Things didn’t improve the next day either. Nikki and Carmen had paired off. Vanessa could hear them chatting away happily in the sitting room, doing their embroidery. Vanessa was beginning to feel more alone than ever. There was no sign of Armado anywhere, and even Izel had a free afternoon and had gone to visit her sister in the local village. Vanessa, at a loose end, decided to go and see Xolo. At least he was always happy to see her. She was annoyed that the dog was still being kept locked up for most of the day. He had been in that wretched shed, out of harm’s way, when the cows were killed the other night. Obviously he had nothing at all to do with it, so why was he still being treated like a suspect? Xolo was lying with his head on his paws and only lifted it halfheartedly when he saw Vanessa. There was something wrong. “Maybe you need a run; do you, Xolo?” Xolo hopped up, licked her hand and trotted over to the door. Vanessa laughed. “Well, maybe I really can talk to animals,”
