Page 67 of Impurrfections

“Right. Plus a day job.”

“I might have to give that up. I don’t know how I can do it all.” Arthur looked shell-shocked.

Behind us, Theo said, “Get the nonprofit to pay you a salary.”

“Out of what money?” Arthur asked.

“You’ll need to fundraise,” Theo suggested. “The city might also contribute. After all, you’re providing a local service. There might be grants.”

Arthur rubbed a hand over his head, mussing his sleek hair out of its ponytail. “I’m terrible at asking people for stuff. I’d always rather do it myself than ask someone else.”

“Well.” For a change, I felt like I had something to contribute. “I’m fucking excellent at asking people for money.” I grinned. “I could get Mimsy to do a show, tell folks it’s for the shelter. I bet people would chip in. Although…” Some of my enthusiasm drained away. “You’re going to need a hell of a lot more money than I’ve ever raised.”

Theo set a hand on my back. I liked that comforting touch more than I wanted to. “That’s still a good idea, a place to start. People donate on a whole different level when you tell them it’s for charity, not for yourself. Don’t sell yourself short.” He turned to Arthur. “We’ll have to brainstorm. I can contact other shelters, see what they do for funding. Hopefully, owning the property and not having to pay rent will take a big cut out of your operating expenses. And nonprofits don’t pay local property taxes. I checked.”

“I don’t want to sound ungrateful,” Arthur told him.

“You don’t. You’re right, the building’s just the first part of the puzzle.”

“But it’s the one I thought would never happen. Millions of dollars. I’m kind of in shock.”

“Shane and I will have six foster puppies for you to find homes for. It’s not all charity.”

Arthur laughed. “Yeah, right. Like you couldn’t put an ad in the paper for Elkador puppies and get money for them. Heck, call them Half-Elks, if you want accuracy. Folks will pay to adopt cute puppies. Four hundred bucks is what we charge out of the foster program.”

“Elkadors.” Theo nodded. “I like that. And that’s another source of income for you, right? Adoption fees. Six puppies. Over two thousand dollars.”

“Technically, my current rescues are Pam’s, so any money from them goes to her group.”

“Not these puppies,” I pointed out. “She turned the owner down.”

“Still, that’s eight weeks off and a one-time deal.”

Theo eyed Arthur, who was rubbing his beard, looking worried. I jumped in with, “Step by step, day by day, right? You’re not going to turn down a lifetime goal just because you can’t see all the steps to get there?”

Arthur straightened his shoulders. “No, you’re right. And the next step is…”

“The nonprofit,” Theo suggested. “Wynn laid it out for you. Get that paperwork submitted. Even with the crappy tax laws, you’ll get more donations when it’s deductible.”

“Right.”

Theo told him, “Wynn said he’d donate his time as a contribution to the shelter. He’s a good guy.”

“That’s generous.”

“Here, let me text him now, and you can make an appointment.” Theo pulled out his phone with Arthur hovering at his elbow.

“I’m going to take Foxy out quick,” I said, because lawyers and corporations were a whole other world than the one I lived in. I got out a harness Arthur had given us, and when I clipped the lead to it, she stood without reluctance and let me buckle her up. One puppy squeaked, but Foxy stepped daintily over the side of the pool and turned her big brown eyes on me. “Come on,” I told her.

The air outside was crisp but not cold, even in just my sweatshirt. Foxy sniffed around the yard and peed, but didn’t seem eager to go back in.

“Hey,” I told her. “You’ve got puppies to take care of. Don’t imitate my mother.”

She snuffed under a bush a moment longer, then consented to follow me inside. Theo and Arthur were still huddled over Theo’s phone in the spare room. They looked up as I led Foxy to her pool-bed and unbuckled her harness, both locking their gazes on me with an expression I couldn’t identify.

“She peed, if that’s what you’re wondering. Her bits are still dripping yucky stuff. I need to go get a spot out of the carpet.”

“No, no.” Theo waved at me. “That’s not… We were wondering. The lawyer says that while Arthur could set up a nonprofit in California with just one officer— himself— the revenue service tends to refuse single-person nonprofits. He says it’s best if there are at least three people.”

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