Page 75 of Mail Order Splash

“Bobby, stay here with Netty. See if you can get them to follow.” I knew that’s what Kleine would want then.

“Where to?” I looked down to find her holding the little dolphin because the strap was loose.

“I’m bringing them all inside. This has to stop.”

Boats were lined up waiting on the bridge but the speedboat was low enough to go under. I blew the horns and said over the speaker that we had an emergency. Without waiting for the go-ahead, we went anyway, and directly into the holding pool.

“Doc, we need you now. This one is about gone.” I jumped and ran inside.

They worked on her for a while once she was on the sling. I kept running back out to see if Netty had followed.

“Have you heard from them?” she asked.

“Not yet, Bobby is working on it. They’re safe from people for now, he won’t leave them,” I answered, hoping to relieve her mind.

“Thanks.” She went back to the water. “Doc, tell me something good.”

“Prepare yourself, Kleine. We’re going to lose this one.”

“No, we’re not, we’re doctor. This is what we do.” She cried. “It’s my fault this happened.”

“You don’t know that.” I grabbed her in a hug.

She let me hold her for a few seconds then was about to go try to bring in Netty when we heard the others coming back. Netty zoomed into the pool alongside our really hurt one. I watched in amazement as she pushed and nudged the little one until it wiggled and let out a faded click.

“Good girl, Netty, keep him mad. We need him to fight like you did.” She dove in next to them and wrapped her arms around the little dolphin. “It’s just a baby. What kind of sick human did this?”

She climbed up in the sling and cradled the little dolphin, talking to it and begging it to fight. Doc suggested she leave it and let the other dolphins have time before it passed, but I knew she wasn’t giving up.

“Doc, is there anything else we can do?” I asked.

“Pray for it. You see, even though dolphins heal rapidly, I’m not sure it will be rapid enough so, if it can survive the night in safety, maybe it can make it, but I’m not convinced.” He answered his ringing cell. “Dig in. I know that girl, she won’t leave that sling.”

“Thanks, Doc,” she yelled when he pointed that he had to go.

“Kleine, what can I do? I feel helpless and out of control.”

“I guess cancel all my appointments for today. You may have guessed I’m not leaving.”

“Aunt Victoria is on top of it.”

“Please tell me we can beat the city. They have to be behind this. It has never happened before now.” She looked to me deep sadness in her eyes.

“I’m going to notify Kellan now. I think the media needs to be involved. We might as well use them to our advantage.” I walked away when she nodded.

“Dalton, I’m glad you called. Charlie filled me in a little. Do we think this is the city?” Kellan asked.

“I don’t want to think it, but it does seem targeted. What’s bugging me is what could they hope to gain from it?” I sat away from earshot but kept an eye on her.

“Keep a close eye on everyone, I’ll get back with you.” Kellan hung up.

“Dalton, I’m glad you answered.” Aunt Victoria said when I took her call. “Has this been going on?”

“It started yesterday. Is it a coincidence because they know they’re going to lose now?”

“I’ve seen worse in my time. People get desperate. If this was such important land, why’d they wait this long?” She said.

“Kellan says he thinks they didn’t want the public to know about destroying a legacy, but now it’s wide open.”

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