Inherited:OneChild(16)

"Is that your new nanny?" Mrs. Westcott asked. "She sounds like a sensible woman."

With the female-to-male ratio running three-to-one against him-he eyed   the dog-no, make that four-to-one-the odds were definitely not in his   favor. "I never make rash decisions," he announced in a no-nonsense tone   of voice. "And considering I'm the one in charge around here, I  believe  that makes me best qualified to decide whether or not it's  appropriate  to call Animal Control."

Mrs. Westcott snorted.

"It would only be for a day," Annalise stated, sounding far too authoritative for an employee. "Two, at most."

"There's a simple way to resolve this," Jack said.

He thanked the housekeeper for her assistance and snapped the phone   closed with a decisive click before approaching the dog and examining   the rabies tag. Sure enough, it listed the address and phone number of   the clinic where the shot had been administered. He placed the call and   within minutes was handed off to the veterinarian.

"I know the dog you mean. Dane/mastiff mix," the vet said, confirming   Jack's guess. "That's Madam. She is-or perhaps more accurately based on   what you're telling me-was the mascot for a college fraternity. They   weren't supposed to have her and were told not to bring her back.   Apparently, they played several rounds of beer pong in order to   determine who'd be the one taking her home. The boy who lost is the one   who brought her in. I gather his parents insisted before she moved in."

"I don't suppose you have a name or phone number?"

"I do, for all the good it'll do you. How does the last name 'Zur,' first name 'Lou,' strike you?"

"Lou Zur?" Jack groaned. "Loser?"

"Hmm. Clever lads, these college boys. It gives me such hope for the   future of our country. You can check the home number he gave, but it's   probably a local bar or strip joint. My guess is that when the boy   showed up at home with Madam his parents changed their mind about   keeping her. Dumping the dog must have been his brilliant solution to   the problem. I wish I could claim his behavior was the exception, but if   you visited an animal shelter, you'd see it isn't."

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Jack asked.

The sound of rustling papers drifted through the receiver. "I can tell   you that Madam is approximately two and a half years old, in excellent   health and all her shots are up-to-date."

"Thank you. I appreciate your assistance."

"If you plan on adopting her, I can fax you her medical records."

"I'll let you know." He disconnected the call and swore beneath his   breath. Now what? He turned and faced Annalise and Isabella, wincing at   the undisguised hope gleaming in their eyes. They must have guessed  from  what little they'd heard that all had not gone well. Or rather, it  had  gone extremely well … for them.

"The dog's name is Madam," he stalled.

"What about the owner?" Annalise asked. "Did the vet have any contact information?"

He didn't have a choice. He gave her the facts in short, terse sentences   and then handed down his final edict. It was the only logical choice   and he made his decision crystal-clear and without exceptions or   loopholes, question or qualification. And he used his most intimidating   tone of voice, the one that left his employees trembling. The tone that   had his various vice presidents and board members scrambling to obey.   The tone that no one had dared to openly defy in the decade he'd spent   building his empire.

"We are going to turn this dog over to the shelter," he pronounced. "End of discussion."

Annalise didn't so much as quiver, let alone tremble. And there wasn't   the slightest inkling of a scramble. Instead she shot a pointed look in   Isabella's direction before folding her arms across her chest in open   defiance. "I think we should consider keeping Madam. She might help with   certain adjustment issues."

Didn't she get it? He didn't argue with employees. He spoke; they   obeyed. "Help in what way?" he argued. "By eating us out of house and   home? By scaring my neighbors? What if that animal drives off Sara and   Brett? I can barely keep a nanny as it is. Now you want to deprive me of   my housekeeper and handyman, too?"                       
       
           



       

"I'm sure they'll both fall in love with Madam." Beside her, Isabella   nodded eagerly. "Plus, helping to take care of a dog will teach your   niece responsibility." Annalise lowered her voice, knocking the final   nail into his coffin with a husky plea. "And maybe it'll help with her   grief."

"You … I … " He ground his teeth together. "This isn't a conversation to   have in front of Isabella and you damn well know it," he informed   Annalise.

"Language."

"Oh, you're going to hear some language, just as soon as I get you alone."

"I don't think it's wise to leave Madam unattended with Isabella,"   Annalise objected, the wicked twinkle in her eye at direct odds with the   demureness of her expression. "Not until we know that it's safe."

"Exactly." He seized on the excuse. He pointed toward Madam. "That animal is too big. She could accidently injure Isabella."

"So far she's been very gentle. Not to mention protective. And if she   was raised at a dorm, she's accustomed to being around young people."

"We don't know if the mutt is housebroken. Look at the size of her. In   case you're unaware of it, there's a distinct correlation between the   size of an animal and the size of its steaming piles of sh-" He broke   off at Annalise's warning look. "Chunks of chocolate, not to mention the   lakes of pi-Son of a bi-" It was all he could do not to rip his hair   out by the roots. "Geysers of ginger ale. Who's going to clean that up?"

Honey-gold eyes brimmed with laughter. "We'll make sure Madam gets   frequent walks until we're certain she won't accidently leave any   chocolate treats or ginger-ale geysers around the house."

"And that's another thing," he was quick to point out. "Who's going to   walk her? We'll need a private trucking service to pick up all she dumps   along the way."

"That's the purpose of pooper scoopers. We'll manage."

"Not only that, but she's a lot of dog to control. We live in the city.   If she gets away from you she might break a car or knock over a power   pole or mistake a policeman for a chew toy. Or … or eat some tourists-not   that that would be so bad."

Isabella began to giggle, the sound the most delicious thing he'd ever   heard in his entire life. "She won't fit in the Jag," he added weakly,   struggling to steel himself against that sweet, sweet laugh. "She'll   knock over the furniture. The house is full of priceless antiques, you   know. She'll probably dig holes straight through to China in my   backyard, holes Isabella could fall into. Isabella doesn't speak   Chinese."

"She doesn't speak at all," Annalise reminded him. "Maybe Madam can help change that."

He couldn't allow the forlorn hope to sway him. "And the barking. Do you   know how much it'll cost to replace the windows the creature's barking   will break?"

"I have it on excellent authority that you can afford it." She gazed up   at him with eyes capable of melting even his heart of stone. "Please,   Jack. Please, can we keep her?"

His niece deserted the dog and flung herself against him, wrapping her   arms around his legs and squeezing for all she was worth. "Aw, hell," he   muttered.

"I take it we have a dog?" Annalise asked.

"That isn't a dog."

"Elephant … dog … chocolate-and-ginger-ale factory … " She shrugged. "Is she ours?"

He blew out a sigh. "I don't see that I have a choice. Looks like we've just adopted a Madam."





Six




L ooking back, Jack realized that Madam's arrival in their lives changed   everything. Much to his relief, he discovered that she was definitely   housebroken. But she was also a total klutz.

"I'm going to owe Taye a fortune in repairs," he complained to Annalise   as he swept up the latest Madam mayhem. "That tail of hers should be   registered as a deadly weapon."

"You can't fool me, Mason," Annalise replied. She held the dustpan for   him, then emptied the remains of the lamp into the trash can. "Admit it.   You adore Madam."