Page 65 of Jolene's Justice

Epilogue

Brodhi

“CanIpetyourdog, mister?” The little voice came from a tiny slip of a girl with dark brown braids hanging over both shoulders. With her rosy cheeks and wide eyes, she peered up at him, looking incredibly cherubic. As he glanced down at her, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth and tenderness in his heart.

He’d once dreamed of something exactly like this. A little girl at his side, staring up at him adoringly. But that was before. Before bitterness, grief, and rage shut him off from the world.

Sorcha sat at his heel, waiting for the order that would give her permission to greet someone new. Brodhi could practically feel the dog trembling with excitement. She had done well today and deserved a break from her duties.

“Sure,” he answered the girl, wincing when his tone sounded more gruff than he intended. He gave a soft order to Sorcha, who sniffed the girl’s proffered hand, then stood patiently as she rubbed her little hands over her coat. Sorcha wore a working vest that didn’t quite cover all of her fur, leaving some exposed for petting. The girl rubbed Sorcha’s ears and giggled when her tail began thumping against the ground. She’d found Sorcha’s favorite spot.

The girl’s infectious giggle and the vibrant scene of girl and dog in front of him made Brodhi’s heart ache with bittersweet longing. He tore his gaze from the pair and looked around at the crowd of people all enjoying the county fair. Happy families. Gaggles of teenagers. Loving couples. People from all walks of life were enjoying the things the fair had to offer.

The Nighthawks had come out in full force to support one of their own. Since the fire at Jolene’s, they’d rallied to help her begin the rebuilding process. She’d obtained a food truck, which had been doing a steady business throughout the week-long fair. Her employees had stuck by her side in the heat and humidity, making and serving Jolene’s most popular offerings in the back of the sweltering truck. That was true dedication.

The significant others of Nighthawks team members had come out for Jolene as well. Natalie, Brodhi’s boss’s fiancée, had set up a booth to sell her paintings, while Sutton, who was Tin Man’s girl, was selling her photographs nearby. The profits generated from the sales were dedicated to supporting Jolene’s rebuilding fund.

Helicopter rides were being offered at the fair, with Finch and Hollynn taking turns as pilots. The profits were once again slated for Jolene’s.

Even Brodhi himself was doing his part. He’d set up a course to showcase Sorcha’s search and rescue skills. She’d been a big hit with the kids. During one part of their “show,” he’d ask for audience participation, usually from a kid. He’d get Sorcha to get the kid’s scent, then cover Sorcha’s eyes and have the kid hide. She’d never failed to find them, much to their delight. The jar he’d set up for donations, which he’d pledged to Jolene’s rebuilding fund, had overflowed each day.

“What’s his name?” the little girl asked, bringing his attention back to the pair. Sorcha was now in full dog ecstasy, lying on her back as she got her belly rubbed, her tongue lolling out of her mouth.

“Hername is Sorcha,” Brodhi answered.

When Sorcha licked her cheek in greeting, she giggled and said, “Hi, Sorcha.”

“She likes you.”

“Of course she does. All animals like me,” she replied with the confidence only a young person had.

“All animals?”

“Yup. I help my mom with the animals all the time. They love me.”

Brodhi looked around for the girl’s parents. Not seeing any adult hovering nearby, he asked, “Is your mom here somewhere?”

“She’s back at our tent.”

“What tent?”

“The sanctuary tent.”

He had no idea what she meant by “the sanctuary tent,” and he didn’t like the idea of leaving the girl out here by herself. It seemed irresponsible to let someone so young wander around the fair by herself. The girl couldn’t be any older than ten, and this world had far too many predators to take the risk.

“Can you show me?”

The girl popped to her feet, and he struggled with a moment of envy. Oh, to have knees that moved so easily again. “Sure. Follow me.”

Brodhi ordered Sorcha to heel, and they walked with the girl to a large tent on the outskirts of the fair. As they approached, he could both hear and smell the animals. The unique aroma of a shabby petting zoo. Sorcha’s ears twitched as she took in the sounds of numerous animals.

The girl bounced into the tent, full of energy, greeting the animals as she passed as if they were old friends.

“Shiloh!” a woman shouted from the back. “Where have you been? You know you’re not allowed to wander around the fair by yourself.”

The woman dropped to her knees in front of her daughter and grabbed her in a hug. The mom’s back was to Brodhi, but the resemblance between the two was clear. They had the same dark brown hair plaited into the same type of braids. He was surprised they weren’t dressed alike. But the woman was in a pair of jeans that hugged her ass just right as she crouched in front of her daughter. Brodhi quickly pulled his gaze away from that sight and noticed the heavy combat-type boots on her feet. A strange choice in footwear for a woman. “I’m sorry, Mommy. I forgot.”

She then held her daughter at arm’s length, her hands gripping the girl’s upper arms. She raked her gaze over Shiloh as if to assure herself her daughter was in one piece.

---