Page 48 of Wyoming True

“Jake McGuire. Someone got into Ida Merridan’s house and almost killed her cat. The door wasn’t forced. Her so-called bodyguard has a key.”

There was a very bad word from the sheriff. “Where are you, at the house?”

“At the vet, with the cat,” Jake replied.

“Call me when you take her home. I can be there in less than five minutes.”

“I’ll do that. Thanks.”

He hung up the phone.

She breathed a sigh of relief. “I should have known,” she groaned. “I should have suspected that anything I cared about would be in the line of fire. Anything or anyone...” She broke off with a look of horror as she stared up at Jake.

He gave her a sardonic look. “I lived through a tour of duty in one of the worst hellholes in existence, and you think a man who’s cowardly enough to torture animals is a threat to me?”

“Anybody can get caught off guard,” she began.

His eyes were as tender as his smile. “You worry about me, do you?” he asked.

She flushed scarlet.

The vet came out just in time to spare her more embarrassment.

“Two broken ribs,” he said, “and some nasty cuts. His tail has a break just at the tip.” He shook his head. “Anybody who’d hurt a cat like this...!” he said, angry.

“I think he also hurt two horses,” Ida replied. “They have deep cuts on their flanks...”

“My God, I’d forgotten that!” the vet exclaimed. “I remember now. I treated your horses.” The vet shook his head. “You make very bad enemies, Mrs. Merridan.”

“Her ex-husband,” Jake volunteered curtly. “Fresh out of prison for assault on her.” It was a summary, but it caused a visible reaction in the vet, who was cognizant of Ida’s bad reputation.

“A threat?” the vet wondered.

“I’m afraid so,” Ida said, sighing. “I wish it had been me, instead of my poor horses and Butler.” She bit her lower lip. “I rescued Butler when he was very young... He’ll be all right, you think?” she added, her china-blue eyes wide with emotion.

“I can assure you that he will be.” He studied her. “We have burglar alarms here, because we keep pet medications on hand. If anyone tries to break in, the sheriff can be here in less than five minutes,” he added deliberately.

She let out a breath. “What will you do?”

“Keep him for a few days, just to monitor him and make sure he’s on the mend. Antibiotics, rest, careful diet, loving care,” his wife said, joining them. She smiled. “You can call any time you like to check on him.”

“Thanks,” Ida said huskily.

“We love animals, too,” the vet said gently.

Ida just smiled. She was worn out from worry and fear.

BUTASTHEchauffeur drove them back to Ida’s home, she had another fear, and that was what Bailey might do next. The horses and the cat had underlined the threat.

“Maybe if I just paid him off...” she began worriedly.

“And reward him for almost killing Butler?” Jake asked tersely. “Over my dead body!”

She looked at him with wide eyes.

“I want a word with your bodyguard. I think the sheriff may want more than I do.” He pulled out his cell phone and called Cody Banks.

The sheriff was waiting for them at Ida’s front porch.

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