Chow Down (A Melanie Travis Mystery)

it for just that reason. They might not even know why, but seeing a Poodle would make them feel good.”
    “Subliminal,” Simone said thoughtfully. “I like it.”
    “Definitely something to consider,” Doug agreed.
    The other contestants shifted in their seats and regarded me with wary respect. Desperate for something to say, all I’d done was describe how great Poodles were to be around. It was the committee members who had taken my idea—or lack thereof—and run with it. Unexpectedly, it looked as though I’d pulled a rabbit out of a hat.
    Doug leaned forward and braced both his hands on the table. “Okay, now we know who we are and why we’re all here. Cindy and Chris, why don’t you tell everyone what’s up next.”
    “As you know,” the young woman began, “Chow Down is a new product for us. One we’re going to be introducing to the marketplace shortly. To be perfectly honest, it’s not like there’s a shortage of good kibbles already available. So it’s vital that we do something to set our dog food apart in the minds of the consumers.
    “That’s where the role of spokesdog comes in. We’re looking for a dog that’s every bit as much of a standout as we feel our product to be. A dog that’s not only beautiful to look at, but that has personality and charisma, too. A dog that’s one in a million.”
    “Obviously all your dogs are beautiful specimens of their respective breeds,” Chris told us. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be here. But now they need to show us something more. What we thought we’d do next is have you take them off their leashes and let them interact with one another. Kind of a “free play” situation where we could observe what they’re like when they’re just being themselves.”
    Five strange dogs, all turned loose simultaneously in a small room and encouraged to be entertaining? It certainly wasn’t the best idea I’d ever heard. Years earlier, I had taken Davey to an interview for a preschool where they used a similar evaluation technique. That meeting had turned into a train wreck. This one, I thought, had similar potential.
    “Fine by me,” Doug said happily. Brando was already loose. The Boxer had been roaming freely around the room for the last ten minutes.
    Allison shrugged, reached down, and unsnapped Ginger’s leash. The Brittany was beautifully trained. She knew she’d been released, but even so she maintained her down-stay position.
    “I’m not sure this is a good idea,” said Dorothy. “Terriers can be territorial. Nothing wrong with that, it’s their nature.” It was also the reason why terriers were sometimes asked to spar in the show ring. MacDuff was one of the smallest dogs in the room. If he decided to pick a fight, he would be at a real disadvantage in the fray that followed.
    Chris looked as though he was about to argue, but Larry Kim’s voice, speaking calmly and deliberately, brought the room to a standstill. “This will not be happening,” he said.
    “Pardon me?” Simone sounded shocked. I was willing to bet she wasn’t accustomed to having people deny her what she wanted.
    All eyes at the table turned Larry’s way.
    “Your idea is not a good one. In such a circumstance, the smaller dogs’ safety cannot be ensured, and in fact if something should go wrong, any one of the five might be at risk. I suggest that we find a different way for you to observe the dogs’ personalities. Either that, or we take the time to carefully introduce them to each other before turning them loose.”
    “That won’t be the same.” Chris was already shaking his head. “What we’re looking for is excitement, spontaneity. Something fresh and fun, and entirely out of the ordinary.”
    Larry’s nod was curt. Yorkie still cradled in his arms, he rose to his feet. “Then what you are looking for is not Yoda.”
    For a moment, Lisa merely stared at him, wide-eyed. Then she scrambled to her feet as well. “It was a pleasure to have met you,” she said softly, addressing the group. “But our coming here was obviously a mistake. Now we must go.”
    “Wait!” Doug jumped up.
    The sudden movement startled Brando. The Boxer had been standing with his back to the table, sniffing the trash can next to the sideboard. Now his body stiffened as he spun around to face us. He landed with his feet braced in a pugnacious stance and jutted his jaw forward as he weighed the situation.
    Instantly Ben was on his feet as well. He crossed the room quickly