Page 27 of Wanted

I bite back a curse and set about the mindless job. Despite the glove covering my hand, I grip the brush handle with numb fingers.

Crisp wind blows against my neck. The gray sky reflects my inner disquietude. Treetops whip erratically in the cold. The temperature reminds me we aren’t quite past the reach of winter. Though it’s not unheard of for Minnesota to get hit with an April winter storm, especially in these parts, the forecast is clear of impending snow.

The sound of tires advancing up the driveway alerts me to a visitor. My shoulder muscles bunch and tense in anticipation. Numbers roll through my head.

One. Two. Three. Four.

Lee’s truck pulls into view.

My oldest brother hops out to key in the code and rolls forward. Juniper, his wife, is visible in the passenger seat. They’re a little early for her shift as one of our dog trainers, and she usually drives herself. I drop the brush back into the paint and jog over to his window.

“Hey.”

Lee greets me with a wave before dropping his wrist back to the steering wheel.

“Sorry for the early intrusion. Juniper promised Cortney she’d check on the stray we brought by yesterday. I called, but you didn’t pick up.” His pointed look is reminiscent of Mom even though they don’t share any DNA.

“Phone must be on silent. I’ve been busy this morning.”

“Climb in.”

The thought of returning to the house sends a buzzing jolt along my frayed nerves, but I can’t avoid my house forever. The problem isn’t Frankie. The problem is I don’t know what asshole remark is going to come out of my mouth next. Usually, I’m not so mean, but something about her riles my tenuous control until I spew words designed to throw her as off-kilter as I feel.

She’s driving me fucking insane.

Lee pulls up outside the house, and I lead us into the lower level of my home. A large, open space flows off the bottom of the stairs, separated by a gate. To the right of us is a long hallway with rooms on each side. The left houses the training area where Juniper works with behavior issues, and on the right is a multipurpose room.

Juniper moves through the door on the right where Jack and Aiden set up the stray for the foreseeable future. As I follow, I feel Lee’s eyes on my back.

“There she is,” I say to no one in particular. The brindle boxer doesn’t move from her cushioned position. The poor thing has clear signs of malnourishment and neglect, but nothing we won’t be able to help her with. With my dedicated crew, we’ll have her feeling brand new in a couple of weeks.

Trusting humans again might take a little bit longer, but we’re determined to get her there too.

“Oh, poor mama.” Juniper drops to the dog’s side in a careful crouch. “Is she eating or drinking?”

“Yep. Fed her a little this morning. She was weak but eager.”

I’ve long since learned to temper the fire that comes from finding an animal in such a state. My focus is entirely on helping them heal, not the circumstance that hurt them in the first place.

We allow the police to handle that.

“I picked up the antibiotics from Cortney’s office on the way here. She needs a dose twice a day. I can give her the first one now.”

“Thanks.”

The floor creaks above my head, and my eyes shoot to the ceiling.

“How’s the girl?” Juniper asks, straightening from her crouch. She wipes her palms against her dark blue jeans.

I cut a glance at my brother. Lee scratches the side of his nose with his thumb and avoids my gaze.

“She’s fine.”

“Can I meet her?”

“You can’t not meet her.” I shrug. “Don’t need my permission.”

“Great! I have a little time before my shift.”

---