Renegade (Tin Star K9 Series Book 1) by Jodi Burnett (literature books to read .txt) 📗

Escaping into the bedroom, he returned with a blanket. He unfolded it next to Renegade and carefully scooted Caitlyn’s dog onto it. Colt lifted Renegade in his arms. “He’s lighter than I expected,” he said as he carried the dog to the door.

“Wait!” Caitlyn stroked Renegade’s face and kissed his nose. A wave of dizziness overwhelmed her senses, and she grasped onto Colt as she looked up at him. “I didn’t kill Wendy. You have to believe me.”

“Did Dylan do this to you?” He looked deep into her eyes. “Was he the one who attacked you?”

Shocked that he’d think so, Caitlyn couldn’t answer. Colt pulled away and crossed the porch to the stairs.

“Someone left a threatening note in my truck last night while we were at dinner.” She called after him. “Think, Colt! There’s more to all of this than meets the eye.”

He glanced back at her, nodded once, and started down the steps. He didn’t get far before Renegade wriggled loose from his hold. The dog leapt to the ground and yelped when he landed on his splinter filled paws.

“Ren!” Caitlyn dashed toward him, though a wave of vertigo overcame her.

Sheriff Tackett held her back, sending Renegade into a fury. Even through his pain, Caitlyn’s dog fought to defend her. The poor guy didn’t understand. He snarled as Tackett grabbed hold of her and she winced in pain.

“Easy Sheriff. Her arm is injured.” Colt warned before he crouched down. “It’s okay, Ren. I’m just trying to help you.” Renegade snapped at him. “Whoa!” Colt jumped away. “He’s never done that before.”

“You’ve never stood by when someone manhandled me before, either.” Caitlyn glared at him.

“Tell him to back off, or we’ll have to call animal control,” Colt pleaded. “I need to get him to the vet.”

The sheriff held his phone in the air. “Already did. We can’t have a dangerous dog hampering us from doing our jobs.”

Caitlyn soothed Renegade with her voice while Colt stood back. He tried to reconcile what she’d told him with the sheriff’s evidence. Just yesterday, she assured him she’d locked her gun in the truck safe—that it was there all day and night last Saturday. She lied to me. Catie and Dylan are tangled up in this murder somehow. His mind reeled at the thought. How could I have been so naïve? Caitlyn had used his feelings for her against him. Colt shook his head and stared off into the forest, grappling with his emotions.

Before long, the county’s animal control vehicle rolled to a stop before them. The driver got out and unclipped a six-foot pole with a loop of rope on the end from the side of the truck. “This the nuisance dog?” He pointed the device at Renegade.

“Please, be careful. He’s hurt,” Caitlyn cried.

The man scratched his chin. “Probably why he’s trying to bite.” He reached the post near Renegade and fed more line through the hollow pole into the rope loop. He slipped it over the dog’s head and tightened. Renegade went crazy. Ignoring the pain he must have felt in his paws and head, he shook his body back and forth, growling and gnashing his fangs. He caught hold of the aluminum post and crushed it in his fierce jaws.

“Stop! Stop it!” Caitlyn surged toward the man. Tackett held her back.

The animal control officer dropped the post and darted to his truck. When he returned, he held a rifle. He aimed and fired. Renegade stumbled before falling to the dirt. Caitlyn screamed, and every muscle in Colt’s body flexed.

The man thrust his hand out as if to stop Caitlyn from attacking him. “It’s okay, ma’am. That was just a tranquilizer dart. This way he won’t hurt himself, or me.” He glanced at Colt. “Help me get the dog into the truck, then you can follow me to the vet.” The man approached Caitlyn’s dog and slipped a muzzle over his head, buckling it on the last notch.

Colt’s throat was tight, and his stomach had turned to stone. Everything about this morning was awful. He helped carry a limp Renegade to the cage in the man’s truck, but before he locked the door, Colt loosened the muzzle. He got into his Jeep and called to Caitlyn through his window. “I’ll see you at the jail as soon as I have anything to report on Renegade.”

Long strands of hair hung across her bruised face, and her eyes were wild. “Colt—” she called.

He couldn’t bear to hear the rest, so he gunned his engine and rolled up the glass as he drove away. Colt forced himself to breathe. Forced himself to drive to town and not turn around. He had to have some space to think about the insane turn of events.

Colt passed the ambulance, turning down Caitlyn’s road, as he followed the animal control officer into Moose Creek. They drove directly to the clinic where they met the veterinarian, Dr. Moore, in the parking lot.

The control officer opened the doors where a muzzled Renegade slept. “This dog is nuts, Doc. I slipped my tomahawk pole over his neck, and he went ballistic. Look what he did to my catching rod.” The man pointed to the twisted and dented aluminum. “I tried twice before I had to trank him to get him into the truck.”

Dr. Moore unlatched the cage and ran gentle fingers over Renegade’s face and ears, pausing near the bleeding wounds. “I understand, but I must say for future reference, the worst thing you could do to a dog with a head injury is tranquilize him. How long will the drug last?”

Colt swallowed the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He felt especially bad for Renegade, who was only trying to protect Caitlyn. Then, of course, there was Caitlyn—he couldn’t think about her right now. The sense of betrayal he grappled with was dark and heavy. “Here, let me help you, Doc.” He reached for the dog.

“Hold on, I’m going to get a cart from my office. I’d like the