “Actually, you look constipated.”

  “It’s about Alana.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I call her.”

  JayB frowned. “What does that mean?”

  “What do you think it means?” Rodney snapped. “This is man-to-man talk. It means I call her. I know you saw her first, but you have Maddy.”

  JayB shook his head. “I don’t have Maddy. I don’t think anybody has Maddy. I’m not even sure Maddy has Maddy.”

  “Okay, but still, I’m calling Alana, here. You have to honor that.”

  JayB folded his arms. “That’s ridiculous.”

  “What are you saying? You’re gunning for Alana, too?”

  “No, I’m not gunning. Gunning? I’m not sure what you’re saying.”

  “I’m saying she’s new in town. She’s kind of vulnerable right now. She doesn’t need a lot of guys sniffing around her. She needs to settle on somebody like me, to protect her.”

  “You don’t even get how offensive that statement is, do you? How is it you’re walking around in an adult body when your brain is still back in middle school?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying. It is like middle school. I was always there for you in middle school.”

  JayB snorted. “You were never there for me in middle school. Remember Susie? I told you I loved her, so you asked her to the winter dance.”

  Rodney thought about it, then laughed. “Well, yeah, I guess I did that. But you were still trying to work up your nerve. I had to pounce.”

  “Right,” JayB agreed sarcastically.

  “Okay, so, this one will make us even, then.”

  “What kind of math do you do?”

  “I’m just saying I think we have an understanding here.”

  “Actually, an understanding is where at least two people understand. In this instance, I think we’re one person shy.”

  Rodney clapped him on the shoulder with a cupped hand. “I appreciate this.”

  I followed them back out to the table.

  Maddy was glaring at them suspiciously. “Everything okay?”

  “Oh, yeah,” JayB assured her. “Rodney was just lifting his leg on something.”

  Rodney laughed.

  Maddy turned back to Alana. “Well, anyway, I can’t run. I have non-standard knees.”

  Rodney was immediately energized. “Run? Who’s a runner?”

  Alana shrugged. “I run.”

  “Have you ever done organized races?” he asked eagerly.

  Alana shook her head. “Oh, no, nothing like that.”

  “Well, I have,” Rodney informed her breezily. “My time in a 5K is under thirty minutes now. That puts me in pretty serious competition. A lot of the younger guys can’t believe it when I blow past ’em. They say, ‘There goes the Rodster.’”

  JayB nodded. “I’m sure that’s exactly what happens.”

  “I’ll take you running, Alana,” Rodney offered slyly. “I’ll show you the routes. It’ll be great. And don’t worry about Odin. I have the best dog walker.”