CHAPTER ONE
Wet Willie
"Willie! No! Don't jump!" The loud, desperate plea
had
Savannah Perry sprinting toward the pool at the retirement
community where she worked as the social director. While
Savannah loved her job she could certainly do without
Willie's reoccurring plunge that happened at least once a
week for the past month. "Oh baby, please don't! It
isn't
worth it!" Although the tearful wail had Savannah picking
up her already swift pace she did manage to notice a sleek
sports car parked in front of Whisper's Edge main
office.
The sun glinting off of the silver chrome piqued
Savannah's
curious nature but after hearing a splash followed by
another wail of distress she slung her tote bag over her
shoulder and kept placing one flip flop in front of the
other.
After pushing open the gate that should have been
latched Savannah glanced over at eighty year old Patty
Parsons who teetered precariously close to the edge of the
water. "Please back up," Savannah shouted but Miss
Patty's
hearing wasn't the best and the flowered bathing cap
covering her ears made matters worse. Besides all of her
attention was zeroed in on the basset hound who was
desperately trying to keep afloat while dog paddling toward
a green tennis ball bobbing just out of his reach.
Willie's giant ears floated on the surface of the water
but
the rest of his stout body was sinking fast.
"Willie, I'm coming to the rescue!" Miss Patty
pressed
her hands together over her head and bent forward preparing
to dive.
"Miss Patty, don't!" Savannah bellowed. "I'll
save
Willie."
Miss Patty raised her flowered head and spotted
Savannah. "Oh, praise the lord!"
"Just back away from the edge," Savannah pleaded from
across width of the pool. After Miss Patty took a safe
step back Savannah kicked off her flip flips and jumped
fully clothed into the water. Unfortunately, Willie had
already made his way into the deep end making rescue a
challenge and at five foot three inches tall Savannah's
feet were nowhere near the bottom. And Willie, still
determined to snatch the tennis ball, renewed his efforts
to swim forward. When Savannah circled her arm around his
middle they both went under. Willie panicked and wiggled
free, managing to swim amazingly fast under water.
Although her lungs protested Savannah followed and when she
saw the wall of the pool looming closer she pushed up from
the bottom giving Willie's butt a hard shove. He shot to
the surface and bobbed like a buoy but before he could sink
Savannah repeated her actions while dearly hoping that Miss
Patty would be there to pull him to safety. With her lungs
on fire Savannah gave him one last shove and was relieved
that he made it over the edge.
With arms of lead Savannah came sputtering and gasping
to the surface. Knowing she couldn't host herself over
the
edge she looked for ladder but her hair covered her eyes
blocking her view. She dipped beneath the water to slick
her hair back and heard another splash. With an inward
groan she wondered where she would find the strength to
save Willie again but to her surprise a strong arm clamped
around her waist and pulled her to the surface.
"What are you doing?" The words formed in her brain
but
all that came out of her mouth was coughing and sputtering.
"Don't worry, I've got you," a deep voice assured
her. "Put your arms around my neck and hold on."
Savannah clamped her arms around him and tried to assure
her rescuer that she wasn't drowning but unfortunately the
only word that came out a stuttered, "D–drowning."
"I won't let you drown," his soothing voice crooned
into
her ear. "Hold on and relax."
"The... d–dog," Savannah tried to explain.
"I know he tried to help but he's fine."
Help? Savannah's oxygen deprived brain finally
processed that he thought that Willie jumped in with a
Lassie attempt to save her! The thought had Savannah
laughing but it came out a hoarse cough.