The Silence of the Chihuahuas Read Online Free

separate bedrooms for the guests. And, of course, each is fully staffed at the appropriate level.”
    â€œAppropriate level.” I seized on that phrase. “What does that mean?”
    â€œWell,” said Carlos, smiling happily, “our doctors do an assessment of your needs when you first enter the facility and decide what level of treatment and medication you might benefit from. Then we assign you to a residence.”
    I was wishing I had Pepe with me. He would be able to sniff Teri out and tell me if she was living in Peace or in Contentment. There was no one visible on any of the paths. When I asked about that, Carlos told me it was lunch time and no doubt all the guests were enjoying the fabulous gourmet meals prepared from fresh, organic ingredients that were purchased from local farms.
    We had almost completed our circle of the grounds when the walkie-talkie pinned to Carlos’s collar squawked. “Code Red in Serenity. Code Red in Serenity.”
    Carlos looked startled. “Oh!” he said. He turned to Lacey. “Can you take her back to the front desk?”
    â€œI can find my way there on my own,” I said. I could see the back of the main building. I could also see several blue-and-white clad employees running toward one particular building, set back in the woods.
    â€œOh, no!” said Carlos. “Lacey doesn’t have the proper level of training to respond to this situation anyway. She’ll go with you.” He hurried off down the path.
    â€œWhat does he mean by proper level of training?” I asked Lacey, who was staring after Carlos with a wistful look on her face.
    â€œOh, that’s the most locked-down of the cottages,” said Lacey. “Definitely the craziest people are in that one. So you need some special classes to know how to handle them.” Then she stopped and looked at me, stricken. “Oh, I shouldn’t have said that!” She clamped her hand over her mouth. Too late. The words were already out.
    â€œSo there are crazy people here?” I asked. I could see, even from this distance that the windows of Serenity were covered with wrought-iron grates. And I thought, as the door opened to admit the employees, that I heard muffled screams from inside.
    â€œNo, only guests,” she stammered. “We’re not allowed to use the term ‘crazy,’ even in jest. I could be fired.”
    â€œDon’t worry. I won’t tell anyone,” I said as we turned away and headed back toward the main building. But I shuddered. Would I be locked up in Serenity if I told them I heard my dog speaking to me?
    We were quickly back at the front desk where Justin looked harried. “Your dog ran off as soon as my back was turned,” he said, looking at me accusingly.
    â€œThat’s terrible,” I said, but knowing Pepe it was to be expected. “I’ll go look for him.”
    â€œNo, you can’t be out on the grounds right now,” Justin said with tight lips. “We’ve got a bit of a situation. An unauthorized person tried to enter one of the cottages and we need to remove them.” He looked at me sternly. “You see how hard we work to protect our guests. Once that situation is under control, I will send someone out to look for your dog.”
    But there was no need to do that, as within a few minutes, Pepe came trotting into the hallway. It was impossible to know where he had been. Had he been taking a swim in the pool? No, he hates water. Was he having a mani-pedi in the spa? No, it was clear he still needed to have his nails trimmed. Perhaps he was the cause of the disturbance in Serenity. I wouldn’t put it past him.
    â€œSo where were you?” I asked as I carried him back to my car in the parking lot.
    Unfortunately, he remained silent.

Pepe’s Blog: Working with a Human Partner
    My partner, Geri Sullivan, is a human and so she does not have the same skills I do. Her sense