Chapter 12

“Stay with the dog,” I said, running for the door. “I’ll be right back.”

I nearly collided with Dr. Sabroso at the underwear rack. I yanked a pair of underwear festooned with what appeared to be garden gnomes right off their plastic hanger, and he rifled through the few spare hangers left on the rack for another pair. Past nutcrackers and snowmen and gingerbread cookies, through wreaths and reindeer and squirrels wearing Santa hats, but it quickly became apparent, I had snagged the last pair.

“I’ll trade you,” Dr. Sabroso offered.

“Um, trade me what?”

He blinked. “I mean, I’ll buy them off you.”

“But then what do I do?”

He blinked again. He had the grace not to say What do I care? but he seemed flummoxed trying to come up with an alternative. “Maybe they have more in the back.”

“Maybe you should ask.”