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

How is he doing?” Colt ran his knuckles up and down her shoulder blade, gratified she didn’t shake him away. He longed to comfort her, but wasn’t sure she’d let him.

“Has the doctor said anything to you?” He prodded the receptionist.

“Doctor Moore hasn’t come out of surgery yet. But I’ll see what I can find out.” The woman went through the swinging door at the back of her cubicle.

Caitlyn turned to him then and buried her face in his chest. He circled his arms around her shoulders and drew her close. His raw heart cracked. How long had he wanted to hold her like this? Wanted her to need him? “Renegade’s gonna be okay, Catie. Just think about how much fight he still had left before the animal control officer hit him with the tranquilizer dart.” Colt leaned back slightly and tipped her chin up so he could see her eyes. “I sure wouldn’t want to be on that dog’s bad side.”

A smile softened Caitlyn’s face. “No chance of that. He has a bro-mance thing going on with you.”

“Good to know.”

“Yeah, he’s a decent judge of character.”

“Does that mean there’s hope you might forgive me?”

Caitlyn smiled softly at him then. “He’s your best ally for that possibility, but I think the bigger question is, do you believe me?” The receptionist returned to her desk, followed by the veterinarian, saving him from having to answer.

“Hello, Caitlyn. How are you feeling? The deputy tells me someone attacked you?” His concerned eyes peered at her bruised face through his trifocals.

Caitlyn half lifted her sling. “I’ll be all right. Just a few bumps, that’s all. How is Renegade?”

“I’m happy to report I was able to remove all the glass from Renegade’s paws. However, he’s in greater danger from the head injuries he sustained. Obviously, unlike humans, I cannot ask him questions about how he feels. So, I’m going to assume the worst. I’d like him to stay here at the clinic where I can keep him mildly sedated and enforce rest. Belgians are high energy dogs, and I doubt he would take it easy at home. There is a minor fracture in his skull, but I have every reason to believe it will heal well. We need to keep any swelling down. Which, of course, is another reason I’d like him to stay here.”

Caitlyn’s voice cracked. “I understand. Can I see him?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll take you back. He’s sleeping but, who knows? He may be able to hear your voice, and I’m sure that would comfort him.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Caitlyn slipped her hand into Colt’s, winding her fingers around his. He gripped them and followed her to see her dog, knowing in that moment that he would follow her anywhere, even if it meant he’d be visiting her through a plexiglass barrier in prison.

The vet had scrubbed Renegade’s blood-matted fur clean, and there were three shaved bald spots on his head where stitches held his wounds closed. A small cry escaped Caitlyn’s throat when she saw him, and Colt pulled her close.

“Remember, the doc says he’s going to be okay.”

“He suffered all of this because of me.” Caitlyn searched Colt’s face.

He cupped her cheek and brushed her forehead with his lips, murmuring against her skin. “Because he loves you.”

Caitlyn hugged him tight then, causing hope and despair to swirl like oil and water in his gut. Finally, she seemed to open herself up to him. And he loved her, whatever her part in Wendy’s murder might have been.

They didn’t stay long, knowing Renegade needed his rest. It had been an exhausting morning, and they agreed they could both use another dose of caffeine. “Besides,” Caitlyn said. “I need to check the schedule to see when my next shift is.”

Together, they walked up the road to the café. Coming out the door as they stepped in was Jim Hague. He stopped when he saw them. “I thought you were supposed to be in jail,” he snarled at Caitlyn.

“Obviously, there wasn’t enough evidence to hold me there.” Caitlyn squared her shoulders and reached out to clutch his arm. “I promise, I had nothing to do with Wendy’s death.”

He jerked away from her. “Then it was your brother. One of you, or both, took my Wendy from me.” He glared at Caitlyn as he made his way past them—his slate eyes cold.

Caitlyn watched him go. “Does it seem to you like he’s limping?” she asked as Jim hobbled down the steps.

Colt turned to look. “A little, I guess.” They stood side-by-side and studied the man as he ambled down the walk.

“How did Jim and Wendy know each other? He’s not from around here, is he?”

“No. He has been working construction at the new golf course for the past year or so. I think he’s originally from Nebraska.”

23

Caitlyn and Colt took their coffees to go and walked together back down the street to his Jeep. The sun was high and hot, so Caitlyn shrugged out of her sweatshirt and asked Colt to help her tie the arms around her waist. She was uncomfortable leaving her cabin wide open to anyone who might come by and was anxious to get home. A broken living room window was an invitation for wildlife or transients to enter. Not that they had many of the latter in their rural county. She didn’t believe for one minute the intruder who broke in last night was a random burglar. None of her things had seemed out of place that morning, and she was fairly sure the man hadn’t stolen anything, but she still needed to sort through her home and check.

Colt rolled down the windows of his Jeep as they drove through town. “I can help you clean up the broken glass at your house before I return to work, if you want.”

Caitlyn smiled at him. “The sheriff was pretty clear. You better get right back to the office. I can handle it.” In all honesty, she was nervous about being at