Is your mama a llama words
Is Your Mama a Llama?
None Lloyd the llama asks “Is your mama a llama?” as he searches for his own mama. Is your mama a llama? Lloyd asked his friend Dave. And what do you think is the answer Dave gave? Dave's mama hangs by her feet and lives in a cave. Now would you think that's how a llama would behave? Read along with this charming story about Lloyd the llama as he asks all of his animal friends “Is your mama a llama?“ See if you can answer before Lloyd realizes what kind of animal each mama is. And what do you think? Will Lloyd finally find his mama llama in the end? show full description Show Short DescriptionAnimals
Enjoy fun, animal stories for kids including bedtime favorites like Is Your Mama a Llama and Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch.
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Is Your Mama a Llama?
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Is your mama a llama? “Is your mama a llama?” I asked my friend Dave. “No, she is not,” is the answer Dave gave. “She hangs by her feet, and she lives in a cave. I do not believe that’s how llamas behave.” “Oh,” I said. “You are right about that. I think that your mama sounds more like a... Bat!” “Is your mama a llama?” I asked my friend Fred. “No, she is not,” is what Freddy said. “She has a long neck and white feathers and wings. I don’t think a llama has all of those things.” “Oh,” I said. “You don’t need to go on. I think that your mama must be a... Swan!” “Is your mama a llama?” I asked my friend Jane. “No, she is not,” Jane politely explained. “She grazes on grass, and she likes to say, ‘Moo!’ I don’t think that is what a llama would do.” “Oh,” I said. “I understand, now. I think that your mama must be a... Cow!” “Is your mama a llama?” I asked my friend Clyde. “No, she is not,” is how Clyde replied. “She’s got flippers and whiskers and eats fish all day... I do not think llamas act quite in that way.” “Oh,” I said. “I’m beginning to feel that your mama must really be a... Seal!” “Is your mama a llama?” I asked my friend Rhonda. “No, she is not,” is how Rhonda responded. “She’s got big hind legs and a pocket for me... So I don’t think a llama is what she could be.” “Oh,” I said. “That is certainly true. I think that your mama’s a... Kangaroo!” “Is your mama a llama?” I asked my friend Llyn. “Oh, Lloyd, don’t be silly!” Llyn said with a grin. “My mama has big ears, long lashes, and fur... And you, of all people, should know about her! Our mamas belong to the same herd, and you know all about llamas, ’cause you are one, too!” “Yes, you are right,” I said to my friend. “My mama’s a... Llama!” And this is... THE END
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Is Your Mama A Llama Book Sheet
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March 1, 2020 - Author: Michigan State University Extension
Is Your Mama a Llama
By Deborah Guarino
A baby llama finds out what kind of mama his animal friends have. Each page uses clues and rhyming words to make an animal guessing game for readers.
BEFORE READING:
-
Have them tell you about the other animals they see on the cover.
WHILE READING:
-
Ask them what is on the front cover, and if they have ever seen one before.
-
Show the children the front of the book. Ask them to guess what the book is about.
-
Stop at any time if there is something you or the children would like to talk about.
-
Ask them questions so that they can connect what is happening in the book to things they
already know about. Try some of these ideas: o What does your mama look like?
o What kinds of foods do you like to eat? o How do you go to bed each night?AFTER READING:
- Spend some time talking about the story. Ask the children things like:
o How many different animals did you see in the book?
o What does a llama look like?
o Which animal likes to eat grass? Which animal hangs by his feet?
Read this book several times to the children. Hearing the same story again and again helps them learn new words and understand the ideas the hear better. Each day, pick a different activity to do with the children after reading.
MATH AND SCIENCE
Pick a page of the book and count all of the animals that are the same in the picture. Help the children to count the different members of the animal family as well. Ask them to tell you which family is bigger, and which family is smaller.
THINKING SKILLS
Ask the children to tell you how they get ready for bed each night. Then, ask them to choose an animal from the book, and describe how they think that animal gets ready for bed. Ask them to tell you what is the same and what is different about the ways they and the animal get ready for bed each night.
PRETEND PLAY
Allow the children to pretend to be the mama while you pretend to be the child. Allow them to dress up like you, wearing some adult clothes and shoes. Pretend to go grocery shopping together, run errands, pretend to cook a meal, read you a story or tuck you into bed.
MUSIC AND MOVEMENT
Play “Simon Says” as you move like the different animals in the story. Take turns calling out the animal to move like. Fly like bats, flap your wings like a swan, moo like cows, clap your hands like seals, and hop like kangaroos. Teach the children to hear “Simon Says” before they hear what animal to move like or they will be “Simon”.
MOTOR SKILLS
Make your own lacing cards. Take an empty cereal box and tear it apart so that it lies flat. Using the inside part of the box, draw animals and cut them out. Punch holes along the outer edges of the animals. Using an old shoelace or yarn (tape the end to make it easier to thread through the holes), teach the children how to lace through the holes.
ART
Have the children color a picture of their family. Label each of the family members as they point them out to you.
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Accessibility Questions:
For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr. msu.edu.
Lyrics Klava Bravo - Daiquiri lyrics 1 couplet:
Fuck on the floor! The stage explodes wildly like popcorn
This bitch will take off her panties like a GoPro, today we brought bombs to the house , I'm a boxer again, because drunk on the washbasin, I cut my eyebrow.
Jump into loops. Your bitches say I'm sweet (Meal) like Happy (Happy)0005 And today I blew all the cash, don't you see? I am the best. Raise your eyelids,
I'm unbuttoned, inferno. I'm pumping Level, like in a fun farm,
With your faithful sister, I erased my knees, this long-legged bitch is Bambi's deer.
Your whore is flowing, I'm a fucking psycho, like Vladimir Sychev,
Her vagina (nothing) we drank wine, liquor and tomorrow we won't close the fucking test,
The creature broke the text, I'm only interested in the slam dunk contest,
got cognac and your mother is here, we are intertwined with her under Count Basie. nine0003
Bitch, give me the briefcase! And I throw my elbows under the Jingle bells,
I smashed your whole face with a BASEball bat putting you on the rail,
I took a Mike and the sky turned black, your mother spread her legs like Air Jordan,
"You read fucking awesome!" no, what are you talking about? But there will never be any flaws.
Hook:
I'm a scoundrel, I know
But everything that I wrote down in the corner of the apartment bites into my memory.
In the brain cells so smoothly.
And if I were a book nerd, I would not have created Klav'u
2 couplet:
We beat your skull on top and
You collect squares like a snake on Nokia...(WHY!?)
I fucked your teaser. tore, fucked. trash, easy!
And your mother is a lama, so I'm fucking Carl Wheezer,
I'm slicing your dad's veins with a dart?
I rise like cream cake dough,
We conceived your new sister at midnight,
Your mother is like Saturn when she spins the hoop.
I don't listen to you, you'll fuck off instantly,
I'm in your barbie's throat like bronchial mucus. nine0005 They'll throw me up, let's move live to the time vier,
And you'll say to your bitch at the bar... "Give me kiri" When we chop at fests, you stand in the corner there
You won't level up like a handless builder.
The listings destroy all the huts and the liner,
Killed you with one line, like a stand-up vanliner.
You open doors where I fuck flat
Cause I'm a fucking freak like Henry "Juice" Lawson. 1 couplet:
Fucked on the floor! The scene explodes wildly like popcorn
This bitch will take off her panties like a GoPro, we brought bombs to the house today
Not a dont flop, my flow is growing, she knows that I'm a flash - here the bolt sucks ( Bolt)
With a nail on the forehead, I am a boxer again, because I cut my eyebrow with a thump on the sink.
Jump into the loops. Your bitches say I'm sweet (Meal) like Happy (Happy)
And today I wasted all the cash, don't you see? I am the best. Raise your eyelids
I'm unbuttoned, it's hot. I level up like in a fun farm
With your faithful sister, I erased my knees, this long-legged bitch is Bambi's fawn.
Your whore is flowing, I'm a fucking psycho like Vladimir Sychev,
Her vagina (nothing) we drank wine, liquor and tomorrow we will not close the fucking test,
The creature broke under the text, I'm only interested in the slam dunk contest,
I got a brandy and your mother is here, we are weaving with her under Count Basie. nine0003
Bitch, give me the briefcase! And I throw my elbows under the Jingle bells
I smashed your whole face with a BASE, I put you on the rail
I took my shirt and the sky went black, your mother spread her legs like an Air Jordan
"You read fucking !" no, what are you talking about? But there will never be any flaws here.
Hook:
I'm a bastard, I know
But everything that I wrote down in the corner of the apartment bites into my memory.
The brain cells are so smooth. nine0005 And if I were a book nerd, I would not have created Klav
2 couplet:
We pound your skull from above and
You collect squares like a snake on a Nokia ... (WHY !?)
I fucked your teaser. tore, fucked up. trash, easy!
And your mom is a lama, I'm fucking Karl Weather
Do I slash your veins with a dart?
I go up like cream cake dough
We conceived your new sister at midnight
Your mother is like Saturn when she spins the hoop.
I don't listen to you, fuck you instantly
I'm in your barbie's throat like bronchial mucus.
Will throw me up, let's move live in time vier,
And your bitch at the bar, you say ... "give Kiri"
Dope will be thrown on us, we smoke on your grave,
bullets didn't pierce , I'm in armor, like fifty dollars on tour,
When we chop at festivals, you stand in the corner
You won't level up like a handless builder.
All the houses and the liner are fucked up
Killed you with one line like a stand-up vanliner. nine0005 You open doors where I fuck flat
Because I'm a fucking freak like Henry "Juice" Lawson.
See also:
- Klava Bravo - Degress
- Klava Bravo - Said is done
- Klava Bravo - Negro
- Klava Bravo - Marshmallow
- Klava Bravo - Observer
Read Online The Llama Detective Knows Your Motive by Erin McCarthy0003
LLAMA SEE THAT EVIDENCE
Copyright © 2020 by Kathy Love and Erin McCarthy
© E. Izmailova, translation into Russian, 2021
© Russian edition, layout. Eksmo Publishing LLC, 2021
I
Six weeks after leaving Los Angeles and saying goodbye to the role of an amateur detective in the TV series She Posted a Murder, I completed the image of a Californian girl who became the owner of a pub in Friendship Bay, Maine, to perfection. I became friends with Jack Kerouac, my inherited pet llama, and enjoyed networking with the locals. But there was one type (except for my snobbish and very Californian mom) who did not accept my new role, which drove me into frustration. nine0003
And now this guy is calling me.
- Hello! I yelled, trying to take an oatmeal cookie out of the oven with one hand and grab my phone with the other.
I slammed the baking sheet onto the lid of the oven, dropping my oven mitt and getting slightly burned.
"Uff," I muttered as I put my injured finger in my mouth and tried to control the phone by awkwardly poking at the screen.
A name appeared before me. Dean Jordan.
I don't remember Dean ever calling or texting me. We see each other every day as he is the manager of my piping hot pub. I have no idea where this name came from, and believe me, I tried to figure it out. Everyone has their own story, but anyway, Dean has been running the pub for years, even when Grandma was alive. nine0003
Given Dean's taciturnity, there must have been a labor crisis. The pub must be running out of hands and wants me to come help. Living right above the bar is very convenient. I can come running in three minutes.
– Hello?
– Sophie, could you come to the guest house?
I frowned.
- Fine. Right now?
- Yes. Right now. It's about the skeleton in the closet.
I looked out the kitchen window. From here you can see the guest house where Dean lives. Of course, the only person in town who doesn't like me lives on my property and also runs my business. He didn't go outside, but the front door was open. I also noticed a white truck with "Dooty to the Rescue" sign parked in the driveway next to Dean's old pickup truck. nine0003
Dean said he had a leak in his bathroom and that he called the plumber. Did someone screw up last time? Is that what he meant? I had a premonition that all this would cost me a pretty penny. Here they are, the disadvantages of owning hundred-year-old houses.
- I will be right now.
I hung up and put my phone in my pocket. She turned off the stove and, against her will, rushed to the bathroom to see how I looked. I don't want to look like a scarecrow, even if I just have to look at the leaky pipes. nine0003
Did I mention that Dean is handsome?
I stared at myself in the mirror. Her hair was pulled back into a messy knot, and there was a flour stain on her cheek that I quickly wiped off. Overall, not terrible.
Leaving the bathroom, at the last moment I grabbed the lip gloss from the shelf above the sink. She smacked her lips quickly and ran back into the living room and out into the yard. The garden is slowly growing. We'll have to figure out how to prepare the flower beds for the winter. There have already been a couple of cold nights, and now only the first of September. And not only do I know absolutely nothing about gardening, I don't know anything about plants in Maine. It's not like in California at all. But who am I kidding? I don't know anything about Californian plants either. nine0003
Why did Dean suddenly need me, for what urgent need? He probably knows more about plumbing problems than I do. In the past, when I had household problems, I just called the landlord. And now I'm the landlord.
I walked through the garden and down the brick path to Dean's house, praying that the insurance would cover everything.
- Hello! I yelled as I entered the house, feeling uncomfortable about the intrusion. Since moving to Friendship Bay, I have never entered the guest house, although this is my property. On the one hand, it's strange, on the other, it's normal. Dean doesn't like me, so asking for a tour didn't sound like a good idea. Borders and all. nine0003
I heard a rustle and Dean appeared. He wore faded jeans that hung low on narrow hips and no shirt. In the hands of a large hammer. Sweat glistened on his golden skin, and his tousled hair was wet with sweat. Just a hottie builder of the month in a women's magazine. I stared at the seascape hanging over his right shoulder so as not to stare at his chest. Why is my surly manager, aka tenant, so sexy? A cruel irony of fate, not otherwise.
“Hi,” he said. - I'm glad you came. nine0003
These words made me take my eyes off the masterpiece and look at Dean. I am sure that from the moment I set foot on the soil of Maine, he has never been glad to see me.
- I need to show you something. He waved his hammer, inviting me to follow him. I forced myself not to stare at his muscles. No, I don't notice anything at all.
I followed him, looking around the living room with curiosity. Pretty big. The central part is occupied by a gray sofa facing a beautiful white marble fireplace. A large TV hangs on the wall above the mantelpiece. Next to the sofa, a coffee table and low cabinets are all simple and modern. This embodiment of neatness was broken only by books. Stack on the coffee table. Another one on the side table. Books lay even next to the fireplace. nine0003
Turns out Dean loves to read. I didn't expect it, although I don't know why. Not that I knew much about him.
On the opposite side of the entrance was a small kitchen, as neat as the living room. Dean led me down a short corridor. There was another door to the left, and I realized that it was his office. Table with computer. Shelves filled with books. At the end of the corridor was another room with a closed door.
He stopped right in front of her. Bathroom. nine0003
- The plumber went for the sheriff.
This is where my mental wanderings stopped.
- What? What for? “Have I broken some building rules that I don’t know about?” I squinted. "What's the matter, Dean?"
He opened the door and invited me in.
The bathroom was a mess. Tiles lay around the toilet with the lid up. There was a hole in the wall behind the sink, but it feels like it was more for research purposes than repair.
– Where to look? - I got lost. Is this a leak or what? nine0003
- Open the laundry closet. He gestured towards the narrow door that had to be closed to allow entry into the bathroom.
I opened it and saw that about two feet of drywall had been removed from the wall. There were pipes, pins, maybe some mold. And…
Taking my phone out of my pocket, I turned on the flashlight.
- What is this? I leaned closer. - Dead mouse?
A white bone with threads stuck to it gleamed in the light of the flashlight. Some living creature died in the wall. nine0003
- If so, this is the biggest mouse I've ever seen. It's a bone, Sophie, and judging by the size, I'm ninety-nine percent sure it's human.
- Oh my god! I jerked back, wiping my hands on my jeans, even though I didn't touch the thing.
- If you knock on drywall, you will hear that it is not empty. He pointed with a hammer. - It seems that there is something in the wall on the segment from here to here. Suspicious. And if you take a closer look at the bone, you will see that it is tissue. nine0003
- So when you said we needed to talk about the skeleton in the closet, you meant the real skeleton?
What impudence. Corpses don't stick themselves into walls on their own. Someone put this man between the posts and plastered the wall.
How rude.
We crowded around the entrance to Dean's bathroom, glancing at Sheriff Justin Pelletier. Raising a black police flashlight, he climbed headlong into the closet, then straightened up so that we could see his profile again. The sheriff stared at the closet as if he couldn't believe his eyes. nine0003
I totally understood his feelings.
He poked his head into the closet again, then straightened up, cleared his throat and nodded:
– Definitely human remains.
Standing next to me, Dougie MacDougal, owner of Dooty to the Rescue, whistled and my head rang as he did it right in my ear. He rubbed his frail beard, which looked more like the barely visible growth of a teenager than a grown man in his twenties. nine0003
“Shut your ass,” he said, shaking his head. - That's the way things are.
I blinked, not quite understanding what "suck your ass" meant, although I guessed from the context. These Manx have a peculiar way of expressing themselves.
- I mean, I have seen something in this life. Raccoons that crawled into a tight hole, a couple of dead skunks, and their corpses stink no better than living ones,” he said, looking at me.
I nodded, trusting his experience.
“I even pulled a dead deer out of a septic tank once,” Dougie continued. - The horror is terrible. nine0003
I have already learned to understand the meaning of the word "horror" in the interpretation of the Manx. This is their equivalent of the word "very". And a dead deer in a septic tank definitely deserves the word creepy.
- But I never came across human skeletons.
I could hardly contain my laughter. What a relief that local plumbers don't run across corpses in every home. Of course, the first corpse was supposed to be on my territory, in any case, the first for Dougie. Suddenly I didn't feel like laughing. nine0003
- Can you work out how long he's been there? Dean asked from the other side of me.
Justin poked himself into the closet again, and this time he stuck in there a little longer. Finally he said:
- I can't. We need to contact the coroner, but it looks like many years anyway.
I looked at Dean. He didn't look very pleased. Of course, who will be glad to know that for many years he has been keeping towels, soap and shaving cream next to the dead. nine0003
– And what are we going to do? I asked.
"Well, I'm going to seal this place so we can investigate," the sheriff said.
Excellent. The guest house has become a crime scene.
The sheriff moved in our direction and we all tried to get out of his way, tripping and bumping into each other. Dean caught my arm as I lost my balance, my heel caught on Dougie's boot.
- Sorry! we said in unison.
We followed the sheriff into the yard in a file, having no idea what to do. nine0003
"Okay, I'm on my way," Dougie said when we were on the sunlit driveway and looked at Justin, "So I'm not needed for interrogation or anything?"
Justin shook his head:
- No. I think we can be pretty sure you have nothing to do with this, Dougie.
Dougie sighed in relief, nodded, and said to Dean,
“I'll be back when… well, when I can continue.
Dean thanked him and they shook hands. I thought it was pretty brave on Dean's part after the story about the dead deer. I nodded goodbye too. nine0003
"I'm going to the pub," Dean said as he buttoned up the flannel shirt he'd put on before Justin arrived. “Looks like I need a drink.”
No wonder. The situation is very drinkable.
I watched him walk across the lawn to the back entrance of the pub. Glancing at Justin, I found that he, too, was looking at Dean. And in his usually kind eyes something hard and searching was read. For the first time I saw in him a real stern sheriff. From the first day we met, I perceived him as a big good man. Even though we've only known each other for a couple of weeks, I wondered what it was about Dean that brought out the police spirit in Justin. nine0003
"You don't think Dean has anything to do with this case, do you?" I couldn't resist asking.
He blinked, as if emerging from an abyss of thought, and then smiled - and the good-natured sheriff Justin Pelletier returned.
- No, whoever is in this wall, he is there for a very long time.
Good to hear. But that doesn't explain why Justin looked at Dean like that.
- Do you know when your grandmother bought this place? Was this house even then? he asked, turning my attention back to the more pressing mystery of the dead man in the wall of the guest house. nine0003
I shook my head.
- I have no idea. But I can find out. My mother and aunt lived in this house for several years before leaving for college. I will call now.
I reached into my back pocket for my phone.
- Excellent. I also need to make a couple of calls. He walked over to the police car parked outside Dean's driveway on the street.
Digging through my phone for my mother's number, I moved to the shed where Jack Kerouac was sunbathing and enjoying fresh weed in a paddock. Here I put a couple of sun loungers and a table to relax and spend time with Jack. Since I inherited a large fluffy pet from my grandmother, I happened to learn that llamas are very sociable creatures, so I try to spend as much time with him as possible. nine0003
When I opened the gate, he looked up from eating his favorite dandelions. He twitched his ears, blinked his long eyelashes. An unchewed yellow flower hung from its mouth.
- Hello baby. Resting?
He blinked again and wandered towards me. As he walked, his head bounced and his jaws moved in circles. So cute.
Then I sighed and stared at the phone in horror. Unfortunately, my mother is not at all as sweet and pleasant as Jack. She has already hinted, at times quite bluntly, that I should reconsider my decision to move to Friendship Bay, although I like it here. I'm sure the corpse in the guest house will lead to another round of talking about why I made a mistake. nine0003
But I need answers, and the best place to start is with my mother. So when Jack stopped in front of me, I patted his furry neck, scratched his head, took a deep breath and pressed the call button.
I had a little rehearsal of how I would break the news to her.
Curious news. A body was found in the guest house.
Did you know we have a skeleton in our closet?
Has anyone disappeared in our family?
Not the best options, but the bones in the bathroom are not a pleasant topic. nine0003
II
“Hi, Sophie,” Mom answered on the second ring. - One second.
I waited, knowing what she was doing. After a few moments, she continued:
– Can you hear me? I turned on the speakerphone in the car.
She always turns on the speakerphone in the car when I call. She is a busy real estate agent and a workaholic. And she always has to announce that she's putting me on speakerphone. It's like I can't guess from the noise her BMW is making. But this is one of our rituals. As well as her quibbles. nine0003
- Have you decided to go home yet?
Oh, she immediately rushed into battle? She must have a busy schedule and no time to talk.
I smiled at her perseverance.
- No, mother. But I need to ask you a couple of questions about the house.
Good start. I don't want to tell her about the corpse, at least not to start with that topic. If before that she just pressed on me, persuading me to return, then the dead man in my territory will force her to lead the crusade. nine0003
So I just asked:
– Do you remember when grandma bought this place, the guest house was already built?
- Guest house? And what?
- Some plumbing problems.
- Oh - Judging by the intonation, my mother did not fully believe in my explanation. - Yes, it was. But then it was repaired or completed. I do not remember exactly, although the main house was then a natural dump. It's like no one has lived there for years. Sunny remodeled the entire house when she turned the ground floor into a pub. But I don't know what the guest house looked like. Frankly, I avoided him. nine0003
I noticed that my mother doesn't call my granny mother. Of course, this is a common thing. She never called her mother mother. Only Sunny.
– So Grandma was finishing building the guest house? I can't believe my mom doesn't remember. Isn't moving into a huge Victorian mansion with a garden and a guest house a grand adventure for a child? Obviously, I did not inherit my research nature from my mother. Again it became clear that my mother did not want to talk about her childhood, more precisely, about her family. nine0003
- It looks like she was finishing something. All I remember exactly is that she was rebuilding the pub and the master's mansion. The guest house must have been renovated too, but that was thirty-five years ago. Replace those damn pipes. Or demolish the guest house, who needs it? I doubt he's worth anything.
I rolled my eyes, glad she didn't see me.
- Did grandma buy a house with grandpa? Or was he already dead by then?
- I don't know. - Mom's voice has acquired sharp notes. She talked about her father even less often than about her mother. “We moved in shortly after his death. What does all this have to do with plumbing? nine0003
- I'm just trying to figure out how old the pipes are here. You know, for the insurance company. – I myself grimaced at my own invention. Don't insurance companies care about all this? And I quickly moved on to the next question: “And the barn?”
- Which shed?
- Where does Jack live?
– Jack?
I pushed the phone away and grimaced. Very childish, but what can you do. I told her hundreds of funny stories about my pet. It is obvious that any stories about a lama should be touching simply because it is a lama. But the fact that I now have a pet pleases my mother even less than the fact that I live on the other side of the country in the house where she grew up and ran away from when she was eighteen. nine0003
- Jack, my llama.
Mom groaned.
- Exactly, lama. What normal woman would get herself a llama?
I knew she meant granny, but I suspected that my sanity was now also in doubt.
– Mom, what about the shed? Did he already exist or did his grandmother build him?
- He was already there. But what does it have to do with the pipes in the guest house?
“Well, there are pipes there too,” I got out. That's true, even though there's only a faucet for Jack to drink. - I thought, since the plumbers are here anyway, let them check everywhere. Well, you know, if the pipes are old everywhere. I made a face. Looks like it's time to shut up. nine0003
- Sophie, are you sure everything's all right?
I nodded even though she couldn't see me.
- Yes. Thanks for the information.
– Sophie…
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Justin approaching the paddock.
- Mom, I have to go. The plumber wants to ask me something. I'll call later. I love. Bye.
– Sof…
I hung up and turned to Justin.
- Anything else? I hope you didn't find the second body?
Justin didn't smile back for some reason and looked rather gloomy. nine0003
I stared at him.
– There is no second corpse, is there?
He shook his head and said:
“I think we should look around the area, just in case.
I suddenly imagined my backyard, all littered with ancient corpses. Great, now the locals will think I'm John Wayne Gacy from Friendship Bay. Only without the clown makeup, and I'm still not a serial killer. One corpse is enough to cause a seething, and even if there are several of them . ..
- Okay. Mom said that the guest house seemed to be being renovated after Grandma bought the place. “Not good for grandma. - What should I do now?
- I'm waiting for a couple of forensic experts and a search dog from Bangor. I want them to see everything here. I need you and Dean to stay away from the shed and the guest house. A murder investigation is underway.
The situation has become even stranger. Too weird and too serious.
- How do you know it's murder? nine0003
Before I had time to ask this question, I realized how stupid he was. People don't wall themselves up in walls to die there. Judging by Justin's expression, he was trying to find words to say this to me more tactfully and not offend my intellectual abilities. It's good that I'm a redhead and not a blonde, otherwise I would risk not redeeming myself.
“Let’s go,” I said. - I'm just wishful thinking. Of course it's murder.
- How will he react to the dog, what do you think? Justin nodded towards Jack, who was standing next to me, chewing on the knot of hair at the back of my head. I patted him on the face to make him stop. nine0003
- Not sure. I don't think I've ever seen him in the company of a dog.
– Just in case, maybe you should find another place for him for a while?
I looked at my three hundred pound pet. He blinked his long eyelashes, completely indifferent to the oddities going on around him. Then she nodded:
- Of course, I'll think of something.
- OK, I heard that alcoholics see pink elephants, but what about a llama? said our regular Roscoe Philbrick, narrowing his eyes as I ushered the llama into the pub. nine0003
“He's real, Roscoe,” I said, feigning glee. Like it's perfectly normal to bring a llama to a pub at 3pm. - It's not a glitch.
- I was hoping that if I had glitches, I would see a model in a swimsuit and not a llama.
Roscoe can be understood.
Dean, who was sitting at the pint of beer, turned around. He opened his eyes wide. He got off his chair and walked towards me.
- What are you doing? I'm sure you're violating about a dozen health codes. nine0003
I nodded:
- I'm sure yes. But I couldn't get him up the stairs to my house and I was afraid to leave him on a leash at the porch, because I have no idea how he would react to a search dog.
- A search dog? he asked, lowering his voice.
I nodded grimly.
- They want to make sure there are no other corpses here.
Disgust was clearly visible on Dean's face. I understood how he felt. It's too much. The only skeletons I'm willing to see are the ones I'm going to decorate my porch with in October. nine0003
Jack began to shift from foot to foot. Apparently, he was bored in a new place. Can't blame him, it's pretty dead in here this afternoon. Ahh, bad word choice. I mentally winced.
- I thought we had more visitors during happy hours? I said, looking around the pub. There were three regulars at the bar and two more at the table. They stared at us in horror. I smiled and waved to them. They turned their attention to food.
"Well, things get a little worse in the fall when the tourists leave," Dean replied automatically, like he'd said it a hundred times before. In fact, it was. I heard him a couple of times explain to the waiters that he had to cut their hours. But I was hoping to get things right. I have a great staff and I don't want them to lose money if it can be avoided. nine0003
“Right,” I said. “Actually, I have a couple of ideas on how to get locals to join us during the quieter months. You know, the special menu. Fun activities. Live music. Maybe even art parties. They are still very popular.
He nodded, then frowned.
– Are we discussing marketing when you are standing here with a llama and there is a corpse in the bathroom?!
I shrugged.
- Well, we still need to discuss this. Or something different. I mean anything but a corpse, because I'm trying to distract you from the idea that you were showering next to human remains. nine0003
Oh. I think I said it out loud.
A muscle in Dean's cheek twitched. It seems to happen to him a lot when I'm around. I'll try not to take it personally.
- Hello, Jack! Our waitress Brandi greeted cheerfully as she carried away a tray of dirty dishes. And disappeared into the kitchen without a single question.
I looked reproachfully at Jack. Of course, it's rather strange to bring your own llama to the pub, but some people are completely calm about this. And Brandi was definitely amused by this situation, unlike the scowling McStamey standing in front of me. nine0003
- Shall we take Jack to the back room? Dean offered in an unnaturally calm voice.
- Good idea.
See, I can be flexible. benevolent. Unlike some.
I gently pulled Jack on the leash and he followed me. But as we passed George Sprague, another of our regular customers, Jack stopped abruptly, causing me to lose my balance. Dean grabbed me.
Jack raised his head, his nostrils fluttering. He moved closer to George, craned his neck, still sniffing, and tried to drag the salad off George's plate. nine0003
- Hey! George protested, pushing his plate away.
Jack grumbled.
Dean stepped forward, grabbed Jack by the collar and pulled him away from the irritated client.
"I'm sorry, George," he apologized, fighting the equally irritated animal, but managed to get it to move away. - Beer on me.
“And the food, too,” George muttered, though he moved his plate and continued to eat.
"Sorry," I said before walking off after Dean and my obnoxious pet. Did he really eat something? nine0003
George studied the plate carefully and had to admit:
- No.
- Good response, George. I smiled sunnyly.
He softened a little and waved his hand:
– OK.
"Maybe we should lock him up in the office," Dean said as we huddled in the shelved room.
I shook my head and patted Jack soothingly on the back.
- He doesn't like to be alone. Especially in a new place.
Dean looked at me like I was crazy.
- I don't care about the mental health of this animal. I'm worried that all of our clients will leave us. And they won't come back.
I made a face. Why react so harshly?
- And who is the king of drama here? I cooed to Jack.
Dean's cheek muscle twitched again. I sighed.
- Look, I'll barricade him here with one of those tables. I pointed to a pair of rectangular folding tables we used on special occasions. "Then he'll see us, but he won't be able to roam the pub." nine0003
"I'm glad you understand the llama shouldn't be wandering around the pub," Dean said grimly.
I ignored him.
- I'll run upstairs and get the oatmeal cookies I made for him. And he will be completely full and satisfied.
Dean didn't look convinced, but he slipped past Jack and helped me block the doorway with a table.
“I'll be back,” I said after we locked Jack in. - Everything will be fine.
As I walked down the corridor and up the stairs to my apartment, I doubted whether my words were to calm Dean or the lama. nine0003
"See," I said, sitting on the bar stool next to the back door, "he's behaving well."
Ignoring me, Dean poured himself another beer. He took his chair back at the bar again and sucked in the amber liquid.
"I think he's cool," said Dave, who worked at the bar today. He was wearing his usual patterned T-shirt and faded jeans. The hair is gathered in a bun. He's like our talisman.
Jack stood at the makeshift door, watching what was going on in the pub. I gave him more cookies. nine0003
“This is our spirit,” I said, smiling approvingly at Dave. - That's who he is. Our Sir Handsome.
- Cool! Dave grinned, raising his thumbs.
"I think he's the gem of our pub," Brandi said, pulling an overflowing trash bag from a bucket behind the counter. She grabbed him with both hands and dragged him into the kitchen.
Dean took another sip of his beer and turned away, staring into the hall as if he couldn't take us anymore.
I shrugged and whispered to Jack:
- He's a curmudgeon. Don't let him ruin your mood.
Jack was chewing on the treat, his lower jaw moving in a funny circle. Dean didn't seem to mind him at all.
- Hey Dean! Paul Cormier, who was sitting a few chairs away, leaned over to Dean. - What's happening? When I walked down Church Street, I saw that all the cops were gathered there.
Dean didn't answer for a second, and I understood his hesitation. Does he want to tell that a body was found in his bathroom? And can he? There is an investigation. nine0003
“I found something during the renovation,” he finally said. “I thought the police would have to take a look.” So far, there's not much to say.
Paul took his beer and moved two chairs closer.
- Three state police cars and a couple of officials from Bangor? It doesn't sound like "nothing special" at all. His eyes widened in curiosity.
Paul Cornier is one of our fickle regulars. He comes for a couple of days in a row, then disappears for a while. Fifty-something, with graying hair and a beard. I think he was handsome when he was young. But now his rough skin and thinness suggested that he had a difficult life. And from the first meeting, I felt something in his eyes that made me feel uncomfortable. He looks as if he wants to penetrate into the very soul. Now he was looking at Dean with that look. nine0003
But unlike me, Dean didn't seem to notice our client's penetrating gaze.
- I think they just do their job carefully.
Paul finished his beer in one long gulp, tossed some crumpled bills onto the counter, and stood up. He patted Dean on the shoulder.
- Okay, I hope it's okay.
Dean nodded:
– Everything will be fine, I'm sure.
He also nodded and left.
“Strange man,” I said quietly. nine0003
Dean shrugged.
- I think a lot of people are interested in what is happening. And I suspect he thinks you're weird too. He looked reproachfully at the lama and me.
I grimaced and gave Jack another cookie.
But he's right about the locals. I'm sure most of them are curious about what's going on in my backyard, and at the thought of this I began to suffer. I'm trying to avoid gossip and fit into society. And this incident does not help at all. I looked at the phone. What time is it now? Already three. I have to admit, I'm worried about how much longer to keep my pet in the pantry. So far, though, he's doing well. Yes, I chewed on a roll of paper towels. And chewed on a couple of packs of pasta. But overall he is doing well. What interests me most is what Justin discovered. nine0003
“Mom, look, a huge sheep,” said the little girl, coming out of the women's room and poking at Jack.
- What? Her mother looked back and saw us. The eyes widened. “Hmm, it's a lama.
She took her daughter's hand and hurried over to her table, as if Jack might tear down his fence and pounce on them.
This thing with a talisman is obviously not clear to everyone.
Maybe it's time to see what's going on outside.