Page 30 of Devil's Due

“What happens after the op?”

“Normally he’d be ready to go home that evening, but he will need care.” He lowers his voice. “James and I have been discussing his situation. I take it you’re not Ms Nichols’ partner?” At the shake of my head, he continues, “We’re not convinced that alone she’d be able to care for him as needed. He’ll need to be brought back in for bandage changes, given an assortment of tablets. If it’s easier for her, we’ll keep him here for a few days. How long depends on him really.”

I agree. While Stevie would be delighted to have her dog home with her, his needs will be challenging. I can’t commit to being there to help out, hell, she might not even want me to offer. We’re little more than acquaintances. The vets’ solution is generous, and under the circumstances, makes sense.

I’m staring at Stevie, my thoughts whirring. “And after that? As you say, he’s a working dog. How long until he makes a full recovery?”

“I’ve seen dogs bouncing around as if nothing’s happened after a couple of weeks. But technically, bones will heal in six to twelve weeks. It depends on him, it could be a lot longer before he’s back to his old self. I haven’t got a crystal ball, though I often wish I had. What you want to know is when he’ll be able to wear a harness again and take on his responsibilities, well, I don’t know. But I’d say you’re looking at three months or more. He will be able to go for gentle walks earlier than that. I’m sorry I can’t be more definite, but dogs, like people, are different.”

“Rod?”

“Ah, excuse me, will you? Oh, and tell Ms Nichols we need all her details for payment.”

I nod automatically, then stare again at Stevie. She’s going to be lost without that dog. For the first week or so, she isn’t even going to have him at home.

She turns, unaware I’m watching her. “He feels so much better, Beef. Yesterday I could barely feel his heart beating, today it feels stronger. They’re going to operate aren’t they?”

“They are. I trust James, and this guy seems to know what he’s talking about too.” I walk closer and crouch down beside her. “They wouldn’t put him under so soon if there was any risk.”

“I know. It’s still going to be hard though.”

“He wants to know the insurance details, Stevie.”

A flicker of something comes over her face. “Oh, I’ve got them at home. Can I just leave my credit card details for now? I’ll have to dig all that info out.”

When we go out to the reception area, there’s a woman sitting behind the desk. Apparently today a vet nurse isn’t doing double duties. “Ah, Ms Nichols.” She looks up as we pass. “I’m glad your boy’s doing well.” As Stevie nods in her direction, she continues, “We didn’t get all the information from you the other night. Can you provide it now?”

Feeling Stevie stiffen by my side, I interrupt, “I left my details for payment.”

“Yes, but I take it Max is insured?”

Stevie seems flustered. “He is. But I don’t have the information at hand. I’ll give you my credit card and start the claim later.”

“This will run into thousands of dollars. And I meanthousands,” she emphasises. “You must get that claim initiated.”

“I know,” Stevie insists. “But I have difficulty completing forms as you can see.” Her mouth trembles.

The way she’s said it has the receptionist sitting back, her features rearranged in an expression of regret. “I’m sorry. Take your time. Yes, your credit card will be fine for now.”

I’m about to offer help filling in any fucking form, but it’s the first time Stevie’s offered theI’m blindcard. I frown as I look down at her, wondering why.

The vet, Rod, reappears from the back. “Ah, Ms Nichols. Before you go. Any idea where Max’s microchip might be? James couldn’t find it in his neck, and we didn’t want to move him around too much to search for it. Has a vet told you where it is before?”

At my obvious confusion, Rod goes on to explain, “They’re implanted in the neck, but it’s not uncommon for them to migrate around the body. Sometimes even ending up in a leg. I’m sure he’ll have one, all service dogs do.”

“He has one,” Stevie confirms, “but I don’t know where it is.” There’s a tic at the side of her eye that another person might not notice, but I’m used to looking for things that give people away.She’s lying.She’s also biting her lip, her brow furrowing, her mouth opens and shuts.

“Well, no worries. James will find it tomorrow when he’s got him sedated for the op.”

Her expression lightens, and she decides to speak up. “I’m afraid I didn’t change the details. It’s still in the name of the woman who bred him. I,” again her lip tremors. “I didn’t bother as it was too hard for me to do.”

Surely there’s something on the computer that would help her?A conversation comes into my head.What do you do for a living? I’m a computer programmer.Something doesn’t add up. All I know is when the vet finds the microchip, Max won’t be registered in her name.Could he be stolen?I, of all people, don’t give a fuck about that. But I’d like to know what I’m dealing with. She might need help.

“That’s fine, Ms Nichols. A lot of people don’t bother changing the registration, and it’s perfectly understandable in your case. As long as your insurance company is happy with that, I don’t see a problem.”

If I hadn’t spent most of my adult life, or at least, since I left the Army, living with an outlaw MC, I’d have taken everything Stevie had said at face value. But I have. Although we try to exist on the right side of the law, losing men to prison isn’t easy, we do stumble back and forth across that line. Back in Bastard’s day we were firmly on the wrong side. Then, I’d been involved in debt collection, learning from one of the old-timers. When a man said he couldn’t pay up, there were ways to tell whether it was because he simply had no desire to, or truly lacked the ability. If I’d gone to her to collect a debt, I’d say she just didn’t want to part with the cash while pleading poverty.

I’d actually been out flexing my muscles when the club had been decimated. That had saved me, along with Rock who’d been doing prison time when all the shit went down. We were two of the few survivors.

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