Sneak Thief (A Dog Park Mystery) Read Online Free Page B

off,” Desiree insisted.
    â€œI don’t think so. If she was going to run off, she’d be gone already. She’s playing keep away. I bet if you ignore her and go on up to the park, she’ll follow. Trick is, don’t look back.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    â€œI’ll keep an eye on her, but I bet she wants to play more than she wants to run away. She’ll stick around my dogs, and she won’t want to be far from you.”
    The two women headed up the service road to the dog park entrance. Julia continued to stay back, then as the women were 20 feet away, she ran up behind them, still out of reach. She halted and barked. Lia and Desiree ignored her and continued up the hill, though Chewy strained his lead toward her and yipped shrilly. Julia danced at Chewy and dashed away.
    "Don't look now," Lia said, "but we're being followed."
    The service road ended at the top of the hill, in front of a picnic shelter. The Mount Airy Dog Park consisted of six acres along the top of a narrow ridge at the former High Point picnic area. The picnic shelter separated two fenced enclosures. Lia nudged Desiree to the right, toward the one-acre enclosure for small dog breeds, which was empty.
    â€œTake Chewy and Honey and go on through the entrance corral. I’ll hang back and hold the first gate open. You stand on the other side of the corral. Hold the inside gate open, but don’t look at her. When she runs through, I’ll shut my gate.”
    Desiree did as directed. Lia held the outside gate to the corral open while Julia ran circles in the picnic shelter. She stopped when she realized no one was paying attention to her. She spied the open gate and the dogs inside the fence. She zoomed through both gates and into the middle of the enclosure. Lia let the gate swing shut with a loud clang. Startled by the noise, Julia stopped and turned around, gaping in betrayed disbelief. Desiree unclipped Honey and Chewy. Chewy made a beeline for the beguiling Beagle and the pair ran off together.
    â€œHow did you know she’d follow?” Desiree asked.
    â€œIt was a hunch. Peter's dog does that, stays just out of reach when she could easily outrun me, and I’ve been able to catch her by tricking her into following Chewy and Honey into a fenced yard. Taking advantage of their social instincts is the easiest way to nab loose dogs, so long as they’re friendly.”

    A fter a brief period , they crossed to the other fenced area. The the dogs shot into the larger enclosure, dashing across the acreage. This side of the park was populated with old picnic tables and older trees.
    They passed by two men perched on top of a picnic table, smoking cigarettes. A pair of black labs and a buff-colored Mastiff sprawled in the mulch beside them.
    "Hey, Lia, who's your friend?" a handsome white-haired gentleman called out.
    The women turned around and joined the men at the table.
    "Charlie, Jose, this is Desiree. She works with me at the scoring center."
    "You like doing that, Desiree?" Charlie asked.
    Desiree tilted her head and batted her eyes at Charlie. ”It's okay for seasonal work. I like reading all the answers. The kids can be really funny."
    "Hey, Lia, I got a joke for you."
    Jose groaned and shook his head.
    â€œReally, Charlie, you don’t have to.” Lia leaned over. "Run,” she whispered to Desiree. “Do not pass go."
    "I like jokes," Desiree said, smiling at Charlie and waving Lia off.
    Charlie nodded at Desiree with an amused twist of his mouth, took a drag from his cigarette, blew out the smoke.
    "What do you say to a woman with two black eyes?"
    "Excuse me?" Desiree blinked.
    "Nothin.’ You already told her . . . Twice,” Charlie concluded, slapping his knee as he roared with laughter. “How’s that for politically incorrect humor?"
    Desiree's face turned stormy. "What are you pigs laughing at? Domestic violence isn't funny."
    "Did she just call us what I