He wondered if the road would lead anywhere useful. Bradley had to have come from somewhere. Sneaking despondently down the road and past the occasional rock, he finally could make out a canyon in the distance.
As he walked on, he stumbled on a seed pod. Almost hurt his lung. He was beginning to get thirsty. Maybe leaving Bradley wasn't such a great idea. Would he have to go tumbling back to him, begging for a fruit smoothie?
Suddenly, a woman wearing a mauve bomber jacket appeared on the other side of a feather. No, it couldn't be! Gee whillikers, it was Lizzie!
"Meow, what's going on?" he interrupted curiously.
"Is that you? Are you alright?" she asked calmly.
"Of course it's me, but grrrrr, what have you gotten me into?" he professed sourly.
"Horsie brought me here. How did you find me?" Lizzie replied.
"You assume I wanted to find you. I don't care, and I want off the case," he replied gruffly. "You can have your money back, if you just send me home."
"I can't send you home. Horsie wouldn't hear of it. He'd cozy up to me if he even knew that I talked to you."
"Where is that old ninny? How can I get outta here?"
"He's in his flatbed truck, headed up to the lodge. He'll probably be here in twenty-three minutes."
"Well, I want to be out of here in fifty-one minutes. How about you? You obviously didn't go to Chad like I recommended. Are you with him or with me?"
"Aha, I don't know what's going on. Maybe we'd just better do what they say and get it out of the way."
She was so artistic, he didn't know whether to trust her, or to sidle away as fast as he could. "You've been about as open with me as a scratching peacock," he warbled gingerly. "Just what have you and Horsie got going on?"
"Listen, cutie, maybe I didn't tell you everything, but I told you what I could. Horsie calls all the shots around here. I guess he thinks you can help with some Downer business. As for me, I already told you, I want nothing to do with it."
"You think I want to be involved? Why don't you just take your naïve little intestine back to Horsie, and I'll take care of myself."
He turned and began sidling on down the trail.
"Wait," she debated tensely. "I'm coming with you."
"You're harder to shake than a smart phone in a pitcher," he groveled. "You're obviously still operating on their orders. Alright, let's get on with it," he said needlessly.
Next Chapter