{"id":89,"date":"2015-09-25T03:28:09","date_gmt":"2015-09-25T03:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/?p=89"},"modified":"2026-05-28T23:01:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T23:01:53","slug":"j-paul-cooper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/j-paul-cooper\/","title":{"rendered":"J. Paul Cooper"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Poodle and the Golfer<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Bethany turned over and pulled the pillow over her head, trying to block the irritating moaning coming from the bathroom. Realizing there was no way she\u2019d get back to sleep until after husband Harold left, she stood up and put on her bathrobe. She didn\u2019t want to be up. It was a Saturday morning, and it wasn\u2019t even seven o\u2019clock yet. Bethany walked to the partly opened bathroom door. She leaned against the frame and spoke with a soft, sweet voice, \u201cHas the hot water helped your neck and back honey?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Harold replied from the shower, \u201cI\u2019m still in agony.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled. \u201cGood!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you say that, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bethany shook her head in frustration. Harold just didn\u2019t get it, regardless of how many times she warned him. Bethany had been teaching fitness classes for ten years. She understood the damage that could be done if someone who wasn\u2019t physically active, tried to keep up with someone several years younger and in much better shape. As usual, Harold had ignored her advice.<\/p>\n

Walking down the hallway, Bethany stopped briefly and opened a bedroom door. She looked at their daughter Sarah and wished she could sleep like that. Sarah was seventeen years old and the only thing that would wake her up before eleven was her boyfriend\u2019s motorcycle.<\/p>\n

Harold was up early that Saturday morning, because he was going to play a round of golf with his younger brother Jeff, who had booked a 7:30 am tee time.<\/p>\n

Every summer Jeff and his family travelled to Nova Scotia from Toronto. Harold\u2019s younger brother looked forward to hiking, mountain biking, ocean kayaking – just about any activity that involved straining muscles. Jeff was a nice enough guy, but Bethany was glad he only came once a year. He was the reason that Harold had made a fool of himself the night before, falling off a mountain bike.<\/p>\n

Bethany sat at the kitchen table, sipping a coffee and reading the newspaper. Harold walked up to the kitchen counter. He moaned and slowly raised his right arm to take a coffee mug down from the cupboard. To try and avoid the shock of natural movement to his neck and back, he turned his whole body to face Jessica. She looked at him over the top of her newspaper.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t bother telling me how much your neck and back hurt Harold. I have no sympathy for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your problem?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI warned you,\u201d replied Bethany, \u201cthat if you went mountain biking, trying to keep up with Jeff, you\u2019d hurt yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold sighed. They\u2019d been over this a thousand times before. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand; you don\u2019t have a younger brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bethany put down the newspaper and glared at Harold. \u201cI\u2019m going to try and explain this one more time. You are a forty-six year old Chartered Accountant. You have an office job. You never lift weights or swim or jog. You like to relax with model trains.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with model trains?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with model trains, but your brother is a thirty-nine-year old police officer who teaches karate. That means that he\u2019s in better shape, and he stretches regularly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it, rub it in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRub what in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know he looks like a movie star, and I look like a fry cook at some fast food restaurant. That doesn\u2019t mean he\u2019s better than me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not saying he\u2019s better than you, I\u2019m saying your lifestyles are not at all the same. It makes a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold looked at his watch. \u201cSpeaking of Jeff, I have to meet him at the golf course in thirty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold finished his last sip of coffee and winced in pain as he bent over to put the mug in the dishwasher. Bethany folded her arms. \u201cI\u2019m not putting your golf clubs in the car for you. Perhaps if you suffer enough this time, you\u2019ll use more common sense the next time Jeff visits.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold took the keys off the rack by the microwave oven, and offered his wife a smug grin. \u201cI don\u2019t need your help. My clubs are still in the car from the last time I played. It\u2019s a thirty minute drive to the course. I\u2019m going to drop by the drug store to get some muscle relaxants before I leave Bedford. Even if I start off a little stiff, I can still beat him. Jeff may be in better shape than me, but he\u2019s not a better golfer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bethany held the newspaper up again. \u201cI give up. Just get going. You can make an appointment with the physiotherapist when you get home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold looked over the top of the newspaper. \u201cDo you still love me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but at the moment I love a fool.\u201d<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

The luxury sedan sped along the highway towards Halifax. It was a forty minute drive from the airport to the city. Frank sat next to his wife\u2019s poodle, Cuddles in the backseat. He wanted to sit next to his wife, Jasmine but Cuddles liked to sit in the middle.  Their relationship had seen better days and Frank hoped that this vacation would be a chance to patch things up, before Jasmine asked for a divorce.<\/p>\n

A forty-foot yacht was waiting for them in Halifax harbour, but Frank had arranged for them to spend their first night in a hotel downtown. If everything went according to plan, they\u2019d enjoy a lobster dinner at a local restaurant, and then they\u2019d return to their hotel and share some champagne in the hot tub. Tony, their driver and bodyguard would take Cuddles for a drive and return later in the evening. Frank couldn\u2019t keep Cuddles away all night, just long enough to spend some time alone with his wife.<\/p>\n

Frank was trying to remain calm, but he hated delays, and his wife Jasmine wanted to make a detour halfway to the city from the airport. \u201cWhy can\u2019t the dog wait until we get to Halifax to have a drink?  We\u2019re already over halfway there. It takes less than an hour to drive from the airport to the city. She\u2019ll survive for another twenty minutes!\u201d<\/p>\n

Jasmine glared at him from the other side of the backseat. \u201cCuddles is unsettled from the trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnsettled?\u201d Frank rolled his eyes. \u201cThe dog traveled with us in a private jet and ate caviar!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t her favourite brand. You should have called the charter company and made sure they had the right type of caviar on the plane. Cuddles is very particular.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you saying it\u2019s my fault?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jasmine kissed Cuddles on the snout. \u201cWell, it certainly isn\u2019t your fault, is it Cuddles?\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank looked at his wife and smiled. With her long, slim legs and shoulder length red hair, it was no wonder it was hard to say no to her. She was forty-three years old, and<\/p>\n

she could still turn the heads of men twenty years younger. The most powerful crime boss in Canada could have a man killed just by making a phone call, but he couldn\u2019t make Cuddles wait for a drink of water.<\/p>\n

Frank knew there was more at stake than losing a beautiful wife. If Jasmine decided to ask for a divorce, it would be a disaster. She could ask for every cent he<\/p>\n

owned, and he\u2019d have to give it to her\u2026if he wanted to live. Her family had connections with powerful crime syndicates in the United States. It was one thing to intimidate local crime bosses in Halifax or Winnipeg, but dealing with organizations from New York or Las Vegas was another story altogether.<\/p>\n

Jasmine looked up at the rearview mirror and noticed that Tony was grinning. \u201cSo, you think getting Cuddles bottled water is funny, do you Tony? If Cuddles gets sick because she\u2019s upset, it won\u2019t be me cleaning up after her.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Tony didn\u2019t reply, Jasmine smiled with satisfaction.<\/p>\n

Frank knew that when it came to Cuddles, arguing with his wife was useless. He leaned forward and tapped Tony on the shoulder. \u201cIs there any place between the airport and Halifax where we can buy some bottled water?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just approaching the turn off for Bedford now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank rubbed his temples. \u201cWell, we better stop. We don\u2019t want to keep Cuddles waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cuddles stood up and licked Frank\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

Jasmine leaned over and kissed Frank\u2019s cheek. \u201cHow can you be so grouchy, when Cuddles loves you so much?\u201d<\/p>\n


\n#<\/p>\n

Harold drove his green sedan into the drugstore parking lot and stopped as far away from the other cars as possible. He had no desire to try and squeeze himself out of<\/p>\n

the driver\u2019s side door. He was hoping that no one would park near him, so getting in and out of the car would be easier.<\/p>\n

He turned off the engine and stepped out of the car, being careful not to make any sudden movements. Soon enough he\u2019d have some muscle relaxants in his system, and he hoped that his younger brother would never know how much pain he was suffering.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Tony drove to the far end of the drug store parking lot and stopped near an area with some grass. He knew from experience that Jasmine didn\u2019t like Cuddle\u2019s delicate paws walking on the hard pavement.  Nearby, an overweight man was slowly getting out of his green sedan. The grimace on his face clearly revealed that the man was in pain. Tony smiled; at least he wasn\u2019t the only one suffering.<\/p>\n

Frank got out of the car while his wife attached Cuddles\u2019 leash to the diamond- studded collar.<\/p>\n

Jasmine pointed a finger a Tony as he as he opened his door. \u201cWhen you go into the drugstore, make sure the water is chilled Tony. Cuddles doesn\u2019t like lukewarm water.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank was about to light up a cigarette, when he noticed Jasmine glaring at him. She put her hands on her hips, a definite sign she wasn\u2019t happy.  \u201cI have to find Cuddles\u2019 water dish, so you can forget about having one of those.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood there holding a cigarette in one hand, and a lighter in the other. \u201cThis is getting ridiculous. I can\u2019t smoke when I go into a restaurant anymore. I can\u2019t smoke in the car or in the house, and I\u2019m sure you won\u2019t want me smoking inside the yacht either. Well, right now I\u2019m standing in the great outdoors and I\u2019m going to enjoy a cigarette.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jasmine walked over to Frank and handed him the dog\u2019s leash. \u201cWell, you\u2019ll have to enjoy your dirty little habit later. Right now you\u2019re taking Cuddles for a walk, while I find her water dish. And Cuddles will not be breathing your second-hand smoke.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI bet if you had to choose between me and the stupid dog, Cuddles would stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jasmine walked over and stood so close Frank could feel her breath on his face. \u201cCuddles is waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank looked around and noticed a large bush on the edge of the grassy area. Perhaps taking Cuddles for a walk wasn\u2019t such a bad idea. \u201cYou know Jasmine, maybe you\u2019re right. Cuddles could probably use some fresh air.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank walked towards the bush feeling much better. It was perfect; he\u2019d just walk the dog behind the bush, sit down, and have a cigarette. By the time Jasmine noticed the smoke, it would be too late.\u201d<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Harold walked back from the drugstore with the package of muscle relaxants in his hand. A luxury sedan had parked nearby, and an attractive woman with shoulder length red hair was taking something out of the trunk.<\/p>\n

After slowly lowering himself into the driver\u2019s seat, he took three pills and washed them down with bottled water. He looked at the digital clock on the dashboard. He had to keep moving.<\/p>\n

His daughter was learning to drive and he constantly reminded her to look over her shoulder, before backing up. He was about to break that rule himself, because there was no way he could turn his neck around that far, at least not until the pills started working. The rearview mirror would be enough.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

It was a rare moment. Frank and Cuddles were together and they were both happy.  He held the leash in his left hand and a cigarette in his right hand. The poodle sniffed the ground around the large bush, but he wasn\u2019t concerned. If Cuddles felt the call<\/p>\n

of nature, he\u2019d just send Tony over for the pick-up. All he had to do was relax and enjoy his cigarette.<\/p>\n

As Tony returned from the drug store, Jasmine was takingt the crystal water dish out of a travel bag. She poured some bottled water in the dish and opened a package of gourmet dog biscuits.<\/p>\n

\u201cCuddles! Mommy has a treat!\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank was holding the leash loosely when Cuddles bolted and broke free. He threw his cigarette on the ground and ran after Cuddles, but the dog was moving too fast for him to catch her.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Harold started the engine and put the car in reverse. All he could see in his rearview mirror was the top of the trunk. He didn\u2019t see the dog running behind his car as he started to back up. A spit second later, he slammed on the brakes.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Frank was stunned by the reality of what had just happened. Tony was lifting Cuddles off of the pavement. The dog\u2019s paw was bleeding. Jasmine was hysterical. He would be blamed for what has happened. He wished it had been him instead of the dog. He\u2019d be lucky if his wife ever spoke to him again. The chances of her going through with a divorce had increased dramatically.<\/p>\n

In that instant, Frank made a decision; the guy in that car was going to pay.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Harold forgot about his sore neck muscles and leapt out of his car. He stared at the suffering animal. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I didn\u2019t see him. I can pay for the treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank stood beside Harold. \u201cYou can\u2019t afford to pay for her treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I at least put the dog in my car and take it to a vet?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jasmine looked up at Frank. \u201cThat evil man is not going to touch my Cuddles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold opened his trunk and took out an emergency blanket. \u201cWell, at least let me give you this. It will keep the dog warm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tony wrapped Cuddles in the blanket, carried her back to the luxury sedan, and put her in the backseat with Jasmine. Frank agreed to ride with Harold to the nearest animal hospital, just to find out where the man was going next.<\/p>\n

The first thing Frank noticed when he got in the car with Harold was the miniature golf bag hanging from the rearview mirror. The only question Frank asked, was if Harold was going golfing. Harold was relieved by the opportunity to talk about anything but the poor dog\u2019s suffering. He told Frank about the golf course he was going to and about his brother the cop from Toronto.<\/p>\n

When they stopped at the animal hospital, Harold apologized for hurting the poor dog for the tenth time. Once again he offered again to pay for the dog\u2019s treatment, but Frank refused and said he\u2019d take care of everything.<\/p>\n

Tony watched Harold\u2019s car leave the animal hospital\u2019s parking lot, and wrote down his license plate number.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Jasmine spoke into her cell phone as the luxury sedan made a return journey to the airport. Cuddles whimpered quietly beside her. \u201cI need another private jet. I don\u2019t care how you do it, just do it! And this time someone better make sure Cuddles gets her favourite brand of caviar.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank sat in the passenger seat next to Tony, to give Cuddles more room. He looked back at his wife in the rearview mirror. \u201cThe dog lost one nail. She\u2019s not going to die. There\u2019s no reason we can\u2019t take her on the yacht with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jasmine kissed the top of the poodle\u2019s head. \u201cLosing a nail has been a very painful experience and it has caused my Cuddles a great deal of stress. She needs to sleep in her own bed tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank knew there was no point in arguing. \u201cYou\u2019re right. I understand, you only want the best for Cuddles.\u201d He paused for a moment before continuing. \u201cI hope you realize that there was nothing I could do. I tried to stop Cuddles. If that man had been paying attention, this wouldn\u2019t have happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jasmine scratched Cuddles behind the ears as she spoke. \u201cI believe you Frank. I know that you haven\u2019t always gotten along well with Cuddles, but I know you wouldn\u2019t want her to get hurt. The question is, what are you going to do about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to make sure that he pays for what he did. He hurt your Cuddles, so I\u2019m going to hurt him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jasmine looked at Frank\u2019s reflection in the rearview mirror. \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n

An hour later Jasmine and Cuddles were on a private jet and Frank was in the backseat of the luxury sedan traveling to Halifax again. Tony held up a piece of paper.  \u201cI wrote down his license plate number.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank smiled. \u201cWe won\u2019t need that. He\u2019s going to play eighteen holes at his favourite golf course just outside of Halifax. He even told me how to get there. It won\u2019t<\/p>\n

be hard to find. That\u2019s the problem with having a conscience. It makes you talk too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tony knew that the man who drove over the dog\u2019s paw was as good as dead. \u201cHow are we going to do it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, seeing I\u2019ve already paid for the yacht, we might as well go for a cruise and take care of business old school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tony nodded. \u201cNo problem boss, Johnny\u2019s downtown at the harbor making sure everything on the yacht is just the way you wanted it. I\u2019ll give him a call and tell him to meet us near the golf club.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank smiled and lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply as he stared at the passing trees. His nephew Johnny was reliable. \u201cGood. I want to get this done tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n


\n#<\/p>\n

Harold took another swing, only to watch the golf ball hit the side of the hill and bounce back into the sand trap again.  He closed his eyes and tried to control his emotions. The game was close. If he lost his concentration, he\u2019d lose the game.<\/p>\n

Harold\u2019s brother Jeff stood nearby, grinning from ear to ear. \u201cDon\u2019t be too hard on yourself Harold. It happens to the pros too. At least you\u2019ll only have to buy lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just looking at how far he had to chip the ball to get it on the green was too much for Harold. He started to curse.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know Harold, if Bethany was here, she\u2019d tear a strip out of you for using that kind of language.\u201d<\/p>\n

The older brother stared at the ball lying in the sand, mocking him, daring him to take another swing. \u201cThat\u2019ll never happen, she doesn\u2019t play golf. Unless you play golf, you don\u2019t understand how it slowly drives you insane, trying to put the golf ball into that stupid little hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat must be why you love the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though he was standing in a sand trap, Harold couldn\u2019t help laughing.  \u201cYeah, that must be why I love the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Frank\u2019s nephew Johnny lowered the binoculars.  \u201cThe younger guy looks familiar. I think he\u2019s a cop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tony waited by the car. \u201cWhat? You can\u2019t be serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. \u201cI recognize the guy\u2019s face.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank was sitting in the back seat with the window down. He opened the door and stepped out. \u201cYou have a good memory for faces Johnny, his brother is a cop from Toronto.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny looked at his uncle. \u201cSo I guess you probably want to call it off. You know, considering the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t often that Frank decided to kill someone, but when he did, the decision was final. \u201cI don\u2019t care if his brother is the Chief of Police. He dies tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure thing Uncle Frank. Anything you say.\u201d<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Harold sat at a table with Jeff in the club house restaurant. He looked at the empty plates and couldn\u2019t believe he was paying for the meal. He had been three strokes ahead of his younger brother, until his ball landed in the sand trap at the fifteenth hole.<\/p>\n

Jeff stood up to leave. \u201cWell, I better get back to Mom and Dad\u2019s place. I promised Angela that I\u2019d take the kids to the beach before we fly back to Toronto.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold shook his head in disbelief as watched his brother leave. He had almost killed himself on a mountain bike, his wife was angry with him, he had injured some poor animal, and he\u2019d just lost a round of golf to his younger brother. Well, at least it was over.<\/p>\n

A few minutes later Harold winced in pain as he put the golf clubs in the trunk of the green sedan. The pills were starting to wear off. It was time to take some more muscle relaxants, then go home and take a hot shower.<\/p>\n

Harold had almost reached the highway, when a man ran onto the road in front of him. He was waving his arms frantically. Harold slammed on the brakes, and rolled down his window.<\/p>\n

Frank\u2019s nephew Johnny ran up to Harold\u2019s car, breathing heavily. \u201cMy car left the road. My mom\u2019s still inside, and the gas tank is leaking. Can you help me get her out?\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold didn\u2019t hesitate for a second. \u201cGet in!\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny opened the door and slipped into the passenger seat. Harold was about to call 911 on his cell phone when he felt something solid pushing against his side. He glanced down and realized that the man was holding a pistol.<\/p>\n

Frank\u2019s nephew pushed the barrel harder against his ribs. \u201cJust drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do want? You can have my wallet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny spoke with a calm, clear voice. \u201cJust shut up and keep you hands on the wheel. If you take them off, I\u2019ll kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want the car, you can have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care about the car,\u201d replied Johnny. \u201cI\u2019m taking you to someone who wants to talk to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll find out soon enough, just drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

The green car crossed the highway and continued driving along a curving dirt road that disappeared among the pine trees. A few minutes later they took a sharp left and stopped. Harold recognized the luxury sedan from the drug store parking lot. He watched as Tony opened the back door and Frank stepped out.<\/p>\n

Johnny took the keys out of the ignition. \u201cYou\u2019re going to get out of the car. You\u2019re going to put your hands on the hood. And then, you\u2019re going to stay perfectly still.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too late for that pal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank watched silently as Harold walked to the front of the car and put his hands on the hood. A tickle of sweat flowed down Harold\u2019s back as he fought to control his breathing. \u201cIf it\u2019s about the dog, like I said, I\u2019ll pay the bill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank shrugged his shoulders. \u201cTo tell you the truth, I hate the stupid dog. Unfortunately for you, my wife loves the dog more than me, and she wants you to pay for what you did to the mutt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, there\u2019s got to some way to settle this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank took the keys from Johnny and opened the green sedan\u2019s trunk. \u201cNice set of clubs you got here Harold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can have them if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can afford to buy my own clubs, but, I would like to try the five iron.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank took a club out of the golf bag and walked around the car to stand directly behind Harold. \u201cFore!\u201d<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Later that evening the skies over Halifax were covered with thick, dark clouds and a heavy fog had blown in from the coast. Frank stood smoking on the deck of the yacht as it slipped out of the harbor.<\/p>\n

Laying on the deck near Frank, Harold\u2019s head throbbed with pain as he regained consciousness. He tried to move, but soon realized it was impossible; his mouth was covered with duct tape and his hands and feet were tied.<\/p>\n

Frank looked down at Harold. \u201cYou know, it\u2019s a real shame, eh. I know you didn\u2019t mean to hurt the dog. You\u2019re probably a nice enough guy. You just had a stroke of bad luck, that\u2019s all. I mean, the dog only lost one nail. But, under the current circumstances, that dog\u2019s nail is more valuable than your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank sighed. \u201cCome on boys, let\u2019s get this over with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harold\u2019s golf bag, now filled with rocks, was lying on the deck, with a rope knotted through the shoulder strap.  As Tony held Harold with a firm grip, Johnny tied the other end of the rope around Harold\u2019s waist. Frank and Johnny lifted Harold onto the side rail while Tony lifted the golf bag. With one last effort Harold and his golf bag went over the side and plunged into the water.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

It was quiet in the mansion in Toronto. Jasmine was relieved to be home and in her own bed. Cuddles lay curled next to her, snuggled under the warm blankets.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

As he sank through the dark waters, Harold managed to loosen the ropes<\/p>\n

enough to free one hand. Harold had a plan to survive. There would be a ladder on the stern of the yacht. All he had to do was reach the surface and hold onto the bottom of the ladder, keeping low in the water while they sailed back to Halifax. He\u2019d be cold, but he\u2019d be alive.<\/p>\n

It only took a few more seconds to free his second hand, but by then Harold was choking on the cold salt water. Before he was able to untie the rope around his waist, the<\/p>\n

accountant had lost consciousness. Harold continued to sink until the golf bag came to rest on the ocean floor.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Jasmine was watching her favorite movie; it would help her forget the terrible experience of watching her Cuddles in pain. The phone rang as one of the house staff placed a bottle of chilled wine on the table next to her bed.<\/p>\n

Frank spoke on his cell phone as the yacht\u2019s bow cut through the thick fog in Halifax Harbor. \u201cHi Honey. I took care of everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d replied Jasmine. \u201cDon\u2019t forget to pick up a present for Cuddles before you come home, maybe a pillow. You know how she loves soft pillows.\u201d<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Harold\u2019s limp body swayed in the current, as curious fish swam nearby, wondering if he was something they could nibble on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Poodle and the Golfer<\/b>
\nBethany turned over and pulled the pillow over her head, trying to block the irritating moaning coming from the bathroom. Realizing there was no way she\u2019d get back to sleep until after husband Harold left, she stood up and put on her bathrobe. She didn\u2019t want to be up. It was a Saturday morning, and it wasn\u2019t even seven o\u2019clock yet.
\n\tBethany walked to the partly opened bathroom door. She leaned against the frame and spoke with a soft, sweet voice, \u201cHas the hot water helped your neck and back honey?\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":771,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fiction"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":862,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions\/862"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtls.ca\/issue20\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}