In Plain Sight by Lorena McCourtney Page A

out his frustration at being left behind on the furniture and carpet. He does love to go riding and stick his nose out the window.”
    In what? I wondered. Did they keep a Hummer in reserve for dog entertainment?
    “But Baby can smile.” She stretched her mouth, baring her teeth, and Baby did the same. I’m glad I knew it was a smile, because there seemed to be an extraordinary number of teeth in Baby’s oversized mouth.
    “And he’s just the biggest, sweetest, friendliest baby ever! Show Aunt Ivy your caterpillar walk.”
    I appreciated that, in spite of all the exclamation points, Tammi was not into baby talk. She moved back a few steps and trailed her hand—bright red polish, big diamond engagement and wedding rings a little tight on her plump hand— along the carpet. Baby immediately dropped his belly to the floor. With legs stretched out behind him, front paws digging into the carpet, he scooted toward her, along the way cheerfully wiggling across whatever got in his way, which included my feet and a ragged teddy bear that was apparently one of his toys.
    “His food is on the counter in the kitchen. You can give it to him about 8:00. He’ll let you know if he wants to go outside. Otherwise, just enjoy! There are people snacks on the counter and in the refrigerator. Help yourself to anything!”
    “Thank you.”
    “The TV remote is over there on the sofa. Baby will probably want to sit with you and put his head in your lap while you watch. Or there are magazines and books there on the coffee table if you’d rather read. I have tons of books, but they’re mostly on diet and exercise, and I can see you don’t need that!”
    She bustled around gathering up purse, cell phone, and jacket. Baby watched her, tail swishing softly on the carpet. I wondered uneasily if the minute she was out the door he might turn into a rabid psycho-dog, a Woodston Cujo. But Sandy had Baby-sat him, apparently without disaster.
    “My cell phone number is over there on the end table by the phone. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.” She patted her purse where she’d tucked the cell phone. “I won’t stay in town for the late news, so I should be home by 10:00 or so. Bye, Baby.” She leaned over and nuzzled the big dog’s face. Not many women, I suspected, would be so agreeable to a slurp of doggy tongue across fresh makeup.
    At the door she turned and gave me a little wave, looking as excited as a teenager going out on a date. “You know, we just love Sandy! She’s such a good influence on Skye.”
    I watched the Lincoln pull out of the driveway, and then Baby and I regarded each other gravely. He offered his paw again, and I shook it. No, no psycho-dog here, just a big sweetie.
    We watched TV together. I hadn’t realized that when Tammi said he’d sit with me, she meant exactly that. Draped right beside me on the wildly flowered sofa with his head and one big paw in my lap. I suspected sofa cushions had to be replaced regularly here, but if Tammi and husband didn’t mind, I certainly didn’t.
    After a while Baby wanted to go out in the backyard. Stacked lumber and concrete blocks suggested some ongoing building project. Perhaps an oversized doghouse for Baby? He brought me a ball to throw, and he romped and played with surprising agility for his size. Later I fed him the dog chow Tammi had put out, and while he ate I snacked on cheesecake squares.
    I flipped through several of Tammi’s diet and exercise books piled on the coffee table. Everything from Pilates to the Atkins diet, with a bizarre offshoot into Weight Loss Secrets from Atlantis: Amazing Discoveries from a Lost Continent with a svelte mermaid on the cover. The book that looked as if it might be the most effective at weight reduction, however, was the heavyweight one Sandy had mentioned. It featured a cover model of a sleek cat and weighed, if not the ten pounds Sandy had claimed, at least six or seven. If Tammi lifted that book overhead enough