[raw]

From The Longhorn Affair

Setup: Emmma brings the puppy home after finding him in town.

Emma deposited the puppy in front of Angie and said, “There will be one more for supper, Angie. This is Cooper.”

Angie turned away from the stove. “Oh, a puppy,” she said smiling. She gave him a critical once-over. “I think this is an inside-outside dog.”

“A what?”

“Someone has a dachshund for an inside dog, and this little guy’s coat tells me they also have an Australian shepherd outside. The two of them got together, and Cooper is the result.”

Emma picked Cooper up and cuddled him. “Well, whatever he is, he’s what I need. Aren’t you, cutie?” She looked at Angie. “And he’ll have your baby to play with.”

Angie turned back to the pantry. “So this puppy is something else you’ll leave here when you go back to New York?”

Emma realized Angie was right. She couldn’t imagine how she would deal with a dog in New York, but she was already in love with this one. He was one more reason to stay. Feeling defensive, she said, “What would you have had me do? Put him out on the road?”

“No, of course not. We’ll see how things work out. I’ll bet he wants supper.

Angie scooped some dog food out of a sack in the pantry into a bowl. “This is for an adult dog, but it will do for tonight. I will make a list for you to get tomorrow.”

Emma found herself blinking back tears. “I didn’t even know Dad had another dog.”

Angie carried Cooper over to his bowl of food as she said, “It doesn’t matter. Your father loved you, and you loved him. Now this ranch is yours, and you have your first ranch dog.”

Cooper gobbled his dinner with puppy enthusiasm. At least someone’s day was going well, Emma thought. Then she said, “Today I talked to Mr. Whitecliff, to Nick at the paper, and to the sheriff. Things are in a real mess.”