She bumped up the thermostat and used the remote on her desk to switch on the Christmas lights in the main window. She turned on the gas fireplace and was instantly comforted by the warmth it provided. As usual, she walked up and down the aisles, checking to make sure everything was in its place, stopping to rearrange a new display of wrapping paper she’d received yesterday. Hand-painted, it would garner a hefty price, but anyone who knew this particular artist, Heather Hanson, as many locals did, would not question it, knowing all the love and creativity she put into her work. Lauren tried to recall if she’d ordered this last year or the year before but couldn’t. Heather’s wrapping paper was in high demand, and rare. She wondered if it was too late to include this new addition in the ads she’d placed in the papers in the region surrounding Fallen Springs.

In the office, she checked her e-mail, saw she’d asked for all of the ads she placed to appear in many of the upcoming Sunday editions. She e-mailed the papers, asking them to please add that Heather’s Hanson’s unique wrapping paper was available but supplies were limited. This was so easy, since she had the Internet at her fingertips.

Next on her list, she went to Globalgoods.com and ordered everything she would need for her new pets: beds, bowls, litter boxes, litter, several fun toys, plus two cases of the food she’d been told to get. She clicked the PLACE ORDER tab, and a few seconds later learned she would have her shipment tomorrow.

“Wow,” she said.

She took the papers from the shelter out of her bag, located the address, then ordered fifty new beds, in all shapes and sizes. Toys and new food dishes. Most important, she ordered one hundred cases of several varieties of dog and cat food. She’d seen this particular brand stocked at the shelter and hoped she hadn’t gone overboard. Next, she wrote out a five-figure check from her personal checking account, then went to FedEx’s website and placed an order for a pickup, asking for her check to be sent same day to the shelter since it was located in Fallen Springs. She was putting a dent in her personal funds, but she didn’t care. If luck remained on her side, she would have a boatload of money to add to her accounts once she finished her biography of Mr. Giampalo. She was getting super-excited when she heard the little bell jingle, letting her know she had a customer.

“Duty calls,” she said as she plastered a big smile on her face. She stepped out of the office into the main aisle of the store. What she saw caused her to stop dead in her tracks.

Chapter 14

Chapter 14