“Hey, boy.” Lila didn’t listen to a word he’d said. She held her hand out, palm down. “How are you? You made it all the way home.”

“He’s probably covered in fleas and ticks.” She would likely be horrified at the condition of the dog.

“Nothing a bath can’t fix. Well, I’ll have to pull the ticks off. I’ve got some tweezers.” She ran a hand over Peanut’s head when he didn’t growl her way. “And a set of latex gloves. You stink, boy. We’ll have to see if there’s some doggy shampoo in that old house.”

The dog obviously hadn’t lost his sense of direction or his instinct as to who he could manipulate with big doggy eyes. His tail wagged and he moved toward the new girl, dumping Armie in a heartbeat.

“You said you could fix my lights? I know I shouldn’t ask, but it’s late and I don’t want to wake up my sister to get Remy out here to do it. If you could show me, I’ll know how to fix it myself next time.”

He got to his feet. “Of course. I’ll put Peanut out in my car and check the fuse box.”

Even in the low light from his flashlight he could see the way she frowned. “He can come inside. According to you this is his home. And he needs food and water. I wondered why there were tins of dog food left in the pantry. I was going to find a shelter and donate them. I’m glad I was lazy about that now.” She sighed and scratched behind the dog’s ears. “They never planned on taking you with them, did they?” She glanced back up at him. “How long has he been gone?”

“Since the day of Bill’s funeral. Almost three months now. I should get him to a vet.”

She shook her head. “I think I can handle it. I’ve taken care of dogs before. Back in the trailer park where I grew up I was the one who took care of all the animals my siblings found. And some whose owners couldn’t afford it. Puppies were my first patients. Come on in. I need to see how bad he is.”

He followed her up the steps to the little porch Bill had built with his own hands thirty years before. They creaked and groaned under his weight.

He would likely need to look at more than the electricity if Lila was going to stay in this house.

He should talk to Remy about it. Remy was her brother-in-law. Her first thought had been to call her sister. If her phone had been charged, it would be Remy who would be out here right now. Watching her take in a mangy dog. Watching her hips sway as she stepped into her dilapidated house.