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  Alice wrapped her arms around her chest and squeezed. That didn’t sound like a mixed result, it just seemed like bad news. “Can we do anything?”

  “First, I must take a closer look if I’m going to pinpoint the trouble, that’s why I wanted to discuss it with you. If we leave Chester alone, he might rally in a few weeks by himself, but there’s also a good chance he might get worse. If I can get in there and see what’s happening up close, that gives us a better idea of the problem so we can address it.”

  “You want to operate?”

  Josh nodded. “It’s just an exploratory procedure at the moment. I’d be looking for more tangible clues as to what’s ailing him. The blood tests tell me something’s up, but until I can get in there, I won’t be able to know for sure.”

  “So, it’s just like sticking a tube or camera into him or something?” Alice leaned forward, tilting her head to one side to hear better. She didn’t want to misunderstand a word and make the wrong decision.

  “It’ll be a pinhole procedure, and Chester should heal well afterward if everything goes to plan. However, as with any operation, he will need to be put under, and with a dog of his age, that could cause complications.”

  “He could die because of the anesthetic?”

  “That’s a slight possibility. Your dog might also suffer confusion or loss of balance or even heart arrhythmia. The chances are good Chester will wake back up with just a small scar to show for his trouble, but I have to warn you there’s a risk with any operation that it might not go as planned.”

  Alice closed her eyes and tried to think. Her head felt stuffed full—memories and images rushing around and sometimes colliding. “What will happen to Chester if you don’t operate?”

  Josh sighed. “It’s possible his liver is struggling to function due to a tumor. Until I can see for myself, then we can’t know for sure. If that’s the case, then Chester will continue to grow weaker. His body won’t be able to filter out impurities, so he’ll deteriorate.”

  “He’ll die?”

  The vet nodded. “I understand this is a difficult decision, but I think Chester’s best chance is when we fully understand what’s going on inside him. Since he can’t talk to tell us his symptoms, we’re guessing at this stage. I can tell his liver isn’t functioning optimally at the moment, but without more information, I can’t do anything to help him.”

  Alice’s teeth chattered together. Her blood felt like somebody had dumped a cupful of crushed ice into it. The skin on the back of her arms bumped up into gooseflesh.

  “You don’t have to decide today,” Josh said. “There’s room for the procedure on Friday, or even Monday next week. How about you go home and sit with Chester for the evening, then let me know tomorrow what you want to do?”

  At home, Alice couldn’t concentrate on anything. She’d wandered out to the back fields to talk to Doug for an hour, but he’d finally sent her back inside when she couldn’t stop crying. “Go be with your dog,” he ordered. “Don’t waste your time out here with me.”

  So, Alice had followed his advice and now sat with Chester on the front porch, staring blankly into space. She was no nearer to deciding. All she wanted was for whatever was wrong to magically go away, but that wasn’t on the list of options to choose from.

  When the phone rang, instead of flinching away in horror as she usually would, Alice leaped for the receiver, hoping it was the vet calling with different news.

  “It’s Alex Dunbar here,” a man’s voice said, and Alice frowned at the wall, unsure of where she knew the name from.

  “I’m the principal of Tashmore Primary School,” the man continued after Alice’s greeting comprised nothing but a long silence. “You helped me out with a swarm of bees last weekend, do you remember?”

  “Principal Dunbar.” Alice nodded. “Of course, I remember. Do you have another swarm causing you trouble?”

  “No, nothing like that. In fact, I was wondering if you’d like to come to the school and give a presentation to the children? I’m always on the lookout for inspirational speakers, and you impressed me with how you handled the bees. It’s the kind of thing that would fascinate our kids.”

  Alice stared down at the floor, a frown creasing her brow. Talk to children? Every bit of her body shrank away from the idea.

  “I know it can seem like a daunting challenge at first,” Mr. Dunbar continued. “But the speakers who come and talk with the children often say they get a lot out of it too.” He gave a warm laugh. “I’m aware public speaking isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but we do our best to make it comfortable. Instead of standing at the front of an auditorium or something, we have everyone sit down, including the speaker. It’s really not as scary as you might first think.”

  Chester walked over and rested the side of his head against Alice’s calf. It was the first time he’d moved of his own accord since she’d arrived home from the vet’s.

  “I don’t know,” Alice said. “I’ve never talked to a group of people before, children or otherwise, so I really can’t think what I would say.”

  “How about you start by taking them through the process you used to transport the swarm of bees away from the school? I found that fascinating to watch and learn about, and I’m sure the children would as well.”

  Alice remembered a talk Sir Edmund Hillary had given to her primary school. While the other children had been clamoring to hear tales of conquering Mount Everest and other mountain climbing feats, she’d sat in the back, loving his memories of beekeeping on the family farm.

  It was the first time Alice had considered what she wanted to do when she grew up.

  The image of a hive, each bee busily producing honey for the good of the whole group, entranced her. From that moment, she had a goal, and it gave structure to her entire life.

  “Sure, I’ll do it,” she said, giving a decisive nod of her head though Alex Dunbar couldn’t see it.

  “Lovely. I’ll send you through all the details you’ll need, and if you want to talk anything through, feel free to contact me on this number.”

  They talked for a few minutes more, Alice’s heart pounding louder with each passing second as she considered the task. When she hung up the phone, her legs were shaking so much she fell rather than sat down on the chair.

  “I suppose while I’m feeling brave, I should call the vet and book you in for surgery,” she said to her dog, running her hand along the length of his side. Chester looked up at Alice with loving eyes, his large mouth opening wide in what looked like a beaming smile.

  After pressing her face against the soft fur of his neck and breathing in the scent for a second, that was precisely what Alice did next.

  Thanks for reading!

  I hope you enjoyed the first outing of Alice Townsend and her honeybees. I’ll bring you another story from the world of Alice, Chester, Sally, Doug, and the hives shortly.

  If you want to ensure that you never miss a Honeybee Mystery, then please follow me on Amazon and they’ll let you know each time a new book is released :)

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  About the Author - Katherine Hayton

  Katherine Hayton is a middle-aged woman who works in insurance, doesn't have children or pets, can't drive, has lived in Christchurch her entire life, and resides a two-minute walk from where she was born.

  For some reason, she's developed a rich fantasy life.

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