Page 27 of Keep You Safe
“It’s hurt.”
“Yep.” Grayson nodded somberly. His forehead creased like he was thinking extra hard. He turned slightly to give the bigger dog another chunk of jerky. “Okay, Mama, here’s what we’re gonna do. Little more jerky for you, then I’m gonna pick up your baby, and you’re gonna follow us back to the truck.”
With that, he scooped up the puppy, and amazingly, the nervous mother dog didn’t object, instead trotting alongside him, anxious but not mad. If anything, she seemed almost relieved as Grayson loaded first the baby and then the bigger dog herself onto the back seat floorboard. After he set the dogs down, he grabbed a rag from a box on the seat to wipe dirt and what looked to be blood from his hands.
“They need a vet.” I was possibly more anxious than the mother dog.
“Already on it.” Grayson had his phone out even before he slid back behind the wheel. “Jude? Yeah, buddy, I know you’re mainly large animals, but I got a situation with some dogs. You happen to be around today?”
He chatted a bit more with whoever this Jude was. I wasn’t sure I liked Grayson’s unexpectedly warm and friendly tone with Jude, but the dogs needed help more than I needed to be jealous.
“Our vet’s gonna meet us at his practice,” he said as he ended the call and turned toward me. “Jude mainly works in the field as a horse and large animal vet, but he’s got a partner who handles the pets of Lovelorn and other towns around here. She’s gone for the weekend, but Jude said he can take a look at the dogs for us.”
I kept my eyes on the dogs the whole drive to the vet, which was located in a small building not far from what passed as a downtown in Lovelorn, close to the diner run by Colt’s aunt and near the newspaper office.
Jude met us in the parking lot. He looked more cowboy than veterinarian with a burly body type and impressive arm muscles under a red plaid flannel shirt. He had a beard and wore a western-style belt buckle that, while not rodeo large, added to his cowboy air.
“This is Maverick’s friend Adler. He’s on as a short-term hand.” Grayson made a fast introduction. I didn’t care for the emphasis on short-term, but I didn’t have time to get put out as Jude quickly shook my hand before opening the passenger side back door of the truck.
Jude scooped up the mother dog while Grayson carried the puppy, and we all trooped into one of the exam rooms.
My resolve not to get jealous didn’t last long as Grayson and Jude made easy small talk, the sort old friends with a long history were prone to. They talked in shorthand about the ranch and a few horses Jude was keeping an eye on while Jude looked over the dogs. Grayson actually laughed at more than one point.
Huh. Maybe it really was just me who got under Grayson’s skin. I didn’t know what to think about that. On the one hand, it meant he wasn’t immune to my efforts to get him to notice me, but on the other hand, apparently, he was determined to keep me at a distance by donning his stern armor.
“Well, neither dog is microchipped,” Jude reported as he looked up from examining the puppy. “The puppy’s leg isn’t broken, just a bad thorn in the paw. I’m going to address that and the mom’s injuries. I’d like to clean them up some to make sure I’m not missing more injuries. Gray, can you help hold them if we take them to the back?”
“Yep.” Grayson agreed with the ease of someone who’d helped Jude before.
“What can I do?” I asked. Jude had apparently picked up on my lack of dog experience and general unease with medical stuff, but I still smarted from not being invited to help.
“You might want to check the local lost pet boards while I work on the dogs.” Jude shook his head, a weariness in his eyes. “I’m not holding out hope there.”
Sure enough, I didn’t find a single mention of a lost mom and daughter dog duo on the newspaper’s website, the local doorbell-camera app site, a lost and found section on the feed store’s site, or some more national lost pet lists associated with bigger pet stores. I also sent a message to Maverick to tell him about the situation.
At least my work kept me occupied until Grayson and Jude returned with damp shirts but clean dogs. The puppy’s foot had been bandaged and placed in some sort of little boot to protect it. Both dogs were now on red leashes with the vet clinic’s name printed on them.
“I didn’t find anyone looking for lost dogs.” I bent down to greet the dogs, gradually getting more comfortable with their size and the puppy’s bounciness.
“Yeah, I wasn’t expecting much.” Jude sighed. “By the looks of it, these two have been on the run for some time. You’re going to want to call the shelter in Durango. However, they were full to bursting when Luna checked yesterday. They’re overworked and understaffed, but hopefully, they can manage the injuries and antibiotics as the dogs recover and wait for adoption.”
“The shelter will probably separate them,” I guessed as the mother dog licked the smaller dog’s face.
“Yeah. Puppy’s more likely to get adopted fast, sadly.” Jude had the resigned tone of someone who’d seen this scenario before. “They’ll put the mom on the spay list, but older dogs tend to languish.”
I didn’t like the thought of languishing and all that implied any more than I liked the idea of this clearly bonded pair being separated. The mama dog had worked so hard to protect her baby and bring us to it. Luckily, though, I had a possible answer.
“Maverick says we can bring them back to the ranch.” I held up my phone.
“That’s a great solution.” Jude was far more enthusiastic now. “I can check on them on Monday. We’ll get them both in for a spay after they heal, no problem.”
He was only too happy to help us load the dogs back up and send us on our way.
“So, Maverick is planning to play dog nurse?” Grayson asked as he put the truck in Drive and headed out of the parking lot.
“Um. Not exactly,” I hedged. “Hannah’s allergic, apparently, so he can’t have them in the house. But he said we could?—”
“Hold up. There is nowe.” He was back to that stern tone and firm glare he seemed to reserve only for me.
