by Lexi Post
“Really?” She shook her head. Whisper may think Riley was good with animals, but that wasn’t true at all. As a child, she’d forgotten to feed at least three gold fish, lost two gerbils in the house, and the racoon she’d been trying to feed outside bit her. She held up her wrist to inspect the back for the old scar. Her mom had been more upset than she had. She’d taken after her Senior Master Sergeant Air Force father. The man with no emotions at all, or at least that was how it seemed next to her mother.
“What are we supposed to do with him, Domino?” She absently stroked the black section of her horse’s withers. She wasn’t surprised when she received no response. Domino was used to her chatting with her. It was a lot easier than talking to the shrink the Army had made her see when she’d returned.
Glancing toward the road, she scanned for the telltale dust of an approaching truck, but all was still. It was already mid-morning and still Lady’s cohorts had not arrived. She hated standing around doing nothing. Looking over to Dog she found him staring at her, his tongue hanging out his mouth, his head slightly cocked.
Were dogs supposed to do that? She didn’t remember seeing one with its tongue hanging out. Crap, she hoped he wasn’t sick or something. He looked like he was dying of thirst. “Hey Dog, you want some water?”
The animal’s ears perked up, but he didn’t move.
If he was thirsty, he wasn’t very smart. Not knowing what else to do, she tied Domino to the porch railing, not that the horse would go anywhere, then walked up the steps. “I’ll get you some water. I doubt Annette will want you in the house anyway. Butterball has to stay outside and so can you.”
Not bothering to reflect on the fact she was talking to the dog like a person, she let the screen door slam behind her before quickly stepping outside to make sure Dog hadn’t taken off at the sound.
Relief swept through her to find him still there, his snout resting on his paw. “Good. Stay.” Turning back inside the house, she quietly closed the screen door, but left the solid door open. She’d only be a minute anyway.
Striding into the kitchen, she rummaged through the cabinets for a bowl to use. Not sure how Annette would feel about a dog using one of her soup bowls, Riley pulled a plastic Toy Story bowl that Charlotte used and filled it with water. Logan could always buy his daughter a new bowl though it was more likely Annette would take the opportunity to shop for her great granddaughter.
She dunked her finger into the bowl of water and grimaced. It was lukewarm. That was a problem in the Arizona deserts. Getting cold water out of the faucet was an impossibility except in the winter. Glancing at the refrigerator ice dispenser, she made her decision. Setting the bowl beneath it, she pushed the handle and ice clunked into the bowl sending water splashing everywhere.
Great. It was only water. It would dry. She hit the handle again and more ice poured in.
What about food? Had Dog eaten? Did Whisper literally just pick him up off the side of the road and come straight to Last Chance, or had she fed him something on the way? He didn’t eat the rat, but that could mean he simply had good taste.
Opening the fridge, she scanned the contents. Her gaze caught on the plastic container of leftover meatloaf. She took it out and set it on the counter. What if he didn’t like it? Opening the drawers at the bottom, she found ham and turkey slices for sandwiches, along with lettuce, tomatoes and mushrooms.
Dr. Jenna had said that Butterball ate good dog food that contained protein and vegetables. There was no dog food in the house, but this was definitely protein and vegetables. Opening the cabinet where Annette kept her paper plates, Riley grabbed one and covered it with some of everything she found.
She took a few bites of cold meatloaf while she worked. When she’d filled the plate, she took a few more slices of ham and turkey and stuck them in a sandwich bag. If the dog was really hungry, she’d give him more. If not, she’d eat them. After putting everything away, she picked up the plate in one hand and the water in another. That wasn’t going to work. Setting the plate down, she grabbed the sandwich bag and stuck it in her back pocket. Then picking up the plate again, she slowly walked back toward the front door.
Dog sat on the other side of the screen, his tongue still lolling out. She hoped this helped. She didn’t want to be responsible for him dying. She couldn’t handle anyone else dying under her watch.
She pushed the screen door open with her hip and set the bowl of water down on the porch.
Dog didn’t move.
“Don’t you want some water?” She crouched down next to it and swirled her finger in the icy liquid. She held it out to Dog. “It’s cold.”
He sniffed her finger and licked.
“Go ahead. Have some.”
Dog’s one eyebrow rose as he looked at her, then he moved his gaze to the water.
Whisper said to think of him as a little horse. She softened her voice. “Go ahead, little horse. It’s all for you.”
The dog moved forward and started lapping.
Triumph shot through her, and she barely kept in her shout. Instead, she slowly rose, but didn’t dare move, afraid he’d stop drinking. This taking care of little animals wasn’t easy. She’d take Cyclone over them any day.
At the thought of the Clydesdale, she swiveled her head to make sure he was behaving himself. Logan had used him to drag the lumber back to Cole’s house just the day before, so Cyclone should be good until Sunday.
Dog licked her hand, bringing her attention back to him as he sat on his haunches in front of her.
She still held the dish of food in her other hand. Duh. “Are you hungry?” Crouching once more, she set the plate down. “I hope you like it. It was all I could find. Everything else is frozen.” She’d need to thaw something for herself for tonight, or she could just eat potato chips and a melted provolone and mayo sandwich. “Go ahead, try it.”
Dog sniffed at the plate before swallowing the meatloaf whole.
Crap, was that normal? He must be seriously hungry.
He sort of chewed the ham, but didn’t eat all of it before turning to the turkey.
She moved to the closest porch chair and sat on the arm while she waited for him to finish. He hadn’t touched the vegetables when he turned back to his water dish and drank some more. Two ice cubes got licked over the edge and onto the porch. When he finished, he walked to her and sat.
“Are you done?” She pointed to the plate.
His head swiveled to look where she pointed, but he didn’t move. Instead, he faced her again and put his paw on her leg.
What the heck did that mean? “You still have more.” She looked over him at the plate before meeting his dark brown eyes, that one eyebrow higher than the other again. Was it stuck there or…She didn’t take her gaze from his as they stared at each other. She’d bet he wished she could read his mind. “Good boy?”
His tail waved slightly.
Was he really that desperate for praise? He’d never make it in the Army. “Good boy.” She gave it more enthusiasm and the paw came down, the butt came up, and the tail wagged like the American flag in a sandstorm. She rose. “You know you could hurt someone with that thing?” She pointed to the still wagging tail.
Dog’s mouth opened as if he smiled at her. She shook away the thought. Dogs didn’t smile. Did they? She headed for the steps, and he bounded down them ahead of her. Pausing, she looked back at the half empty paper plate. Maybe he’d eat some later.
He ran across the packed earth of the parking area then back to her.
“Do you want to go for a run?”
He barked and sat, the eyebrow moving up though he didn’t close his mouth. It was the weirdest thing, as if he found her odd. She probably was to a dog that had a master who took care of him. Her heart tugged at the thought. And then that jerk of an owner went and dropped him on the side of the road. She knew what it was like to be alone in the world. “Come on. We’ll go slow.”
Turning, she headed for her horse. When she stopped by Domin
o, she was pleased to see Dog followed. “Domino, this is Dog.” She grimaced. “Do I need to give you a temporary name?”
Domino lowered her head to a look at Dog then raised it again. For her that was acceptance. Dog sat as if waiting for the next command. He couldn’t be that well trained, could he?
Setting her foot into the stirrup, she threw her leg over Domino’s back and settled into the saddle. “You ready?”
Dog’s butt came back up, the tail smacking back and forth as if ready for whatever she suggested. She clicked her tongue and set Domino into a walk. Dog trotted alongside…for about twenty feet before he stopped to sniff at a bush.
If she kept going would he follow? She let Domino continue then getting nervous as the distance increased, she called out. “Are you coming?”
Dog snapped his head up and bounded after them. Relieved, she grinned. “Nice to have your company.”
Her relief ended fifty feet later when Dog bounded after a gecko on a prickly pear cactus, barking as the critter easily climbed between the needles. “Leave it be. Come on.”
The barking stopped, but it took a few more minutes before the dog gave up and followed. Just as he came even with her, she urged Domino into a trot. As she’d hoped, he ran alongside, moving too fast to notice anything else. When they made it to Cole’s, she took Domino over to the small barn and went inside.
There was a little fridge in the tack area, and she grabbed a cold water for herself then came back out to run the hose for Dog while Domino took advantage of the stop to drink water from the automatic waterer Cole had installed.
Once again, she studied the road to Last Chance looking for the new horses. Where was Garrett? He’d said he’d arrive in the morning. She pulled her cell phone from her back pocket and looked at the time. He had less than an hour left. He didn’t seem like the type who would be late. Then again, she didn’t know him.
She didn’t need to know him either. Just enough to work together. Sure, he was nice to look at, but she moved around for a reason. Handsome or not, he was just a co-worker, like Trace and Logan. For all she knew, he had a wife, and that was just fine.
She looked longingly at Whisper’s path through the desert. Waiting around was never her thing. Staying busy and productive had always been her way. Now, it was what kept her mind from wandering down dark paths she never wanted to go to again.
Back at the main house, the two stalls were ready for the new horses and all the animals were taken care of. She’d even fixed the rail Cyclone broke. There were other projects, but none she could do while alone. She hadn’t painted the new rail yet. She could move a couple horses and do that…if Cole had bought more paint.
She snorted. She was ninety percent sure he’d forgotten, but it was worth a look. Striding back to Domino, she mounted up. “Come on dog, time to go back.”
As he trotted toward her, she noticed dust on the road to the main house. Finally. She looked down for Dog and found him gone. What? “Dog!” Twisting in the saddle, she looked behind her. “Well, shit. Dog!”
He was halfway down Whisper’s path, which let farther into the valley, and he was racing like the hounds of hell were on his tail.
Turning Domino around, she chased after him. “Dog! Come here!”
As if her anxiousness at losing the small animal had communicated itself to her mount, Domino raced faster. She let her have her head as she turned off the well beaten path to follow dog across the Sonoran Desert.
She groaned as the jut of earth that was the back side of the entrance to the old copper mine grew larger as they approached. He wouldn’t. “Come on, Domino. You can catch him.” Her horse sped on.
Suddenly, Dog took a hard left and disappeared, but she’d finally seen what he was after—a jack rabbit. It had to be equal to him in size!
As she and Domino came around the side of the old mine entrance, her worst fear was realized. The dog had gone inside. “Fuck.”
As her horse slowed to a stop, her palms became slick on the reins. She and Domino faced the dark entrance, fallen beams littered the opening. Those were the ones Cyclone was supposed to drag back to the house. She dropped the reins and wiped her hands on her jeans, but it didn’t help. Her heart was racing and her body remembered.
She grasped the pommel and leaned forward. “Dog! Come heeeere.” Her voice cracked, and Domino’s ears laid back. Forcing herself to move one hand to her horse’s head, she patted her. “Sorry, Dom.”
Taking a deep breath, she stared at the opening. It was worse than a cave. It was smaller and already determined to be unsafe. Maybe if she waited, Dog would come back out. He’d eventually left the gecko alone earlier.
As if he knew she waited, a bark sounded from deep inside the mine.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. She had to get him out without going in. Gritting her teeth, she threw her leg over Domino and dismounted, but she couldn’t move. Her feet felt cemented to the dirt beneath them. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she tried again. “Come here, Dog! Good boy!”
She waited as silence greeted her. The entire desert was still. The heat rose from the dirt as the sun baked down on it, all creatures safely in the shadows prepared to sleep the day away. Not even a hawk or buzzard moved through the sky.
She stared at the dark opening, memories rooting her to the spot.
The gunfire behind her let her know how close they were. One lucky shot had a bullet ricocheting off a boulder ahead of her. She needed to find a good place where she could pick them off, one at a time. But running uphill made her an easy target.
Another bullet whizzed by as she kept her head down while she weaved between the boulders that covered the sandy mountain. When the ground leveled out, she raced across it, her cover almost nil.
An opening in the ledge ahead was her best chance for disappearing. Not even hesitating before the tall, wide, almost white entrance of what was sure to be an endless tunnel system, she ran inside. The coolness hit her, helping her to think more clearly.
She rounded a corner and three darker openings greeted her. Choosing the one to the far right, she raced down it, the light getting dimmer and dimmer. Finally, she stopped and listened. Voices echoed off the cave walls, making it impossible to tell how close they were. All she knew was they were inside, and they were looking for her.
Chapter Four
Garrett slowed the truck, letting it roll forward a few feet down the road to Cole’s so the trailer would be in the shade. A cloud of dirt in the distance told him the wind must have kicked up a dust devil in the valley. Turning the truck off, he jumped out.
He walked around the front of his vehicle and looked for Riley. A lone truck was parked near the house, and since it was the same one that was there two days ago, it had to be hers. Maybe she was in the barn.
Striding toward the structure, he stopped to give Black Jack a pat, the horse greeting him as he approached. The outdoor stall attached to the barn was actually the perfect solution for a claustrophobic horse. He had a new appreciation for the quirks of rescue horses. Stepping into the dimness of the barn, he noticed the ATV parked at the very back.
Listening, he heard no movement. “Riley? You here?” When silence greeted him, he moved forward. She must be in the house. Opening one of the stall doors where she said she’d put the new horses, he scanned it. She’d even added food and water. Guinness and Blaze would appreciate that.
He headed back outside, watching the front door as he strode to the back of the trailer. He didn’t actually need Riley’s help to get the two geldings settled into their new quarters. He just thought she’d want things done her way.
Unlocking the back, he lowered the ramp before untying the lead on Guinness. He was an American Quarter horse similar to Black Jack with a black mane and tail, but his body’s color was much darker. Clicking, he walked Guinness out and led him toward the barn.
Lady, in the north corral trotted over and shook her head. Guinness didn’t even see her, his focus on Black Jack as they move
d closer. Garrett could feel the tension between the two horses as he walked Guinness into the barn. He’d let Riley know that the two may need time to get used to each other.
Once Guinness was settled, he returned to the trailer for Blaze. It was obvious why he’d been given that name, the blaze of white on his nose gave him a friendly appearance.
As he walked the horse toward the barn, Blaze pulled toward Lady, blowing air quickly out his nostrils, obviously excited to see her. She watched him avidly, her ears straight up.
“Not yet, buddy. Let her enjoy her alone time. Haven’t you learned anything about females after all these years?” He chuckled as he patted the animal to redirect him. As they moved past Black Jack, Blaze tried to greet the other horse.
Not sure how that would go, he kept them separated, though his feeling was Blaze would acclimate a lot faster than Guinness. Once he had Blaze settled in, he strode back outside. Where was Riley?
He could leave the paperwork for the two geldings on the porch or under her windshield wiper, but he wanted to talk with her again. She was an enigma, and he didn’t like enigmas. He needed to figure her out.
It was no different from when he was a curious thirteen-year-old and he wanted to know what Area 51 was really about. It took months of research, a whole summer to be exact, but he’d concluded the government purposefully fueled stories of aliens to hide what they were really doing there. His hypothesis was it had to do with advanced weaponry, not all of which was successful. Since the government didn’t want the public to know about either the weapons or the failures, it subtly encouraged the stories of aliens, staying completely silent on the true goings on there. Even as a teenager, he’d thought that a brilliant strategy.
But he doubted that Riley’s closed demeanor was meant to instill curiosity in those who met her. Now knowing she’d been in the military, he had no doubt her persona was to cut questions off before they were raised.
Lifting the ramp, he slammed it shut, locking it while keeping his eye on the front door. Unfortunately for Riley, he was persistent, and despite questioning his motives for being so intrigued, he couldn’t leave without talking to her again.
