Sara Mason Mysteries Collection

Chapter 15

The next day, Sara and the contractor were upstairs discussing changes for the added bathroom that the County Planning Department rejected. As they moved into another room, Sara heard the crunch of gravel and peered out a window overlooking the driveway.

A young Mexican man wearing blue work clothes got out of the light green Jaguar sedan and scampered around to the passenger side. He opened the door and took hold of a hand. Esmerelda had arrived. After opening a rear door, Choco and Latte scampered out yapping. Then out came Mimie. Esmerelda"s raven hair blew in the strong wind as she looked back and forth the length of the building and then shook her head. The young Mexican man laughed a lot as he scampered after the pups that led him on a zigzag traipse up the driveway.

By the time Sara hurried outside, Choco and Latte had run, barking and yapping, far out into the backfield as if they were on a mission. Sara ran too. The pups could get lost in the fields. After several stern commands, only then did the pups respond. They stopped but paced like they might keep running toward the ditch. She and the young Mexican caught them and returned to the yard. He ran back to the Jaguar to bring the leashes. Sara found Esmerelda inside the empty workshop. Once inside the shop, Choco and Latte began to whine.

“I miss my husband.” Esmerelda dabbed at her eyes. “I always feel closer to him when I think of the plans we had for this place.”

“Is this the first time you"ve been back here?” Sara wanted to hug and comfort Esmerelda, but it seemed that woman always made sure she stood on her own two feet.

“Oh, no. Those last owners were friendly and even asked me to help with their remodeling plans.”

“Why didn"t they finish?”

“Because of Orson. They saw his ghost. They didn"t believe in such things, but the spirit kept bothering them till they got spooked and decided to leave.” The house stood empty for nearly five years until Sara bought it, enough time for a few people to say they saw a light floating around inside.

Choco and Latte paced the lengths of their leashes and returned, only to do it again and again.

“What"s up, babies?” Esmerelda asked as she bent down to pet them.

Choco sat, barked, and stared up at them and thumped the floor hard with his tail. Latte stood on hind legs as if trying to see out the front window. Then she sniffed along the base of the wall and pawed at the floor, finally laying down and scooting around on her back. Their distinct personalities were clearly evident.

“Maybe they know,” Esmerelda said. “I took a deposit on the pups from a young couple in Sacramento.”

“You sold them?”

“I hope so. The couple lives in a tiny apartment, but they"re building a house in a brand new subdivision. They"re paying me to board the dogs now.”

Latte whined and rolled over onto her back again and scooted around.

“Let"s take them into the house,” Sara said. “Maybe they"ll calm down inside.”

Esmerelda was able to give a lot of additional information to the contractor that Sara would never have known. She enjoyed herself as if she were the one refurbishing. She threw herself into the moment and followed the contractor around, and Sara let her be. The young Mexican, Demetrio, was surprised that Sara spoke Spanish. Still, he refused to enter the house but accepted a soda and a hearty sandwich and chips, which he devoured out on the covered back steps despite the wind and some blowing rain. Finally, he went to sleep in the car.

Over lunch, Sara realized that Esmerelda wore no earrings, necklaces, or bracelets. She always dressed quite nicely, and a woman of her stature and bold personality might wear more jewelry.

“The rest is in the safe deposit in Walnut Grove,” Esmerelda said, as if reading Sara"s mind. “Most of it, anyway.”

“You never show it off?”

“I don"t go out much anymore.” She was afraid of theft too. She had found some pieces missing. “Don"t know if it happened here at Talbot House or at the hospice.” She kept most of it in one big jewelry box, but any of it could have been lying throughout the house. “Long after I moved, that"s when I noticed some pieces missing.”

Surely, she could not have lost more due to slipping off her fingers in the cold. “Only rings?”

“No, as a matter of fact,” Esmerelda said. “Orson made a pendant for me. Melted his gold and made one good-sized nugget and set two diamonds in it. One for each of us.” She was quiet for a moment as she touched her chest where the pendant might hang. “Imagine that. Melting down raw nuggets to make a nugget pendant. But, it"s missing.” She held up her right hand. “This is one of Orson"s creations.” She twirled the sparkling band around her finger.

Sara could only sit and listen to this woman who needed a friend and who desperately needed closure.

“I used to attend a social activity every evening. It"s what got me through the time when Orson went missing.” She paused and seemed to sink deeper into her memories. “When I realized he wasn"t coming back….”

“You need to socialize now. More than ever.”

“Well, I have my dogs. Although I think I made a mistake by taking the pups.”

The pups were confined mostly indoors because Tripp didn"t want them around. Though determined and spry, Esmerelda was elderly and three dogs surely too much responsibility. A serial killer in the area was a frightening scenario, especially for Sara, living alone in such a big empty house. Sara put down roots and meant to stay no matter what threatened. She could surely babysit a couple of puppies occasionally. Pit bulls being seen around her property could be a deterrent, especially for anyone snooping around and making those noises during the night that she had yet to identify. “I can help with the pups.” Almost immediately, she realized she should have thought more about it first. “Once in a while,” Sara said, hoping it sounded less permanent. “It would give you a break.”

A look of relief came over Esmerelda"s face. “Wish those kids could take the pups now. Most people don"t want pit bulls. You ever had a pet?”

“A Yorkie.” Sara remembered that Mandy had been great company, and how empty she felt when her pet of sixteen years died in her sleep on the bed beside her.

“You can"t leave pit bulls behind when you need to go out,” Esmerelda said. “They"re potty trained and all, but this type of dog, in particular, would tear up your house.”

Pit bulls should be watched to see how they expressed their inbred nature. Mandy was trained and heeled well and was never on a leash unless necessary. These two feisty pups should always be leashed when outdoors, simply because of pit bull temperaments. Puppies were supposed to be exposed to as many people, places, and things as feasibly possible by the time they are twelve weeks old. Surely, Esmerelda had not been able to do that much despite trainers working with them.