“Never better. How about you? You have snow!”
“We do.” Thinking of it made Harriet stuff two extra pairs of thick socks into her packing.
“Are you having trouble getting around? Any cancellations?”
“Not so far.” She picked up her favorite pair of boots and a spare scarf. “By the way, I’m moving my base of operations a few blocks south. I’m dog sitting for a while.” She said it casually, even though she knew there was no hope that Fliss would leave it at that.
“You’re what? You mean overnight? You said you would never do that. I’ve been trying to talk you into it for months. Who requested it? It must have been one of our special clients for you to say yes.”
“It was Debra.” She told herself that Debra was the ultimate beneficiary, so it wasn’t exactly a lie. “This is a one-off, special circumstance. Her daughter is in hospital.”
“You told me. And Madi was staying with her brother, and you agreed to walk twice a day. It’s right here in our schedule. So where does staying the night fit into all that? What were the special circumstances?”
“Madi is having problems settling.”
“Problems?”
Harriet wrapped her running shoes in a bag and tucked them into the side of the case. “She’s wrecking the apartment when she’s left.”
“Well, dogs are social animals.”
“I know, but knowing doesn’t help me solve the problem. Worse, she’s barking and howling. This guy has neighbors, and he wants to carry on living there after Madi has gone.” Harriet switched the phone to her other shoulder and started pushing underwear into the corners of her case. “She’s not settling at night, either. She’s howling.”
“So you’re moving in. With a stranger.”
“Not a stranger. He’s Debra’s brother, which is as good as having a reference. And he’s a doctor.”
“I didn’t know there were different categories of stranger.”
“It’s not as if I haven’t met him. We’ve talked a couple of times.” Harriet decided not to mention the dinner they’d shared.
“Just because he’s a doctor, doesn’t mean he’s a saint. Think of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
“Fictional characters don’t count.”
“Some people say Jack the Ripper was a surgeon.”
“You are so comforting.” Harriet packed her pajamas. “I don’t think Debra’s brother is a serial killer.”
“Serial killers have relatives, you know.”
“He is not a serial killer. I’ve met him several times. Remember that trip to the hospital I took when I sprained my ankle?”
“Are you telling me this guy is Dr. Hot?”
“Your name, not mine.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so right away? Now I approve. Harriet Knight, congratulations. I never thought I’d see you moving in with a man you barely know. You are officially on your way to being a bad girl.”
Harriet rolled her eyes. Her inner GPS never took her anywhere near that particular destination. “He’s not even going to be there. He spends most of his life at work. That’s the reason we have a problem. Madi is struggling being on her own all day so I’m going to base myself there so that I can give her a little more attention and see if I can settle her down.”
“So you are moving into a stranger’s apartment to care for a dog.”
“That’s right.”
“That’s all it is?”
“Of course. What else?”