“Hmm,” Wyatt said, still staring at the door. “Now that I think about it, those windows would have one-hundred-year-old glass, if I’m estimating the age of this house correctly. Maybe older. You don’t want to break that, either. Easiest way in will probably be through this door.”
“Ideally, what I’d like in the end, when all the renovations are complete, is to be able to lock this door when I have guests in the house,” Tess said. “Not that they’d . . .” Her words trailed off.
“Oh, no, I get that,” Wyatt said. “You need your privacy and protection from people who are, really, strangers under your roof.”
The two of them walked down the back stairs together, into the kitchen.
“Another cup of coffee?” Tess offered. “Or water? I’ve got some sparkling.”
“Water would be great, actually,” Wyatt said.
“Please, take a seat.” Tess motioned to the kitchen table as she opened the fridge and pulled out two cans of sparkling water. She handed one to Wyatt and joined him at the table.
“I can get the door opened up for you,” he said, taking a sip, considering it. “Not a problem. I have a crew of guys who can help with the renovation, too, depending on what you need. That is, if you want me to do it.”
“Are you sure it’s not too much?” she said. “I was hoping you might have time, but . . .”
“Absolutely,” he said, smiling. “Things slow way down in Wharton in the winter, so I’ve got plenty of time. And I’m sort of anxious to see what’s behind that door, too, now that I know you’ve never been back there.”
Tess winced, knowing what she was about to say next. “There’s something else you need to know, before we open the door,” she said. “It’s the other project I need help with. I meant to mention it to you earlier.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
She took a deep breath. “I think there’s an animal living back there,” she said with another wince.
His eyes grew wide. “An animal? What makes you say that?”
Tess glanced at Storm. “I’ve been hearing scratching noises at night,” she said. “And last night, Storm was very upset and stood at that door, growling.”
“Oh yeah,” Wyatt said, nodding. “Dogs know. No doubt. You’ve got a critter. Maybe a few. What does it sound like? Mice? If so, that’s an easy fix.”
Tess shook her head. “I’m not sure, but I think whatever it is, it’s bigger than a mouse. Or mice. I’m thinking, like, a squirrel or, God forbid, a raccoon.”
“How long have you been hearing it? The scratching.”
“Since winter fell,” she said. “I moved here in September and didn’t hear anything until, I don’t know, late November, maybe. So just a couple of weeks. But not every night.”
“Only at night?”
She nodded. “I figured it was some kind of reaction to me opening up the house and starting renovations. I was hoping it would just go away, but . . .”
“Sometimes animals that get in leave on their own, back the way they came,” Wyatt said. “Especially now because there’s a dog in the house. Animals can smell dogs and won’t stick around. But—” He paused before continuing.
“But what?”
“If it’s a raccoon, or even if it’s a couple of squirrels, they can do a lot of damage in a very short time,” he said. “We should get that door open today and see what we’re dealing with. Tomorrow at the latest.”
Tess’s eyes grew wide. “Today?” she squeaked. There it was again, the gnarling feeling in her stomach every time she thought about opening that door. “Isn’t that a little sudden?”
Wyatt shook his head. “No,” he said. “You could have major damage back there because of that animal.” He slid his chair back from the table and pushed himself up to his feet. “Let me get going and make a couple of calls. I know a guy in Salmon Bay who specializes in getting animals out of houses—raccoons, squirrels, even a bear once, I heard. He traps them humanely and moves them into the woods.”
“You don’t think it’s a bear . . . ?”
“No, no. I highly doubt a bear would be hibernating in your house.” He chuckled. “But if it’s a raccoon, that’s sort of your worst-case scenario. They can and will fight if cornered, especially by a dog. And can carry rabies. You don’t want this guy”—he nodded toward Storm—“anywhere near that. You’ll need somebody who’s trained to get it out. I’ll call my guy in Sammy. Once we get the thing trapped and out of here, then we can see what we’re dealing with in terms of how it got in.”