“For you? As many as you need.” Those warm honey eyes roamed my face as he stepped closer.
I had to fight the urge to step back. “I was wondering if you know Alex Burke. He works for LaBryce Walker.”
Hugh’s eyebrows shot up. “LaBryce is in deep shit.”
“I know.”
“You think he did it? Do you think he killed Mighty Mark?”
Why did some athletes have such stupid nicknames? “No. I don’t think he did it.”
I was glad that Hugh didn’t ask me to expound on my belief. He just nodded and asked, “Alex Burke. Like, Alexander Burke?”
I shrugged. “LaBryce just called him Alex. But that makes sense.”
“I remember a guy named Burke. He applied here a few years ago, I think. I remember because there was some issue with him.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t remember exactly. There were rumors.”
“What kind?”
“I bet Lucy Ann will remember.”
Lucy Ann was the informational hub of the zoo employees. If someone was getting married, divorced, was allergic to strawberries, whatever, somehow Lucy Ann knew about it. She was a volunteer who came in a few times a week to do little educational talks to kids. I estimated her age to be approximately one hundred and seventeen, though she was as healthy and hale as any sixty-year-old.
Lucy Ann’s omnipotence always made me a little nervous. She reminded me of my grandmother. Not that I was scared of my grandma. I wasn’t. Well, maybe a little. In the way that kids are afraid of adults that seemed to be able to pluck ideas right out of their brains. My grandma could take one look at me and know if I was lying, if I’d washed my hands before dinner, or if I was mad at Emma.
When I was a kid, I thought it was some sort of weird grandma-power. I still think that’s possible. Lucy Ann had it, too. Maybe there was a club.
Lucy Ann was usually near the Kid Zone, an area that functioned exactly as it was titled. I walked with Hugh through winding paths past gorillas and chimps. I could feel the buzz of their brains, but no one was close enough for me to talk to. Which was good. I wasn’t there to chat. Chimps could be very chatty once they got going.
I spotted Lucy Ann as we rounded the same corner I had navigated two days ago with a lemur on my head. I glanced into the lemur exhibit and spotted Kiki right away. He gave me a friendly whistle and I called out a greeting before turning to Lucy Ann.
“I heard you had to get a little ringtail back in there the other morning,” Lucy Ann said.
“Yes, ma’am.” Of course she knew; she knew everything, which was why I was standing in front of her.
Lucy Ann eyed Hugh and then looked back at me. “What are you two up to today?” The way she said it sounded more like she was talking to a married couple she’d run into as she strolled down her street. I shifted away from Hugh, just to make a point.
“Lucy Ann, do you remember a man named Alexander Burke?” Hugh asked. “He applied for a job here a while ago, but I remember there were some objections about him, and he didn’t get the job.”
Lucy Ann’s eyes stayed fixed on me. “You should stay away from that man.”
I felt my eyes widen. I hadn’t expected this. “Why?”
“Because he’s trouble, that’s why.”
This was where Lucy Ann and my grandmother began to meld into the same person. I knew, sure as my eyes are blue, that if I asked her why, she would not elaborate. She had spoken, and that was that. Thankfully, Hugh intervened.
“Grace needs to talk to him. Business. But if he’s trouble, we need to know what kind.”
I glanced at him—when had this become a we?
Lucy Ann seemed to think about that for a second. “Well, I’ll tell you what I know. We didn’t hire him because he has a criminal record. Drugs. Among other things.”
“Other things as in . . .”
“As in he’s a violent man.”
“What do you mean ‘violent’? Did he assault someone?” Hugh asked. We both knew Lucy Ann would know the answer to this question, but at that moment, a bevy of preschoolers were herded up the path toward us by a teacher and several other adults. Lucy Ann turned toward them, beaming.
She glanced over her shoulder at us before wading into the sea of little bodies. The meaning of her look was clear. I should steer clear of Alexander Burke. And Hugh should make sure I did.
I glanced at Hugh, who lifted a shoulder and said, “If Burke was convicted of a crime, it’s public record. We can check.”
We headed toward Hugh’s office, which was in the hospital. As we walked into the building, I pulled in a deep breath. The cool air was infused with the scent of antiseptic and animal. I felt a pang, knowing I could never work in a veterinary hospital again. I missed it. I had experienced an overwhelming amount of terror and pain in a place like this, but I had good memories, too, of the ones I helped save, despite my ability.
Hugh led me into his office. He sat at his computer, and I hovered over his shoulder as he tried to find Alexander Burke’s criminal record. I knew such things were possible, theoretically, but I was still impressed when after a few keystrokes and mouse clicks, we were reading Alexander Burke’s rap sheet.
“It looks like Burke was charged with possession at the same time he was arrested for aggravated assault.”
“What’s the difference between aggravated assault and regular assault?”
Hugh swiveled in his chair to look up at me. “I don’t know. Got any lawyers you can ask? Or a cop?”
I had both. But I knew I’d be calling Wes. “I have a good friend that’s a lawyer. I’ll call and ask him.”
Hugh flashed a sudden, brilliant smile. “This is nice.”
“What?”
“Talking to you.”
I angled my head, felt my brows knit. I talked to Hugh fairly often.
“I mean about something other than the animals.”
“Oh.” The warm glow in his eyes seemed to reach out and brush against my skin. I started to move back but discovered that I didn’t really want to. What was wrong with me? One flirting session and I was in heat or something.
Or maybe I had let some part of my defenses collapse with the idea of coming clean about my ability.
The thought made me want to bolt, and when Hugh stood, I did step back.
“Are you going to try and find Burke?”
“Maybe.”
“If you wait for me to get off work, I’ll help you. I think Lucy Ann is right, you shouldn’t go hunting this guy.”
I felt a reflexive burst of temper at the comment. If I wanted to talk to Burke, I would do it. I didn’t need a man to protect me. I wanted to snap at Hugh, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. He was trying to help. Yes, I was aware that this change in my policy was sudden. The inner feminazi I had nurtured for years was screaming that I should put Hugh in his place and stomp out of his office.
But I couldn’t, not with him standing in front of me with real concern in his eyes. How could I snap and snarl and brush off such sincerity? How had I done it for so many years?
I smiled, and it was a real, open smile that I wasn’t sure Hugh had ever seen on my face. “Come on, Hugh, I tame dragons. Don’t worry about me.”
He seemed a bit off balance then. I didn’t know if it was my comment or that I didn’t react like he’d expected. I had the sudden image of a dog that had been hit over and over and didn’t understand kindness. I felt a hot rush of guilt. God, I’d been a total bitch.
All because I was afraid.
On an impulse that shocked me as much as it did him, I leaned into Hugh, stretched up onto my toes, and bussed a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks for caring.”
I stepped back and watched his stunned look morph into a slow
grin. It dawned on me that I might have given him the wrong impression.
Crap!
Without comment, I turned away and walked out of the room.
• • •
I didn’t have time to drive back to Burke’s house before Jax’s appointment. But I planned on stopping by later if I could. With or without Hugh. Thinking about him made me want to bang my head against a wall.
Why couldn’t I have a fraction of insight when it came to people? I’d wanted to apologize for how unfair I’d acted—instead I’d managed to come on to him.
“Brilliant, Grace,” I said to myself as I climbed into Bluebell.
The dogs greeted me with curiosity as I slid behind the wheel. They could smell every animal Hugh had been near during the day and sniffed and snuffled with interest at my shoulder—the only part of me available from where they stood in the backseat.
“Okay, okay, enough.”
Bird . . . bear . . . musk . . . The thoughts zipped from one to the other.
“Sit. Go.” I waved my hand and tried to disregard the excited buzz of their minds. It can be distracting to drive with so much noise. I could shield my mind when I had to, but it took so much concentration I was nearly incapable of doing anything else.
Emma had tried to get me to sit in when her Sensei taught meditation and focusing techniques, but I didn’t think I’d be into it. Every time I tried to meditate, I just kept thinking of things I could be doing instead.
Oh, well, I had to rely on my own methods. Like a mother with rowdy kids, I just tuned out Moss and Jax as I headed down Main Street.
When we finally pulled into the shady parking lot of the Humane Society, I was feeling a little worn out. Too many things going on at the same time. Not that I wasn’t used to running around a lot with my job. But the personal revelations were starting to wear on me. I was tired mentally. It was only three o’clock, and I was ready to call it a day. Usually, I went for a good book to escape, but right then I wanted to watch TV with a bag of Zapp’s chips and a beer. Let my mind check out for a while.
But that was not to be. I had to get Jax evaluated and then go take care of a client with a peeved Persian. I led the dogs to the back of the large brick building. I knocked hard on the metal door with the toe of my tennis shoe and stepped back. Jax and Moss sat obediently as they waited for the door to open.
The afternoon sun was relentlessly strong, even in the shade. The dogs panted loudly, and I could feel a sheen of sweat begin to form under my clothes. Finally, the door was pushed open, and we were greeted by cool air-conditioning and a tall, smiling black woman.
Sonja Brown, blessed with high cheekbones, burnished ebony skin, and a build that was somehow both willowy and strong, was striking. And that was before you added the gigantic gold disk earrings and alarmingly turquoise scrubs. An animal behaviorist with the Humane Society, Sonja was down to earth, solid, upbeat, and dependable. She was one of my few friends, and had a knack for evaluating aggression in dogs.
“Hey, girl!” Sonja’s smile was wide and toothy, with a gap in the front that lent her a youthful, mischievous air. She ushered us inside and knelt down to allow Moss to nudge under her chin affectionately. “Monsieur Moss, I guess you’re expecting a treat?”
“Only because every time he sees you, he gets fed.” I shook my head but couldn’t help grinning. “It doesn’t help to spoil him. He’s hard enough to live with.”
Sonja stroked Moss’s head, her hand a dark contrast to his snowy fur. “Anytime you get tired of him, he can always come home with me.” She reached into her scrub pocket and pulled out a dog bone. Moss took it gently and then trotted off to the corner of the room to enjoy his snack.
Sonja’s gaze slid over and came to rest on Jax. He returned her gaze with mild curiosity. “Is this your newest refugee?”
I grinned and patted the dog’s head. “Yeah, I think he’s going to be fine; at least he is with me. I was hoping you could run a few tests on him. See how he reacts to a stranger.”
“Has he shown signs of aggression?”
“Only when I first got him. I’m not sure if his hostility is a passing thing, but I need to find out what his weaknesses are so I can work on them.”
Sonja nodded and walked over to the counter and started opening a can of moist dog food. “So, how’s the consulting business?”
“Good. The number of people out there who need help understanding their pets is huge. I’m always shocked at people’s ignorance.” I leaned against the counter to watch Sonja scoop a couple of spoonfuls of wet food into a red plastic bowl.
“Well, we can’t all have your talent.”
I shrugged. “At least it pays well.” Not wanting to talk about my talents, I changed the subject. “I’ve saved enough for a down payment on a house.”
“That’s good. Soon you’ll be able to keep all the strays you find.”
I huffed out a laugh. “I hope you’re wrong. Or I’ll end up with a zoo.”
“Oh, you will, believe me. I keep adding to my crew, and my place only has two bedrooms. Evan says he’ll divorce me if I bring any more critters home.” Sonja chuckled as she moved to set the bowl in the middle of the room.
“He gets just as attached as you do.” I knew her husband, Evan, had as big a soft spot for animals as Sonja.
“He just likes to talk big. I brought a kitten home last week that needed to be fed every few hours. Guess who got up at two in the morning to feed it?” Sonja glanced at me as she walked over to a cupboard.
I watched her rummage around in the cabinet and found myself wondering what it would be like to have someone like Evan to share my life with. Someone who understood. My mind jumped to thoughts of Kai and Hugh. Could one of them be that person for me? The notion of that special someone had been missing from my life for so long . . . I hardly knew what to do with it.
“Here we go.” Sonja’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She had found what she was looking for—a fake human hand on the end of a stick. “Ready?”
I nodded. I knew this test well. Sonja was going to see how Jax reacted to the fake hand trying to take away the food.
When Sonja signaled, I unclipped his leash and stepped to the other side of the room. Jax watched me for a moment and then went to investigate the bowl of food.
I was careful to keep my mind blank.
As Jax began to eat the moist dog food, Sonja reached in with the hand on the stick and pulled the bowl away. Jax followed the bowl, trying to eat and walk at the same time.
I let out a relieved sigh. He didn’t snap at the fake hand or even growl.
Sonja praised the dog and looked up at me. “Passed that one better than my dachshund. Do you want to try an aggression test?”
“That would be great.”
I pulled up a metal chair and sat holding Jax’s collar firmly with one hand. I knew the faux attack she was about to launch might jog the memory of Mark’s murder loose. I had to prepare for that. I pressed all thought that could influence him out of my head, and left the gates open to receive even the slightest recall.
When I was ready, I nodded at Sonja.
Sonja stood a few feet away and began yelling at me and the dog. “You’re an ugly stupid woman and so is your mutt dog!”
Jax whined softly and looked up to me for guidance. I was careful to stay as neutral as possible.
Sonja took a step forward and started yelling again, this time adding erratic arm movements. “Ugly, ugly mutt dog!”
This time Jax reacted with a low warning growl.
It was no less than I had expected. After all, Jax was a trained guard dog.
Sonja shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that’s too bad, especially for a Dobie. Where’re you going to try to place him?”
“I’m not sure yet. There’s a family member w
ho’s expressed interest, a man, but I haven’t talked to him yet.” I needed to. I made a mental note to call Bo Bishop as soon as I could.
“Kids?”
“I don’t know. I’ll call him later today and find out if there are any other animals or children in the home.”
“I really don’t think Jax will be any trouble.” Sonja folded her arms and lapsed into a thoughtful silence. “While you’re here, you mind taking a look at one of my problem cases?”
“Sure.” I leashed Jax and led him to where Moss was licking minuscule crumbs off the floor.
I tied the ends of their leashes together loosely and looked pointedly first at one, then the other.
“Stay.”
Jax immediately sat, ready to comply. Moss cocked his head and began negotiations. Treat?
No.
Treat?
If you don’t move a single inch. I turned to follow Sonja, who had started toward the door that led to the rest of the clinic. I shot a quick glance over my shoulder before leaving the room. “I mean it, Moss. Stay.”
Sonja chuckled. “You know he always listens to you.”
“Yeah, right.” I followed Sonja until we reached an area filled with a number of narrow concrete runs. We stopped in front of one occupied by a large mastiff-type dog.
“This is Demon.” Sonja raised both her hands before I could comment on the name. “That’s what was on his tags. And he answers to it.”
“That’ll help with adopting him out.” People came up with the dumbest names.
Sonja turned her attention to the dog. “He was abandoned in an empty house. He was really aggressive in the beginning but started improving quickly and passed all the evaluations. Then yesterday, he tried to bite my hand off when I went to take him for a walk.”
I looked down at the hulking brown dog. He returned my stare with an almost imperceptible growl. It was hard to interpret his thoughts. He seemed afraid. But there was something else . . . pain?
“Was he injured when you brought him in?”
Sonja shook her head. “He was emaciated and weak. But the vet didn’t find anything other than that.”
Nodding, I reached for the latch on the chain-link gate. “I don’t think he’s going to be aggressive—”
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