Kneading to Die Read Online Free

Richard’s scorn for small towns influence her. Quiet was good. She’d have plenty of time to think.
    Her iPhone buzzed from her back pocket. She pulled it out. Nikki Manning, the screen announced. Of course it was. She and her best friend of twenty-plus years practically shared a brain.
    â€œHow’d the move go? All unpacked?” Nikki sounded like she was standing in a wind tunnel. Probably in the middle of some Southern town, with twenty dogs in her van.
    â€œIt went fine. Only two things broken so far. Although one of them was a mirror, so I’m worried. And no, not unpacked yet.”
    â€œI’m really sorry I couldn’t help. If I didn’t pick up the dogs today, they weren’t getting another twenty-four hours.”
    â€œDon’t be silly. Saving puppies is way more important.”
    â€œIs Richard there?”
    â€œNo, he left a while ago,” she said, anticipating Nikki’s reaction. Nikki and Richard’s love-hate relationship began when Stan started dating him four years ago, and the feelings were still going strong. Nikki didn’t hate him, exactly. She just had strong opinions on whether or not he was good enough for Stan. “He had to get ready for Chicago. The sales conference.”
    â€œAh. You’ll miss going this year.”
    Stan shrugged, although Nikki couldn’t see her. She moved over to the reclining lounger, her one new piece of furniture so far, and sank onto it. So comfy. Perfect for this room, and it reminded her of the one her grandmother had on their porch when Stan was a kid. “I guess.”
    â€œI know you will. You’ve been going every year and now it feels like it’s going on without you. I get it.”
    â€œIt is going on without me.” Stan sighed. It did feel, well, bad. “But you know what? There’s nothing I can do. It’s fine, Nik.”
    â€œIt is fine,” Nikki agreed. “You always told me the food wasn’t that great, anyway.”
    â€œTrue.” Stan could hear dogs barking in the background. “Where are you?”
    â€œStill in South Carolina. My pickups got pushed back. I should’ve been home hours ago, but I’m going to be delayed until Monday.”
    â€œWhy did they get pushed back?”
    â€œSame old. They closed the facility to rescues because someone had a fight with someone, and the animals ended up paying for it. I just told them I would park myself outside until they opened the doors, because I had people waiting for these dogs.”
    â€œAnd it worked?”
    Stan could hear her friend grin over the phone. “Guess they were sick of seeing my face. That, and the call I threatened to put in to the local news about how they stonewall rescues. So they’re opening tomorrow.”
    â€œAlways making friends, aren’t you?”
    â€œSomeone’s gotta do it. Pets’ Last Chance doesn’t mess around.” The rescue had been Nikki’s dream since college. Today her operation saved about five thousand dogs each year. “I’ll be over to help you as soon as I’m home. Stopping at the vet on the way, but I’ll call you.”
    â€œThanks, Nik. Hey, I met some of my neighbors.”
    â€œOh yeah? How are they?”
    Stan thought of Richard’s reaction and chuckled. “They seem cool. Quirky, but I wouldn’t expect anything less. Oh, and the woman who runs the sweetshop came. They brought me a basket of goodies. Definitely relationships I want to cultivate.”
    â€œAmen, sistah.” The chorus of barking rose in volume and Nikki sighed. “Okay, I’m gonna sign off. These guys are too loud for me to hear myself think. Enjoy your first night in the new house!”
    Stan promised she would and ended the call. Then she listened to the silence around her, broken only by crickets chirping outside her door. She locked up and headed back to the kitchen. At least if she busied