InsaneJournal

Who: Will Graham & Kirsty Cotton
Where: A PetSmart
What: Things in common
When: 4/28
Rating: Low
Status: Complete



Will hadn’t wanted to drive so far into so-called civilization, but Winston’s cold hadn’t abated. So he’d grit his teeth and driven to the big pet store in San Juan Capistrano, Winston in tow. He wouldn’t have been able to settle down and focus on his article with the knowledge that Winston was lying there suffering, so out he went.

The store was enormous and overly lit, but at least it wasn’t overly crowded. A few people were there, listening to birds’ irritated squawks and laughing at the slovenly rodents curled into their bedding. Will went back toward the dog section, trying to find the medicine. Winston followed slowly, but even his gait showed he was sick. Golden retrievers normally stepped casually; this looked like a journey of thousands of miles. He’d make sure to get the nose drops that covered the symptoms he’d researched.

There was a small section of ointments and drops, but there was a woman standing in front of it. Will gently pulled Winston into the aisle. “Excuse me; can I please get onto that shelf?”

Kirsty had been shopping for something to clear up the ear wax that sent Duke into fits of itching from time to time. She smiled when a man asked her to get by, moving without a question and smiling at his dog. “Poor thing. He’s lucky he’s got a good daddy.” She smiled when Duke whined to be able to sniff the other dog. “May he?”

It seemed that the dog was in a good mindset. Will nodded, though he never appreciated the infantilization of animals like that. “Winston’s very mellow.” True to his word, his dog stood there calmly as the German Shepherd sniffed and went about his business. Will patted his nose in praise as he looked for the appropriate nose drops. “Even when he isn’t ill, he’s slow to anger. He’s a very good teacher for some of the other members of my pack.”

“I wish I could take the credit for Duke being so well behaved, but I didn’t train him. I’m just helping him live out his retirement.” She smiled at the dog, very fond of him even though they’d only lived together for a month or two. “He used to be a corpse dog, but he’s retired now. I figure it’s the least I can do for someone of his distinguished age.”

“You mean a cadaver dog?” Will raised an eyebrow. “I’d never heard of them being adopted out, but it seems an elegant and appropriate solution, given that the Jacobson’s organ does deteriorate over time. Did you work with him at the time, Officer?” It was fairly obvious, the way the woman held herself, that she was a police officer of some kind.

“Oh, no, I’m not US&R,” Kirsty smiled, shaking her head. “I just recently joined homicide, but before I was on major case.” She ruffled the dog’s fur. “Duke here used to help out in homicide, but he was on call mostly in case of earthquakes.” He’d been trained to sniff out people in the event of a natural disaster, and he’d been stress tested for the same. “It’s why he’s a little zen master.”

She looked up at him. “Do you train dogs for that kind of thing? You just know more terminology than I’d expect a layman to.”

Interesting. “Detective, then. I train dogs, but more in a quotidien context. Rich women get pets, don’t understand them, and then call me in so they can feel good about ‘trying to help’ them before having them euthanized.” Will knew there was naked contempt in his voice; he didn’t care much.

He did speak more calmly when he continued. “Dogs are refreshing, compared to people, though. I enjoy their company.”

Kirsty rolled her eyes. “The one thing that would serve people well is doing research. On anything. I wish people knew what they were getting into before they got into it. I saved Duke from the needle, but I made sure that I’d be able to exercise him enough, that I’d have enough time for him, and that he liked doggy doors.” Her boyfriend hadn’t really known what to do with him, but Kirsty had figured he’d come around.

“Mmm, they’re more predictable than people.” She smiled and offered Winston a hand to sniff. “We’re monsters, aren’t we,” she teasingly singsonged.

“You’ll have a very good clearance rate.” Someone with attention to detail always would. “People have patterns. It’s matching the patterns to the people which often proves difficult for those who don’t pay attention. Dogs only have one pattern. Fewer options.” Will watched Winston sniff the woman, sitting and looking up at her with a canine smile. He did smile slightly, though he didn’t meet the woman’s eyes.

“Always have,” she smiled in return. She reached out to gently rub the end of Winston’s ear, looking up at Will. “Poor thing, I always feel bad when animals get colds. We know it’ll end based on evidence. They don’t really remember the last time, all they know is how miserable they are now. You’re good to deal with it.”

Will cocked his head to the side. “I would be loath to deal with a pet owner who saw fit to allow any kind of animal to suffer for long.” He wouldn’t have been able to concentrate on his work, between the guilt and the continual snuffling noises. Winston, though, was enjoying the attention, behaving well for the woman. He risked a dry joke. “Even cats deserve healthy lives.”

“I can’t do cats,” Kirsty smiled. “They seem too much like human kids, just minus the affection.” Kirsty smiled when Duke started to lick Winston’s ear in an affectionate, motherly way. “Duke, are you showin’ off where you got your name from? Someone at the K-9 unit named him after John Wayne. Tough when he needed to be, but a softie.”

He did appreciate the occasional pop culture reference that he got. Will managed a faint smile. “He understands that Winston is no threat. Therefore he accepts him and will treat him kindly. Winston is naturally submissive, and in the dog world that does usually result in harmonious relationships.” He couldn’t help but look down at the dogs. “There is a lot we could learn from them. Dogs find no shame in submission when necessary.” How much time could humanity save, Will wondered sometimes.

Kirsty smiled. “Yeah, sometimes it seems that we evolved from the wrong species.” She extended a hand toward him and smiled. “Kirsty Cotton. I don’t know if I said so before.”

Will smiled a bit, but didn’t take the hand, looking down. “Will Graham. It’s all right, Detective Cotton.” He thought about saying ‘nice to meet you’, because it had been - she seemed refreshingly intelligent - but small talk always felt odd.

She sensed that he wasn’t really great with people once they shifted talking to smalltalky things. “Should I leave you and Winston?” She couldn’t help but grin; the other dog was in great hands.

Professional interest made him shake his head. “Actually, could I perhaps trouble you for a small favor before we get going?”

“Of course, shoot.” Kirsty was still kneeling on the ground with Winston.

Will handed her his card. “Would you object, at your convenience, to bringing Duke to meet my pack? I have a new German shepherd who is having some difficulties adjusting, and an extremely calm dog of the same breed would be of great help. They do tend to emulate their immediate cousins.”

“Oh, of course I wouldn’t mind.” Kirsty smiled and accepted his card, handing her one of hers. “Mind having one of my old ones? Trying to get rid of the major case ones so I can start using the new ones.” She chuckled to herself.

“If the information is still valid, I don’t mind at all.” Will was curious in spite of himself. “Must you use the old ones, or can they be gotten rid of?”

“It’s still valid, yeah. I don’t have to, but it just seems silly to throw them out, doesn’t it? I could just cross off one department for another. And most people don’t know the difference anyway.” She could tell Will would.

Will understood, but because he liked things in order. “Use them as you have been, then; give the old ones to people who don’t necessarily need to know you’re Homicide. I know the ego may want to assert your promotion, but not at the risk of being wasteful.” There were too many mended seams on her clothes for her to be okay throwing things out.

He gently pulled Winston back toward his side. “I should go get him convalescing. Thank you in advance for your help, Detective.”

“Oh, wasting is tantamount to blasphemy.” Kirsty gave Will a mock salute, smiling at him and Winston in turn. “I’m looking forward to helping. I’m sure I’ll have a lot to learn from you too.”

“If you have any questions, e-mail is usually the better way to contact me.” Will nodded, not entirely sure how to end the conversation. Eventually he just nodded, directing Winston around the aisle and back toward the cash register. Now that he didn’t have a relatively interesting conversation to distract him, the fluorescent lights were starting to bother him. It would have been strange-looking to put on sunglasses, though. He just got in line and hoped it would move quick, lest he wind up with a pounding headache. He couldn’t drive with a pounding headache.