“You’re just jealous, sweetheart.”
She flashed him her killer smile. “You know I am.” She looked up at Harlow. “Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it.”
“I’m texting Raine.”
“Have at it,” Zahra approved and waved at the others as she moved out of the circle.
Bruce trailed after her. “I’ll walk you over to the hospital, Zahra.” He fell into step beside her before she could protest.
“Are you really looking to change jobs, Denver?” Stella asked. “It isn’t like we have too many anesthesiologists around here. You’re kind of a big deal.”
“It isn’t like I’d quit my day job,” he answered. “But Martha’s work is fascinating.”
Stella gave a delicate little shudder. “You sound like the vet tech, Vincent, when he talks about doing surgery with the vet. He gets all enthusiastic. Spare me the details.”
“I always forget what a baby you are about certain things,” he teased.
Stella wasn’t a baby about most things. She had to deal with bloated, dead bodies in her lake when partiers insisted on drinking too much and falling into the water when no one was around. Still, she wasn’t the person dissecting them. She hadn’t been great at dissecting frogs. She’d done it, but she hadn’t liked it. She certainly wasn’t going to dissect human bodies.
“Is that what you really want to do?”
Denver shrugged. “No. After being there a few times, I realized I wouldn’t want to do that day in and day out either. I think I’m just restless. Maybe I need a long vacation.”
Stella laughed. “Everyone comes here for vacation, Denver.”
His brows drew together. “That’s right, they do.”
STELLA HAD RARELY been nervous alone on her property. Long before she had hired Sam, she had handled many of the difficult drunk partiers in the middle of the night alone, or with one of her security guards. She just wasn’t a person who panicked. But now she found herself uneasy, pacing through her house looking outside, feeling as if maybe she’d been followed back to the resort.
Sam had stayed in town in order to talk with his father. She’d run a few errands, picked up groceries and made the hour-long trip back from Knightly without incident. Her resort was up higher in the mountains, so it was decidedly cooler. The elevation assured she received snow and ice when the town was often spared.
It wasn’t that late by the time she returned home, but the sun had set and it was already getting dark. She had checked, but no one appeared to be on the road behind her. Still, the feeling of uneasiness had begun to grow in her, and now that she was home and had put her groceries away, that feeling persisted.
“What do you think, Bailey? Should we stay trapped in here or take a little walk around the property?” She dropped her hand onto the dog’s head. He seemed as restless as she was, but just the way she was acting could convey anxiety to the animal and put him on alert.
He padded to the window and looked out as if to answer her. Stella sighed. This wasn’t the night for Sam to be gone, but he had family issues that were important for him to deal with. She was certain the watcher was out there. She’d set the alarm, but that didn’t mean anything. A good sniper could shoot right through the many windows she had and kill her if that was what his intentions were. She hated the feeling of being trapped in her house.
Finally, she decided she would go outside with her security guard and just walk around the property, something she did often. If the watcher knew her at all, he wouldn’t think she was doing anything much different than normal. Sonny was on duty and she texted him. He would be there already, making his rounds. He always answered immediately and he would come up to the house and meet her.
She waited, scratching Bailey’s ears, grateful she had her dog. Sonny didn’t text her back. Time seemed to slow. She called him, her heart beating. Sonny always answered. He was reliable. He liked his job. He was thorough. He might even be considered overeager. Unlike Patrick, he didn’t miss a single area when he checked the resort at night. He knew every inch of the property, which made him valuable when they were looking for missing partiers or a child who wandered off.
Sonny didn’t answer his phone. Now she was more than worried. That was totally unlike him. She checked the log-in she could access from her phone. He’d gotten to the resort before she had and relieved Patrick on time. Swearing softly under her breath, she did the only thing she could do under the circumstances. She sent a text to Sam.
Sonny not answering. Afraid he’s hurt. Am going to look for him. Calling Griffen.
Wait for Griffen.
Sonny could be hurt.
She couldn’t take the chance and Sam knew it. They had to rely on one another. She put the call in to the sheriff’s office and hoped they had someone available. Most times, they could get someone there in ten minutes.
Stella armed herself with two guns just in case, slid a knife into her boot and went out the front door. “Bailey, find Sonny.” She gave the command and turned him loose.
Bailey took off fast, rushing into the gathering darkness. Stella jogged after him, sending up a prayer to the universe that Sonny was alive and okay, that he was out of range, even though her text had been marked delivered. The dog skirted around the lake and then made a rush toward the heavier trees, where he disappeared from her sight altogether. There was no path or trail to run on to follow him. The ground was uneven, and even though it wasn’t completely dark, running could be perilous. She didn’t want to trip and fall or sprain an ankle. She kept jogging, but she slowed her pace enough to pay attention to where she was putting her feet.
Bailey roared a challenge, the sound shocking in the night, rising to a horrible crescendo, and then just as suddenly he shrieked in pain, over and over. The breath left Stella’s lungs, but she increased her speed, throwing caution to the wind. Bailey had never sounded like that, never once in all the years she’d had him. Not that scream of agony that was wrenched from him. It was worse when he went silent.
Once she hit the grove of trees, she slowed, pulled her gun and also her phone, shining the light over the ground. “Sonny? Bailey?” She called to both of them, uncaring if the attacker heard her. He would see the light. She held her weapon close to her body. If he saw her, hopefully he wouldn’t see she was armed.
She saw a splash of blood on the leaves first and her heart nearly stopped. Still, she resisted the urge to go rushing in without first taking a cautious look around with her light. She shone it completely around her and then up into the trees before taking steps farther into the grove. Bailey lay on his side, panting in pain, blood pooling on the ground under him, his coat matted with it. Beside him, Sonny stirred, tried to sit, groaned loudly and dropped his head into his hands.
Stella rushed over to them, but again shone the light in a circle to make certain the attacker was gone. He couldn’t be too far away. Bailey had four stab wounds that she could see visibly. Cursing, she took off her jacket and then her outer shirt to tie around him tightly.
“Sonny, how bad are you hurt? A sheriff will be here any minute. I’ve got to get Bailey to the vet or he won’t survive. I’ll take you down with me to meet the police or you can wait here for the sheriff.”
Sonny looked out of it, but she couldn’t see any stab wounds on him. There was no way she could leave him alone, not if the attacker was close by. Why had the watcher stabbed Bailey and not Sonny? Sonny looked like maybe he’d been hit on the head.
Sonny put his hand to the back of his head and looked up at her, moaning again. “What happened?”
“Someone hit you, I think. I’ve got to get Bailey to the vet.” She’d already texted the vet to meet her at the clinic, that it was an emergency. She hoped Bailey would survive the hour-long trip in. He had lost so much blood.
A powerful light burst over them. “Stella?” Griffen Cauldrey’s voice bellowed loudly. “Where are you?”
“In the grove,” she yelled back. “We need help, G
riffen.”
She heard two sets of boots running, then Griffen was kneeling beside her and another deputy, Mary Shelton, was beside Sonny. Stella was grateful to turn over Sonny’s care to Mary so she could concentrate entirely on Bailey.
“Get a tarp. We’ll slip it under him and carry him to my rig. Let the vet know he’ll need blood,” Griffen said. “I can make it down the mountain faster than you can. Mary? Can you handle Sonny?”
“Yes, go,” Mary answered. “I’ve got this.”
“The attacker could be close,” Stella warned.
“I’ll be careful,” Mary said.
Stella was fast when she needed to be, but she had no doubt that Griffen knew what he was talking about. She ran to the shed and caught up a tarp and raced back, feeling as though too much time was passing. She just wanted to pick up her dog and run, but he was too big, and when a dog was in that much pain, he could be dangerous.
She talked softly to him while they maneuvered the tarp under him. It wasn’t easy, and even Sonny and Mary had to help. He bared his teeth, but he didn’t snap. Stella thought he didn’t have the energy because he’d lost too much blood, and that terrified her.
“Put your jacket on,” Griffen reminded before they started to lift Bailey onto the tarp.
She’d forgotten she’d taken it off. She’d forgotten her gun, which was lying on her jacket. She holstered the weapon and put on her jacket, unaware she’d been cold until that moment. They carried Bailey to the sheriff’s rig. She texted Sam to meet her at the clinic and then she texted Zahra, asking her to tell their friends. If Bailey didn’t make it, she didn’t know what she was going to do. Bailey had been her constant companion for years. Her family.
“He’s strong, Stella,” Griffen said.
“He lost so much blood,” she whispered.
“What the hell happened?”
“I don’t really know. I had this really eerie feeling that someone was out there watching. It wasn’t the first time. Sam has felt it too. I texted Sonny and he didn’t answer. He always answers. Then I called him. He didn’t answer his phone. I immediately called your office, but I couldn’t wait for you to come just in case Sonny was hurt and needed attention. I gave Bailey the command to find him. I heard Bailey roar as if he had gone into attack mode, and then he was screaming. When I got there, I found Bailey on the ground bleeding and Sonny was just waking up. He was trying to sit up. No one was around that I could see.”
“Damn it, Stella, the attacker had to be close by. He could have gone after you.”
“I know, Griffen. I did have weapons on me. I was afraid he might kill Sonny. I had to go. Believe me, I made certain you were on your way.”
He didn’t reply, but he drove fast and got them to the clinic in record time.
Dr. Amelia Sanderson had bought the clinic from old Fiddleson, who had retired nearly two years earlier. The town had tried to entice several veterinarians to come, but they were remote, and those with families had decided against it and those without felt they didn’t have much of a chance finding a partner.
Amelia had wanted the practice, but being fairly new out of school and her internships, she was without the necessary funds, so a couple of the locals had put up the money, Stella being one of them. No one was concerned about losing their money. Nearly everyone in town had pets, and the farmers and ranchers had livestock. Hunters had dogs. They desperately needed a vet, and Amelia was a hard worker. Vincent Martinez, her technician, was grateful to have his job back, and she employed two other full-time workers as well as a part-time one. That was good for the town.
Amelia never turned anyone away no matter the hour of the emergency. She took one look at Bailey and she, Vincent and an employee she’d called in, John McAllister, rushed the dog into the operating room.
For Stella, it was the longest night of her life. She sat waiting, feeling hollow and empty. Sam was already there, waiting for her. He looked grim when he saw Bailey, exchanging looks with Griffen and then Amelia. Stella could see that they weren’t holding out much hope. Sam put his arm around her and then took her to the one comfortable couch the office had.
“He was so little when I got him from the rescue,” she whispered.
“He’s strong,” Sam said.
Zahra arrived about an hour later, bringing coffee and blankets. She tucked a blanket around Stella and handed Sam and Stella coffee before taking the chair beside the couch. She didn’t ask questions but sat quietly, reading her tablet.
Harlow and Shabina came next, bringing desserts from Shabina’s café. They had them on a platter they put on the little coffee table where the magazines were, along with a large carafe of coffee. Both took chairs by the windows, keeping vigil with Stella and Sam.
Vienna and Raine arrived fifteen minutes after Harlow and Shabina, taking the last two chairs next to the doors, murmuring their love to Stella and looking to Sam for some kind of encouragement. He couldn’t really give them any, so they followed Zahra’s example and just stayed silent, reading and waiting.
Denver and Bruce came last, two hours later, filling the waiting room to capacity. They had to bring in chairs from their vehicles, using the actual “office” part, where the receptionist met with the clients. It was the only part of the waiting room open to them.
No one left in spite of the fact that Bailey’s operation took most of the night. Amelia came out to talk with Stella around four in the morning, looking exhausted. She looked around the waiting room and shook her head.
“Bailey’s alive, Stella. He’s very strong and a fighter. That’s what we have going for us. That and, shockingly, the knife missed most vital organs. He lost so much blood, though. If you hadn’t gotten him here as fast as you did, he wouldn’t have made it. It was good thinking, tying your shirt so tight around him. That saved his life. He’ll need to stay. There’s one wound I don’t like the look of. He’s not entirely out of the woods yet. I’ll stay with him tonight around the clock. If I need a break, I’ll have Vincent stay. He’s volunteered, anyway.”
“I can stay if you tell me what to watch for,” Stella volunteered.
“No, hon, you go on home. Let me do this. I’ll stay in touch and you can call me anytime to ask questions,” Amelia assured. “Do you know who did this, or why?”
Stella shook her head. “I have no idea. None. It makes no sense.”
“He’s a beautiful animal. I’ll watch over him for you. You all need to go on home.”
Stella and Sam stood, knowing that if they didn’t, everyone would stay. The food and drink were mostly gone, but they indicated to the vet that she was welcome to have something if she wanted it. Stella was just grateful Bailey was still alive. She looked around the room at all her friends, friends who were like family to her. When she tried to thank them, she choked up.
Denver dropped a kiss on top of her head, held the door open for the others to file out and then said simply, “It’s Bailey, Stella.”
That really said it all.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Roy and Bernice Fulton, the only couple who lived and worked on the property full-time, had left a note on the front door for them. Stella was too tired to even ask Sam what it was about, although she should have, because poor Sonny might have been really injured. Although he seemed to be talking to the deputy, Mary Shelton, quite a bit by the time Griffen was helping her prepare Bailey for his ride down the mountain. Sonny even had a flirtatious note in his voice.
Stella collapsed in her bed and cried herself to sleep, vaguely aware of Sam sliding in beside her, wrapping his body protectively around hers. She fell asleep cocooned by his warmth. As always with Sam, she woke to exactly what she needed. He had her coffee and the latest news on Bailey. Her dog had lived through the night, had another blood transfusion and seemed stronger. He’d been stabbed four times, and each wound had to be stitched inside and out. Fortunately, none had been to his chest cavity or he never would have survived. The idea that someone had attacked him in
such a vicious manner sickened her.
Sonny was fine. Mary had taken him to the hospital just to be certain he was okay. He had a small bump on the head and some bruising around it, but there was no laceration. He was told to go home and rest. That was a relief, that he hadn’t been really hurt. Bailey must have interrupted whatever the watcher had planned on doing to Sonny.
She showered and dressed while Sam made breakfast. “Scared me last night, woman,” Sam said as he put the plate with the egg scramble in front of her. “I detested the fact that I wasn’t home with you and couldn’t get to you and Bailey when you needed me most.”
She wrapped the scramble in the warm tortilla like a burrito. “You might have been stabbed instead of Bailey, Sam. Do you think this person watching us is the killer?”
“I’ve asked myself that a million times. It seems too coincidental for it not to be. The timing is just too close.”
“But that would mean he would know who I am.” She tried not to look or sound alarmed.
“Not necessarily. He could have other motivation for stalking you. The Fultons left us a note last night. It was pinned to the front door. The alarm went off while we were gone. Right after the deputy left with Sonny, which means the watcher was hanging around waiting for them to leave. He came up to the house and tried to get in. The alarm was on.”
She nodded, her mouth full of food. He was really a good cook. It didn’t seem to matter what meal it was—morning, noon or evening—he could whip something great together.
“He wanted in the house. He tried the doors and then the windows, but was good enough to keep from actually getting caught completely in the security cameras. When he couldn’t get in, he tried breaking a window at the back of the house. One of the mudroom windows.”
Stella put down her breakfast burrito and regarded him with shocked eyes. “He got in?” That seemed such a violation. She looked around her kitchen. “Do you think he was in the bedroom?”
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