by Debra Kayn
Working on the latch backward proved harder than he thought. His fingers wrangled the metal spring, and he mentally counted to three. The door swung open.
"Hasta la vista, baby."
The wolf shot out of the cage faster than Bobby had ever pulled his pistol from his waistband. From the safety of the truck, he trained his gaze on the wild animal.
She came to a halt about thirty yards away, at the edge of the clearing, lifted her head, and let out a magnificent howl that reverberated throughout the trees. She loped off at a leisurely run into the woods.
Satisfied with the release, Bobby climbed down from the truck knowing she'd find her way home. A wolf deserved freedom, and he'd done his part in saving her life. He could get used to these kinds of days.
Samantha had done a wonderful job patching up the wolf. Disappointed that she didn't get to witness the release, he'd make it a point to tell her all about it the next time he ran into her.
He had invited her along for the ride, but she'd excused herself from the trip. She mentioned having other plans. He thought for sure that she'd come along with him after seeing how upset she got over saying good-bye to the wolf. He wouldn't swear on it, but he thought he saw her tearing up, though she hid it well behind the camera she'd used to take pictures of the wolf.
Reading people came easy to him, but the way she'd acted this morning left him wondering if he'd lost his touch. Maybe she had other things on her mind. She all but rushed him out the door, and seemed preoccupied, almost nervous.
The cell phone in his pocket vibrated. He checked the area first to make sure he was alone and then reached into his jeans.
"Thornton."
The call lasted no longer than one minute. Bobby's eyes narrowed. Tired of getting the runaround, he wanted his current assignment over and done with. The longer he remained in this town, the slimmer his chances of completing the task and righting a wrong.
He replaced the phone back in his pocket and climbed into the driver's seat. If Morgan screwed up and Bobby could catch him, his job would be over and Kevin could rest in peace.
Chapter Seven
Nervous energy balled within Samantha's stomach. The time between her visits with her brother stretched wide, but now that she lived closer, she promised herself she'd take advantage of the weekly visits.
The last time she'd talked to Parker, she'd found him depressed and unresponsive to any news she informed him of concerning the outside world. She stared out the window of her car at the depressing sight of the Washington State Penitentiary. Parker's mental health had become more concerning as time passed. He needed something to look forward to, instead of sitting in there dwelling on the past.
Being locked up in a tiny room with no interaction for such a long period compounded the inward spiral he faced. Her stomach rolled, and she inhaled through her nose to keep from throwing up. At eighteen years old, Parker was no longer a child, but he was still her baby brother.
Samantha's goal today was to pull Parker out of the lethargic stronghold he seemed unable to get out of and help him look forward to a future in Skamania upon his release. Hopefully, news of the clinic, a different town, and an all-around fresh start would do the trick.
The dull, gray slate of the prison walls rose two stories from the barren ground and kept prisoners inside with a six-foot high security fence topped with barbed wire. Samantha scrunched up her nose, and the taste of bile entered her mouth. After the death of their parents, Parker had grown up so fast. Her face softened. She remembered a time when he used to tag along with her and beg to join her when she went to the mall or out with friends in college. He'd loved going with her to help with the animals while she did her residency at a local vet clinic in Portland.
She'd do everything possible to get his life back for him.
Samantha entered the front door with her chin up and stopped six feet away from the enclosed desk next to the interior doors. She rang the buzzer to open the front window off to the side.
An older woman shoved aside the bulletproof glass. "Yes?"
"I'm here to see Parker James." Samantha handed over her purse and reached into the front pockets of her jeans and turned them inside out.
Did they honestly think she'd try to pass something to Parker through the four-inch Plexiglas that separated the prisoner from the visitor? She held her position while the woman ran her hands over her body, checking for anything not allowed inside the building. A male guard leered from the corner, and she glanced away. The humiliating process of gaining entry degraded her every time. She'd never get used to the treatment.
"Please step through the doors and enter the door on your right." The woman pushed the door release.
Although she expected the buzz of the alarm, Samantha flinched at the quick, sharp noise. She hurried inside and entered the other set of doors.
"Stand with your back facing me." The same woman approached Samantha.
The unfamiliar woman roamed her hands over Samantha's entire body in her contraband search. Samantha stared up at the ceiling, willing the torture to hurry.
The guard gave Samantha a nod, indicating she passed the body check. She kept her gaze straight ahead and walked out the door. She hated everything she was forced to go through, but she'd do anything to gain access to her brother.
A somber-faced guard met her in the hallway and escorted her back to the visiting center. The sound of her accelerated heartbeat pounded in her ears as she strained to hear the guard explain how to use the phone that connected prisoners to their visitors. Parker wa not just a prisoner. He's her brother!
The guards called out number three-one-eight-nine-four—Parker's prisoner number. To Samantha he wasn't a number; he was a human being, and someone she loved most in the world. She'd do anything for him to live outside these walls again.
Samantha sat in the wooden chair, and her legs took up a nervous rhythm all their own. She struggled with appearing relaxed and at peace with the visit and treatment she'd received so far. She hated herself for her inability to shove all her thoughts aside in order to concentrate on Parker's well-being.
The click and whoosh of the inner door echoed beyond the Plexiglas. She sat forward in her chair and plastered a smile on her face that she knew didn't hide the threat of tears in her eyes.
Parker shuffled into the room, his hands cuffed together in front of him and attached to a chain that led down to his cuffed legs. The orange one-piece jumpsuit stood out against the drab gray of the prison walls. Parker...
Samantha gazed at her brother. He was practically skin and bones compared to his former, healthy self, and she was afraid if she glanced away, the Parker she used to know would disappear completely. Everything about him appeared older than his eighteen years, except for his eyes—they appeared older than a person should ever feel.
She lifted the phone off the wall receiver. Her throat closed, and she forced the muscles to swallow. She hoped Parker would acknowledge her and pick up the phone. Please, Parker. I need you.
Parker finally raised his chin and met Samantha's gaze through the separating glass. She motioned for him to pick up the phone on his side of the partition. Reluctantly, he did.
"Hey, little bro." She smiled, and her knee bounced erratically under the table.
Silent, Parker sat with a vacant stare. Samantha saw the anger in his eyes, but his chin trembled with emotion, showing her that somewhere deep inside of him, he needed this visit too.
"I'm all moved into our new house, Parker. It's just like I explained last time. I think you'll really enjoy living in Skamania. It's a much smaller town, about the size of that town Dad used to take us to ride the horses. So far, the people have been really nice and welcoming." Parker remained silent.
Her fingers itched to pick up her chair and break past the glass, grab Parker's hand, and run out of this hellhole he was living in. But, she knew it was impossible. Damn all the cops who put innocent people behind bars!
"I met this lady, Luce.
She owns a small diner in town, not far from the clinic. It's not much more than a rickety ol' oversize shed from the outside, but once you go in, it's amazing. There's always something fun happening. Karaoke, dances, and everyone from the town seems to show up." Samantha paused and inhaled. "Oh! Guess what? I've already treated my first patient. You'll never guess what it was..."
Parker didn't lift his eyebrow or shrug, and Samantha wished he'd give her one of his, "I dunno's," but instead he remained silent.
"A wolf! Can you believe that?" She smiled.
Parker's head moved to the side. Samantha flexed her fingers. Her grip on the phone became painful.
"How did you get a wolf?"
Samantha about jumped out of her chair with excitement. She cleared her throat, remembering the list of topics she'd made a point to remember to keep the visit upbeat.
"This guy, Bobby Thorn, he's a forest ranger for the county, and while he worked in the woods, he came across a wolf. Someone had shot her and left her for dead, but he brought her in to me. The bullet was lodged in her left hind flank," she shook her head, "but I was able to work it out, treat her for infection, and Bobby released her back into the wild this morning. I'm so glad she made it through and returned back to her home."
Parker nodded. Samantha rushed to brush the tear that escaped her eye. Always an animal lover, Parker, at one time, expressed an interest to follow her example and become a veterinarian. He'd even picked out a name for the clinic he envisioned in their future, James Veterinary Clinic.
"Listen, Parker. You must stay strong. Only eighteen more months and we can start all over again, together." She placed her free hand on the glass partition.
Parker's Adam's apple bobbed, and he lifted his hand. Her fingers curled against the blockage with the desire to grab on to that hand and never let go. The cold, smooth surface provided stark reality that the life she envisioned for them remained out of her grasp while he remained behind bars.
"I love you, Sammy." Parker's chin fell to his chest, the phone pressed to his ear. "You need to concentrate on your own life. Get that clinic up and going and start saving the lives of all those animals you love."
Parker dropped his hand, and Samantha banged her fist against the glass.
"Damn it, Parker, I am not giving up on you!"
"I don't want you coming back to visit, Sammy. If you try, I won't see you." Parker hung the phone up and gazed at Samantha.
"I love you, Sammy."
Samantha didn't hear the words, but she read Parker's lips. He turned and motioned the guard to undo the lock on the floor that chained him to his place at the window.
"No. Parker, don't go! Stay and talk with me. Please." She stood and leaned over the table. She pressed her forehead against the glass. "Don't do this, Parker. Come back."
The guard grabbed her elbow and pulled her out of the room. Soul-ripping sobs broke out of her chest. She broke away from the guard and ran out the doors, ignoring the concerned voices asking if she was all right. They couldn't help her. No one could.
She ran straight to her car, her gaze on the ground, her thoughts focused on how to make Parker listen to her. To have him turn her away and deny her time with him broke her heart, and severed the last piece of hope she'd saved to help him survive his sentencing. Without contact, what would she do?
Samantha sat in her car, her head against the headrest, and wondered if it would feel any different to get hit by an eighteen-wheeler. After her parents' deaths, she'd tried everything to keep the two of them together, but in the end, she'd failed him. I'm so sorry, Parker...
Waves of disappointment washed over her, and she banged her head against the seat. Between school, work, and studying, she'd neglected the one person who'd needed her most. She wished she could travel back and do it all over again. She'd jump at a chance to go back and fix her mistakes.
If she had paid more attention, she might have been able to stop Parker from going out late at night with his friends. Maybe invited them to the house instead, where she could have supervised him better. Instead of visiting a prison, she'd be enrolling Parker in college. She clenched the steering wheel and sat up straight. The fault didn't lie solely on her. One other person had the power to stop the punishment. Officer Hamilton.
The lying, scum-sucking prick had destroyed their lives. Samantha narrowed her eyes, and her hands twisted around the steering wheel. He'd ruined any chance of her and Parker remaining in Portland. Officer Hamilton was a prime example that law officers would do anything to bring down an innocent person to save their own reputation.
Chapter Eight
The second patient of the day left the clinic with its owner, giving Samantha five minutes until her interview with Charlene Simpson. She'd found out quickly that word of mouth worked wonders around Skamania, and hopefully after today her search for a veterinarian assistant would come to an end.
Charlene had explained over the phone that she used to work for Dr. Stevens's clinic in the neighboring county, but went on maternity leave a year ago. Samantha smiled at the memory of Charlene's enthusiastic response to remaining close to home during the early years of raising a child, and how having Samantha open her clinic in Skamania was better than any double fudge ice cream she'd ever eaten.
The new overhead bell that Samantha had installed on the door yesterday jingled. A woman hurried through the waiting room, her chin up, her shoulders back, and approached the desk. Excellent, she was right on time.
"You must be Charlene." Samantha offered her hand.
Charlene smiled and stuck her hand out. "Yes, I'm pleased to meet you."
"Come on back to the office and we can talk. Today's appointments are spaced far and wide, so we should have plenty of time." Samantha stepped over to open the office door. "How long did you work for Dr. Stevens?" She gestured toward the extra chair.
"Almost four years. Right out of school and up until I was due with the baby." Charlene sat on the edge of the chair.
"I've already checked your references, and with the clinic just starting out, you'll have to adapt to having a pretty slow schedule, I'm afraid. Of course, I'm positive that in time we'll build up clientele and hire others." Samantha laughed and sat down at the desk. "How's that for a job offer?"
Charlene leaned back in her chair. "I've never heard a better one, and yes, I'd be pleased to work for you."
"Do you mind doubling as a receptionist when you're not helping me with the animals?" Samantha lifted her eyebrow. "I know the clinic will grow, but for now I hoped we could manage the back and the front office."
"Sure, no problem." Charlene shook Samantha's hand and stood.
"Great! We're open from nine to five, Monday through Friday." Samantha walked her to the clinic door.
"I'll be in tomorrow." Charlene opened the door. "Thank you, I know I'm going to love working here."
"Oh, Charlene, wait." She hurried back into the office, and returned to the waiting room with a folder. She really needed to get better organized.
"I almost forgot to give you the folder with all the paperwork inside. Go ahead and look it over later. The insurance papers and W-2 are in there and will need to be filled out before you start work. If you have any questions, just give me a ring. I left a business card in there with my home line. Don't be afraid to call." Samantha handed over the folder.
"Will do." Charlene waved over her shoulder on the way out to her car.
Samantha smiled. "Great. It was nice to meet you."
Samantha hurried into the clinic, did a little dance, and then walked down the hallway to clean the exam room for the next patient that might show up.
Already she'd treated a golden retriever for flea allergies and a Border collie for an ear infection. Both patients' owners told her they had found her advertisement tacked on the reader board at the feed store. Her idea to advertise at local businesses that catered to animals seemed to be paying off.
Samantha sprayed down the table, threw the paper towels away, an
d admired the room. She was amazed with how much she'd accomplished this week. Her desire to lose herself in her work after visiting Parker had paid off, and the improvements—both in the clinic as well as her apartment upstairs—were beginning to look the way she'd imagined.
Samantha threw herself into her chores, believing work left little time to wonder and worry. Despite how hard she tried to forget all the wrongs cast against her brother, she found her hatred of Officer Hamilton growing further. If anyone took the blame for how Parker acted, he sat at the top of her list. If she didn't see another law official for the rest of her life, it would be too soon..
Samantha glanced at the clock hanging above the front desk. Seven thirty. She was late! She hurried to lock the clinic door, then ran up the stairs to her apartment. The moment her foot hit the landing, she began peeling off her clothes.
With a few thumps of the wrench against the handle of the shower, she set the water to hot. The stubborn, antique plumbing in the bathroom acted cranky on occasion, but she'd quickly discovered that with a heavy tool and a few good smacks, the extra large water heater gave her more than enough hot water. Those long showers at the end of the day revived and consoled her.
She emitted a sigh that relieved her body of a day at work, washed her hair, and rinsed off. She turned off the water, and set one foot out of the tub when the phone rang. She grabbed the towel hanging over the shower rod and hurried into the bedroom to pick it up.
In her mad dash to reach it on time, she lost her towel to the bedroom floor.
"Hello?"
Samantha smiled. It was Luce on the other end.
From the time Luce introduced herself with the box of donuts, they'd either talked on the phone or visited over dinner at the café every day.
"What do you mean, what am I doing?" Samantha lowered her head.
She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder, and bent over to pick up the fallen towel. She struggled to wrap it around her body without dropping the phone.
