Her lips twisted as she slid her foot under the hatch of her SUV and the door popped open and lifted.“Well, maybe.But he’s not home.He’s at our place.And honestly, I think your bird has a better chance of survival with the help of Danica’s daughter, Sam.She’s been healing wounded birds, squirrels, and voles since she was this high.”She held her hand about three feet off the ground.“I’ve lost count of how many robins that kid has made wing splints for.”
“Well, then I guess we’re following you home?”
She swung her arm around in a sweeping “come on ’round” motion before closing the hatch after loading up the pizza and wagon.“You know the way.”
“Glad I bumped into you.I’ll see you shortly.”
She shot me a wink, then climbed in behind the steering wheel.
I jogged down the row of cars to my truck and put the pizza on the back seat before climbing in.“Change of plans.Apparently, Tommaso isnotthe best person to take a wounded bird to.But I found out who is.So that’s where we’re going.”
Mabel was staring down at the bird; its big amber eyes blinking at her with more curiosity than fear.“Where?”
“Austin’s cousin, Sam, has apparently helped heal many wounded birds.So we’re going there.Back to the vineyard.”
Mabel didn’t say anything else.She just continued to hold the bird in the blanket close to her chest and make a “shush” sound anytime it tried to wriggle.
I pulled into the vineyard driveway just seconds after Naomi.I wanted to help her unload the pizzas since there were so many, but my kid took off toward the top floor front door of the house.
“That’s the right door,” Naomi called, as I glanced back at her.
Mabel rapped her knuckles on the door, and a moment later it opened to reveal a woman I recognized from the parent meet and greet on Sunday.“Hello,” she said curiously.“Principal Paul?”
“Lennox.Please,” I said.“Uh, this is my daughter, Mabel.We found an injured osprey on the side of the road, and then I bumped into Naomi while getting pizza, and she said your niece, Sam, might be able to help?”
“Sam!”the woman called into the house before stepping out of the way to let us enter.
But I just let Mabel enter.“I’m going to help Naomi with the pizzas.”
She nodded.
I booked it back down the stairs, grabbed the two pizzas from the back of my truck, then made it to the rear of her vehicle just as she was beginning to grab all ten boxes at once.
“Let’s not make me look too much like a fool,” I joked, as I took five from her stack.“Many hands, and all that.”
Her chuckle was soft as she used her elbow to close the hatch.“You know you have to stay for game night now, right?”
I grinned even though she couldn’t see it.“I kind of figured.Word to the wise, my child can beextremelycompetitive, and she will read all the rules of every game before playing, then be adamant that nobody deviates.”
“Nothing wrong with keeping people honest.”There was more of her delightful laughter as she started to climb the stairs ahead of me.I didn’t have enough pizza boxes in my arms to completely block out her ass that was directly in front of my face.Even in those baggy overalls, she had a nice butt.
We reached the top, and I followed her into the house, and ditched my shoes in the entryway when she did before continuing on into the house and kitchen.
Mabel and Sam, a little blonde girl whom I recognized from the school, were huddled over the island and a cardboard box a bit bigger than a shoebox.There was the sound of masking tape being pulled from the roll and other murmurs between the girls.
“Yep, that’s right,” Sam said softly.“Hold its wing out like that.Thanks.”
“It’s okay,” Mabel said to the bird in a quiet, calm voice.“We’re going to help you.”
A tall, broad-shouldered man in a thin, white T-shirt and faded jeans wandered in from the living room.His mostly-gray hair was tousled in a deliberately messy way, and as he gave me a half-smile, the light from the pendant lights over the island caught on his silver scruff and made it shimmer.“Hello,” he said, offering me his hand.“Tom Barone.I hear you were looking for me to help with the bird.”He had a thick Italian accent, but I understood him no problem.“The one you are looking for is here.Sam is better than me with all animals.”
Sam glanced up at him and beamed before dropping her focus back to the bird.
“I just called my buddy, Spencer Paxton, and he suggested you.Then Naomi suggested Sam, and now, here we are.”
“You are the new principal,si?”Tom asked, though it wasn’t really a question.“The old one was my neighbor.He was terrible.Terrible neighbor, terrible principal, terrible person.His daughter and grandson too.That little …diavolo.”He shook his head.“Broke into my barn and terrorized my newborn colt.”
“He did what?”I asked.“Was the colt okay?”
