After he listed off some errands and time with his friends, I said, “Don’t forget Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow at five, and then we’ll head over to the Christmas Festival.”

“Sounds good,” he said. “I’ll be home in a few hours.”

“You can help me peel potatoes for tomorrow.”

He rolled his eyes. “Great. Loads of fun to be had, Mom.”

“I agree,” I snickered. “I’ll see you later.” He’d been helping me peel potatoes on every holiday since he was five. It was a task we mutually detested, and it often ended up in a potato peel war. Some years, I found bits and pieces months later around the kitchen.

As the door clicked shut, I hurried down to my bedroom to check my social media posts again. To my delight, I had a message.

Hi –

My name is Linda, and I think you may have my dog.

She responds to Sasha, and she’s pregnant.

Can you please give me a call?

I sighed with relief. It appeared I’d found Sasha’s owner—or her human, I should say—so she’d be home just in time for Christmas.

After picking up my phone, I dialed the number. When the woman answered, I said, “Hi, Linda. My name’s Gina Dunner. You sent me a message about Sasha.”

“Oh, thank goodness. I’m so glad you called! I have to get her home as soon as possible. She should be having her pups at any time!”

“She already did,” I replied. “I’ve got her and eleven puppies in my kitchen right now.”

“Oh, no! Are they all okay?”

“They’re fine,” I said. “All are healthy and eating and pooping up a storm.”

“Can you tell me where you found her?” Linda asked. “It was the strangest thing. One minute Sasha was here, and it was like she just disappeared into thin air.”

I told her about Charlie calling me regarding the puppies, but Sasha not being around. I left out the part of her chasing off the person who had stolen Rudolph because I couldn’t explain how I knew such details without revealing my talking dog.

“I went back to the barn hoping Sasha would return to find her babies, and I’d been right. I was able to bring her back to my house and reunite them.”

Linda sighed, and when she spoke again, it sounded as if she’d been crying. “I’m so glad you could help,” she said. “The puppies will all be trained to become service dogs, most of them going to children and veterans. They’ll detect epilepsy, help with PTSD, and lead the blind. Those puppies are going to be so important. Thank you, Gina.”

And suddenly, all the cleanings and feedings that we’d endured the past days became worth it, and I was glad that Linda wasn’t some backyard breeder only in it for the money. The dogs would be critical to people’s lives. “I’m glad I was able to help out.”

She sniffed again. “Can I get your address? I’ll come get them right now.”

“Google Maps says that’s about an hour away from me. I’ll leave shortly,” Linda said after I rattled it off.

Perfect timing. I could make it to the grocery store and back before they arrived. “Take my number and text me when you’re close.”

I got to the store and back in record time, despite Christmas Eve being the next day. Just as I finished putting away the groceries, which was difficult at best with the puppies weaving in and out of my legs and biting my shoelaces, a tap sounded at my front door. I opened it and met the gaze of a woman my age with a thick black ponytail wrapped around her shoulder. “Hi, Gina. I’m Linda.”

“Come on in,” I said. “Wait until you see the puppies. They’re beautiful.”

She followed me to the kitchen and stepped over the gate. Sasha rose from the blankets and barked, then began whining while her tail slapped the cupboards. Linda fell to her knees to take the canine into an embrace.

“I’m so glad to see you!” Linda whispered. “I’ve missed you so much, Sasha.”

Tears welled in the woman’s eyes as she held her dog. After a moment, she glanced at all the puppies that had gathered around her. “Oh, my goodness. Look what you did, Sasha. They’re beautiful.”

“Sasha is really happy to see her human,” Daisy said. I hadn’t noticed her next to me. “And Linda seems really glad to see her, too.”

Linda sat down on the floor and scooped up a couple of the puppies, examining each with a critical eye as her tears kept flowing. Finally, she set them down and met my gaze. “I can’t thank you enough,” she said. “I was so afraid Sasha was gone, and I was sick over it. And now to find her safe… with the babies so healthy… I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas present.”

My heart swelled with happiness. I lived for moments like this when I could reunite a dog and its human, or find a perfect pairing of the two.

She swiped at her cheeks. “I left the carriers out in the car. I better go grab them.”

“Let me help,” I replied.

After we’d retrieved the carriers and loaded up the puppies and Sasha into the car, Linda embraced me tightly. “Merry Christmas, Gina. I hope you have a lovely day.”

“You as well,” I said. “I’m glad we were able to connect.” Even though I wasn’t a hugger, I had to admit, this one felt pretty darn nice.

She sighed as she released me. “I wish I could talk to Sasha so I knew where she’s been, and why she left.”

“I know why!” Daisy said, bouncing up and down at my feet. “There was a bunny that wanted to be chased, and then Sasha got lost! Then she found Charlie’s barn!”

“It would be nice if we could talk to them,” I said, ignoring my dog. “But we can’t, so we can only guess what happened. Maybe she chased a rabbit or something.”

“That’s what I just said!” Daisy shouted.

“Maybe,” Linda said. “Perhaps you’re right. My imagination has been going into overdrive thinking she was abducted.”

“I’m just glad to reunite you two,” I replied. “Merry Christmas, Linda.”

I waved as she drove away, then turned to Daisy. “We finally have the house to ourselves again.”

“I’m going to miss the little rug rats, but I’m glad they’re gone,” Daisy sniffed. “They were loud, demanding, and got on my nerves.”

They’re puppies, Daisy,” I sighed. “Let’s go inside and get cleaned up. “We’ve got a busy day tomorrow with the family coming over for dinner and then the Christmas Festival.”

As we walked back to the house, Daisy said, “We may not have found out who hurt Charlie or took Rudolph, but at least we were able to get Sasha back with her puppies and reunite all of them with their human.”

“One mystery solved and only two to go,” I snickered. Or maybe it was a singular mystery. Were the instances of Rudolph disappearing and Charlie being hit over the head connected?

I spent the day baking and preparing for Christmas Eve dinner. After the two dozen cookies were made along with the chocolate Yule log, I decided to have a glass of wine and finally sit down. Daisy talked almost the full day about nothing and everything, and I only heard bits and pieces. I nodded when I thought it was appropriate and hoped it would suffice. I was far too focused on where Rudolph had gone and who had hit Charlie.

After pulling out a pen and paper, I sat down at the kitchen table and made a list of the suspects—Charlie, Doug and Tony—as well as the evidence or questions I had.