“What pipes?”
“The pipes for your bathroom.”
“I don’t need a bathroom.”
“Harry, I know you can pinch a nickle until the Indian rides the buffalo, but you do need a bathroom and you will thank me for tucking one into this structure. The other thing is I’ve made the ceilings fourteen feet high. A fan will push warm air down. It’s not wasteful and the reason I’ve done that is over here; look, you have a quarter of the top space for storage. Just a small loft space. You can slide lumber up there or file boxes. It will be out of sight but protected.” He paused. “Skylights in a high roofline always look good. Even the loft has a skylight.”
“You can never get enough natural light.”
“Trust me on the storage space and on the bathroom.” His voice registered quiet command.
She sighed, sat on a high chair. “I’ll have to talk to Fair.”
“Your husband told me to give you the best shed in the county. And he said he wanted a cedar shake roof with clapboard siding. He swore he would keep it painted.”
“He did?”
“Indeed. You married a most agreeable man.” He beamed.
She beamed right back. “I did.”
“I don’t know why he puts up with you. He knows you don’t give us enough home-cooked food. And he’s a vet,” Pewter complained.
“An equine vet,” Tucker corrected her.
“So what. He knows how sensitive my system is.”
“Pewter” was all Mrs. Murphy could say because Pewter could and did eat anything.
Her girth testified to the effectiveness of her digestive system.
“I should have fresh food. Nothing mixed into commercial food. And you don’t know if that stuff came from China. Death!” Her eyes grew large.
Before the other two could vouch for the food not containing ingredients from China, a tap on the window drew their attention.
Gary motioned for Deputy Cynthia Cooper to step in.
She opened the door, closed it. “Getting colder out there.” Then to Harry she said, “Saw your wagon.”
“My stickers are updated.” Harry smiled at her neighbor.
“Yes they are. Passing by. Another hour and I’ll be off work. Gary, how are you doing? Is she being a good client?”
“Harry is always thoughtful and”—he paused—“cost conscious.”
Cooper laughed. “What a nice way to say cheap.”
“I am not cheap. I’m careful. Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
“I’m teasing you,” Cooper replied. “You are tight with a buck, true, but you are generous with your time, food, your hospitality. You’re always ready to pitch in and help.”
Not expecting a compliment, Harry took a little time then said, “Thank you.”
“She’s right. You put your shoulder to the wheel,” Gary agreed.
Gary, tiny sandbags in hand, lifted off the first sheet of large drawing paper, placing it under the others.
Harry’s gaze wandered back to the square bookshelves covering one wall, so pleasing to the eye. He placed his treasures throughout his shelves. Snow globes had been stuck into many squares, smooth rocks from wherever he had gone rafting, one huge empty hornet’s nest took up an entire square, a giant tooth reposed in another square, and tiny rubber dinosaurs peeped out from many places.
One globe always tickled Harry, a flamingo in a snow globe looking startled when you turned over the globe and snow fell on the pink bird.
Across the room hung an artillery officer’s sword from the war of 1861–1865. The gilt still gleamed, the red sash with large tassels looked impressive. One could imagine them swinging when the officer walked in full dress regalia. A photograph of the fellow hung alongside the sword. This was Gary’s great-great-grandfather, a slender young man with a serious mustache. How young he looked—but then, all wars are fought by the young.
“You and your snow globes.” She smiled.
“Given the weather, we’re in a snow globe,” he replied.
“Got that right.” Cooper nodded.
Harry returned to the drawings. “Forgot to ask you what else you’re working on. Saw some of the redo for Nature First.”
“Ah. I quite like how that is turning out. What did you think of the enameled bookshelves and cabinets?”
“Gorgeous.”
He grinned. “I think so, too. It’s been a fun project.”
“Where did you get the idea for the slanting walls?”
“Flipping through some of the books on the shelves. Something will jump out at me and I start to fool with the idea.”
“So you saw Pirate, her puppy?”
“He’s hard to miss. I’m glad she has him. Nature First goes up against some deeply vested interests. A big dog will be a deterrent if some large corporation hires a goon.”
“Nature First does take them on,” Cooper agreed.
“You think someone would harm her?” Harry was aghast.
“I certainly hope not but I wouldn’t put it past one of these huge companies to try and scare her,” Cooper replied. “Implied violence can be as effective as genuine violence.”
“Harry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Gary put his hand on her shoulder. “We happen to be living through an incredibly corrupt time. Seems like every institution, including the churches, are corrupt. Ah well, perhaps we should envy Pirate and your four-legged fellow sidekicks. They have more sense than we do.”
The door swung open. Tazio shut the cold air out behind her. Wearing leggings, high boots, a turtleneck peeping out from under her sheepskin coat, she looked great. Brinkley had a tiny wreath on his leather collar.
“Am I too late for the party?”
As the humans greeted one another so did the animals.
Gary motioned for Tazio and Cooper to sit in a chair. “Just in time. I was showing Harry my sketches for her shed. I want to recreate La Petite Trianon but she won’t have it.”
Deadpan, Taz came back, “The Taj Mahal?”
“Too foreign. Mount Vernon would fit in.” Cooper joined the play.
Harry, stroking her jaw as though in deep thought, said, “What about a yurt?”