Shifting Life

19. Trust Issues

Ed the driver called Veronica. She'd sent him over to check on Jacklyn and the Venetian when Jacklyn didn't pick up.

The power was back on. More importantly, the Realm Chronometer was ticking again. Veronica paced the living room, hand on hip, phone pressed to her ear. She saw her reflection in the panorama window and cursed physical memory.

There was no reason to press a phone to your ear anymore. Doing so revealed you belonged to an ancient analog generation.

"There's no one in the house," Ed said. "There's a wet phone on the kitchen table. It's not working. Could be yours. They've had stuff delivered. There are a couple of boxes in the kitchen. Most of it is still here though, like food."

"What else?"

She heard him move around at the other end.

Jacklyn had only been wearing the mirror coat when they had dropped her off. She'd told Veronica she never carried a wallet because if she shifted, she'd lose it. The thief must have paid for the boxes. Veronica made a mental note in case she needed to look into it later.

"There are new women's clothes in the bedroom. Like a regular set and one for going out. Everything seems to be in order. It doesn't look like they were forced to leave. The stuff says they're coming back."

"Take pictures and send them to me," she said. "Wait in the car. Keep me posted," she said, not liking it.

"Jacklyn wouldn't leave, would she?" Veronica asked Toby the dog out loud. "Her kind is dependable. The Venetian is obviously trying to fix the shit he's in, but why would she go with him?"

Toby trotted over to the coffee table. He got up on two legs and snatched the box of cards. He dropped it at Veronica's feet.

She sat down on her knees. She opened the box and lay out the alphabet cards.

Toby wagged his tail and walked back and forth, popping with anticipation. He loved this game.

Veronica stated her question, "Why did Jacklyn go with the thief?"

Toby walked to a 'S' and tapped it with his dainty white paw, then moved on to the next letter. Veronica picked up his chosen cards and lay them in order.

SILLYFILLY

Veronica frowned. What did it mean?

Toby climbed up in her lap. He stood on his hind legs with his front paws on her chest. He made himself as tall as he could and reached. She felt his nose sniffing hard in her hair. Gave her goosebumps all over.

Toby jumped down. He wagged his tail. It almost looked like he smiled with his mouth open and the pink tongue visible. His brown eyes gazed at her, alert and excited. Come on, they said. You know this.

When she didn't get it, he repeated the action. He sniffed her hair one more time.

Veronica remembered.

Jacklyn had dragged the Venetian inside. Carrying a grown man with ease. When Veronica sent her back out to get Toby, Jacklyn had briefly burrowed her nose in the thief's hair. Something you really don't do to a stranger unless – God forbid – you want to.