Apparently more interested in her, he licked her chin.
“I’m going to put some chairs on the widow’s walk when it’s warm enough. Invest in a pair of good binoculars. Maybe I have them already somewhere in the house. Or a spyglass. I definitely want a spyglass.”
After setting the dog back down, she lifted her face, breathed in.
She heard something scream, whirled. The window on the third floor stood open, and something flew out.
The bird, black as midnight, long talons curled, screamed once more, and dived.
Instinct had her grabbing Yoda again, hunching over him. Her body braced for the bite of those talons as she ordered her legs to run. But when she risked a look up, she saw nothing but the blue of the sky and some gray-edged clouds that threatened rain.
As she caught her breath, a window in Cleo’s studio opened. “Did you hear that? What was that?”
“A bird,” Sonya called up. “I don’t know if it was real, but it’s gone now. We’re coming in.”
“I’m coming down.”
Jogging toward the house on shaky legs, Sonya looked at the now closed window of the Gold Room. “Did it scare you?” She nuzzled the dog. “It scared me.”
Still carrying Yoda, she went in. “I’m going to the kitchen! We’ll get you dried off, that’s right, doggie. Everything’s okay. I’ve got you.”
Cleo found her as she rubbed Yoda down in the mudroom.
“I never heard a bird sound like that,” Cleo began. “It was almost human.”
“It flew out of her window. A black bird, too big, I think, for a crow. Way too big. It just dived toward us.”
“I didn’t see anything. Not by the time I jumped up and ran to the window. But … when I opened it to call down to you? I thought, for a minute, I smelled something. Something like sulfur.”
“She wanted to scare us, and mission accomplished. But if she wanted to hurt us, I don’t think she could.”
“Not enough power outside the house, maybe. I swear, that scream chilled my blood.”
“There were dolphins.”
“Really? I want a Coke. Do you want a Coke? I’m getting us a Coke.”
“I was watching them, and thinking how wonderful it was. I guess she couldn’t let that stand. And before I went out, Yoda was playing fetch with whoever likes to open the cabinets.”
“You saw them!”
“No, but Yoda did—does. I thought it was you, bouncing the ball down the hall to the foyer for Yoda. But when I came down, just the dog and the ball. Then—wait, I’ll show you.”
She suspected Molly rather than the boy had put the box of treats away again, so she got them out.
Yoda sat.
“Watch this.”
When she held up the treat, he reared and waved his paws.
“Aww. That much adorable may be illegal in some states.”
“I didn’t teach him to do that.”
“That just proves there’s more good here than bad. We’re okay, Son, and we’re going to stay that way.”
“Don’t go near that room, for now. Please.” Insistent, Sonya gripped Cleo’s arm. “Promise.”
“I promise, but sooner or later, we’ll have to.”
“I vote for later, after work.”
“After work you’ll find me here, making dinner. Trey’s coming, right?”
“Last I heard.”
“We’re having chicken and dumplings.”
“Get out! You can make dumplings?”
Cleo took a determined swig of Coke. “We’re going to find out.”
When Sonya went back to work, Clover met her with “Don’t Worry Baby.”
“Trying not to. Think fetch-playing kid, not big, ugly bird.”
She documented both, then went back to the Doyle job.
At the end of the day, she contacted Corrine Doyle.
“I’d like to talk to you about another job, maybe ask your advice, and hire you and your camera. Can we set up a meeting?”
“I’m free tomorrow morning. Since I’m going to be out anyway, I can come to you. About ten-thirty?”
“That would be perfect.”
“Why don’t you give me some broad strokes?”
“I’m working on a presentation. Ryder Sports.”
“I know Ryder.”
“I want to do some sports photos, but I don’t want to use professional models. I want real people,” she began.
By the time she got downstairs, Cleo was indeed in the kitchen. “I think I’ve got this. I hope I’ve got this. Chicken and dumplings, peas and carrots. It sounds homey. How hard could homey be?”