Chapter 32

“You need a name,” he told her. “I can’t just call you dog. Well, I could, but…”

He ran though several in his head but none of them seemed right. Then he remembered the dog a friend of his had had when they were kids. She was black, too, although she’d been a lab, and very sweet. He’d bugged his parents to let him get one like her, to no avail.

“How do you feel about Argyle?” he asked her. She cocked her head and he would have sworn she smiled, as much as a dog could. “Okay, Argyle it is.”

Neil made his own supper, resisting Argyle’s begging expression as she watched. “You just ate, and I’m not sure what people food is or isn’t good for you.” He tossed her one of the chew toys, which seemed to mollify her as she dashed into the living room with it. While he ate, she played.