Page 54 of Keg's Revelation

“Ry’s putting the bike up. I’ll check on him when I go to get on my bike. Wanted to tell you goodbye and get my kiss before I headed out.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. Come here.” He grabbed my waist and gave a tug until I stood flush against him. “Don’t forget our lunch date tomorrow.”

“I won’t. I’ll meet you at your house with bells on.”

He chuckled and bent his head, and I stretched to meet him when Ry’s words reached us from the side of the garage and the moment ended.

“Reagan! Don’t go near it. It’s hurt and might bite you.”

Reed let go of me and was off the porch and breaking into jog before I had made it down the steps. I ran, but his long legs already had him turning the corner of the house.

“Reagan, get away from the dog!” Reed yelled, and panic struck me.

I made it to the end of the house and came to a stop. Reagan was sitting on the ground with a strange dog laid out beside her, its head in her lap. The dog looked like a pit/mastiff mix. I noticed dried blood in its fur and at least two open wounds on its body, and that it was underweight.

Reed stood behind Reagan ready to snatch her up if the animal made a wrong move.

Ry stood in front of the bike that laid on the ground.

“Reagan, you know better than to touch strange animals, especially ones that are hurt. They’re unpredictable.” I moved to Reagan slowly so I wouldn’t startle the dog. Once at her side, I squatted beside her.

“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you. My mommy can help you, she’s an animal doctor,” Reagan talked to the animal and petted its head. It even cocked its head a little as if it listened to her.

“Reagan, you need to get out from under him, so I can examine him. Ry, go get Gramps and tell him to bring one of the spare leashes and a blanket.”

“I want to keep him, Mommy. He came to me because he needs me.”

“Ry? Did you see what direction it came from?” Reed asked.

“It came out of the woods, right there.” Ry pointed to the area at the tree line. “Before I could set the bike down, Reagan was approaching it. It hasn’t growled or anything. She sat on the ground, and it laid down, too, then put its head in her lap.”

“Okay. Go get your Gramps, like your mother asked,” Reed said, then squatted beside me, looking the dog over.

Ry started to go around the house and stopped. “Oh, before the dog came out of the woods, I heard a man yelling, but I couldn’t understand what he said.”

“From the woods?” Reed asked.

“I guess. He sounded far away. That’s why I couldn’t make out what he was yelling.” Ry left to go get Gramps, and I started assessing the dog’s wounds while it continued to lay still with Reagan petting him.

“Hmm, it’s got a piece of rope around its neck, the edge is snapped off. Looks like he broke free and took off.”

“Maybe he belongs to the neighbor. Who lives on the other side of the woods?”

“Mrs. Jenson used to live there. She died about a year ago Gramps told me. The house and property are tied up because the only relative is a great-grandson, and they’re still trying to locate him. There’s back taxes owed and some other legal issues with the place. So I don’t think the poor thing lived there. Once Gramps gets here, we’re going to have to take him to the clinic. Clean out those wounds and see if he has anything else wrong with him. I don’t know for sure, but the place on his face looks like a bite, and when he tried to get away from whatever attacked him, the skin tore. The one on his shoulder looks the same.”

Reed stood and walked to the edge of the woods and looked around. “Ry said he heard some yelling coming from over there. I’ll swing by there when I leave and check it out.” Reed walked backed and picked the dirt bike up and leaned it against the house.

“Reed, I thought you had a meeting at the clubhouse? You’re going to be late.”

“Yeah, I do. But I’m not leaving you here to take care of this. I’ll text Dad and tell him I’ll be late. I’ll help you get the dog loaded to take to the clinic, then I’ll head out and swing by the place next door.”

“Okay. Will you call me or text me whether you find something or not?”

“Sure.”

“Mommy, once you fix him up, can I keep him?”

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