by Dale Mayer
Lucas brought him in and set the cage on one of the benches beside the receptionist. In a low voice he said something about the jaw. Tanya couldn’t quite hear what he was saying, but the receptionist nodded and said, “Bring him through.”
He opened the cage and slid the dog out and carried it back.
Two cops arrived with cages of small dogs. Seeing the little animals in the cages brought tears to Tanya’s eyes. She shook her head and turned away. By the time she turned back, they had also been moved to the back. She curled up on the bench wondering about the absolute nastiness of people and realized that, in her mind, she was still comparing her mother to this event as well.
Just because she’d been dumped with all the kids, she still hadn’t been out on the streets, turning tricks like her mother. She wondered if that was why her mother had been with all those men all this time? Was it to put food on the table? She’d always heard that was the answer, but, in her own troubled mind, she’d figured it was because her mother was looking for the next hit. She’d been a drug addict and an alcoholic. That combination with kids was deadly. Plus she’d lied about everything. Came home high and drunk all the time; sometimes gone three, four days at a time. Whether that had contributed to the breast cancer, Tanya couldn’t say and doubted her doctors would even venture a guess.
She may not have had the best childhood, but it wasn’t the worst. She hadn’t been beaten or turned over to an orphanage. So, for the most part, she’d done all right. They had made do. There was usually food, just not many choices. As she gnawed on her lip, caught up in her memories, Lucas disappeared into the back.
“I think this is the last one,” Lucas said to the vet tech.
She nodded, brushed away a tear and got to work.
“I’m pretty sure every vet in town is getting hit with a bunch of dogs,” Lucas said. “It was bad. Really bad.”
The bulldog was eased onto an exam table. He stood trembling, obviously in a great deal of pain, then he lay down suddenly as if his legs couldn’t hold him up anymore. Lucas stood beside him, gently stroking him and offering comfort.
The vet started an IV. “He’s really dehydrated. That jaw will need surgery, but we need to get his pain under control, some fluids in him, X-rays taken, then add him into the surgery schedule.”
The door was opened a crack, and the initial vet stepped in, took one look and sighed heavily.
Lucas looked at her. “How’s Top Hat?”
“The bullet grazed him, so I stitched him up. The bone has taken a hit, but it looks like he will be okay. The X-rays didn’t show any other damage.”
“May I see him?”
“For a minute. He needs to rest,” the vet replied.
Lucas passed through the open door and entered the bay with all the cages of animals. Top Hat was on a gurney with tubes and an IV attached. Lucas looked at one of the technicians and asked, “You want help moving him into a cage?”
“I want to keep an eye on him a bit longer,” she admitted.
“Oh. Okay. How is he? If you can get him stable, I’ll take him with me tonight. I got a cage, and I can keep an eye on him all night. Gives you one less to worry about.”
“Maybe,” she replied. “For right now though, he can’t be moved until we check his vitals.”
Lucas nodded. “If you can put me to work, do so.”
“I think one of the cops was looking for you,” said one of the techs working on two of the smaller dogs. “Maybe go find out what he wanted.”
“Sure,” Lucas replied. He headed out through the waiting room to the front parking area, where cops were talking on their phones. He stepped out and introduced himself.
One of the men reached out and shook his hand. “You’re the one who gave us the heads-up on that property?”
“Yes, and about four others.”
“Great. We conducted the raids and rescued sixty-four dogs so far.”
“Good,” Lucas said with satisfaction. “But how do we stop this from happening again?”
“Some suspects have been charged multiple times,” the cop said. “This time they were pretty aggressive, as if somehow we had stopped some important fight.”
“Not surprised,” Lucas said. “They look like they’re only after the bottom line.”
“I don’t know about that,” the other cop said, putting this phone away. “For some, this is a sport, and a lot of people will do all kinds of things in the name of sport. We’re still looking into a motive for the attacks on the girls.”
“I suspect Claire might have overheard something, but until we can get someone to talk …” The cops nodded. Lucas added, “We need to make sure all the animals are safe and take down the men responsible so they can’t do this again.”
“That’s for the cops, not you,” the second officer said, giving him a hard look.
“Sure,” Lucas said. “What about the cop involved in this?”
Both men stiffened. “Yeah, what about him?”
“He was up at Andy’s house with the other guys. Did you track him down?”
The two men looked at each other. “Can you identify him?”
Lucas shook his head, but when one visibly relaxed, Lucas smiled, and he said, “Because you’re him.”
The cop flustered. “What are you talking about?”
“You are the only one who relaxed when I said I couldn’t identify him.”
“Not because it’s me,” he said, anger in his voice. “Because I know every cop personally, and I don’t want to think about any of them being involved.”
Lucas nodded, but his gaze never stopped searching. “I’ve got a photo of his license plate on my phone, so we’ll find out soon enough.”
“What? Wait. Hang on a minute. Are you sure?” The two cops crowded around him.
“Yeah,” Lucas said. “I also sent it to the detective I was dealing with. I don’t want it to be in the hands of just one person. I might send it to the media too.”
“I’d appreciate it if you don’t do that,” the cop said. “We have a hard-enough time with public opinion without having anybody thinking we have bad cops running around.”
“There’s always bad cops,” Lucas said, fatigue in his voice, “just like there are bad people in every other profession.”
“Maybe,” they said. “But it’s not us. Anybody who would do this to the dogs, we don’t want any part of. We want to know which cop is dirty, so we don’t get caught up in the same mess.”
He studied their faces for a long moment, turned to look at Tanya through the front window of the clinic, then walked around to the back of the two police vehicles and took photos of their license plates.
Only one protested. Lucas looked at him and said, “Every time you open your mouth, I think you’re guilty.”
That made the cop mad. He glared at Lucas. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are, but you got no business making accusations like that.”
“Maybe not,” Lucas said. “But, in a case like this, somebody or multiple somebodies have been turning a blind eye to all of this for too long a time. Somebody keeps helping them get off, and that’s got to stop. These animals have suffered, and those men are assholes.” He brought up the images he had of the vehicles heading up to Andy’s place and checked the license plates.
He glanced at the suspect cop to see his face creasing with worry again. “Interesting,” he said. “You’re still worried. So if it isn’t you, you know who it is.”
“Maybe it’s you.”
“I’ll send it to both of you. Give me your emails.”
And again, one cop hesitated.
“You really got a problem with this, don’t you? Never mind. Here’s the cruiser in question.” Lucas held up his phone so both men could see it but focused on the one cop’s reaction. Lucas saw the shock and fear on his face. He looked at the second officer. “You better grab hold of your buddy here. He’s involved. In a big way.”
“Hell no,” the accused man blust
ered. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Except for one thing,” the second cop said. “That’s your nephew. You do know what the hell is going on, don’t you?”
The cop shook his head. “No. You know Ronnie’s not a bad kid. He just got in with a bad crowd.”
“He is a cop,” Lucas said. “I don’t care how many bad crowds he got in with. He. Is. A. Damn. Cop. Now. He is supposed to break up the bad crowds, not join in.” Lucas sent another message to the detective. “Just in case you think this cop is free, he’s not. I sent the information to the detective. I’m working with other detectives too, in case that one is bad news as well.”
“If you’re talking about Detective Madison, he’s a good guy,” the other cop said. “Straight as an arrow. He will clean this up in no time.”
“Then why hasn’t he?”
“He’s been on it for the last couple months, but he suspected a murder was tied in with this. He was focusing on that. You’ve broken things wide apart. But I don’t know that he’ll thank you for it when he was trying to get to the bottom of the murder.”
Lucas swore softly. “You’re referring to Claire, aren’t you?”
The cop’s gaze narrowed. “You know her?”
He motioned toward Tanya inside the clinic and said, “They are best friends.”
“You mean, were best friends,” said the accused cop. “My nephew had nothing to do with that.”
“If he’s involved in one issue,” Lucas said, “he is involved in both.”
He watched the fear flare in the cop’s eyes.
Lucas nodded. “It is already too late for your nephew. The question is, just how involved are you, and how many times did you turn a blind eye and let this shit happen around you?”
“You don’t know anything about me,” the cop blurted out.
Lucas nodded. “No, I don’t, and I don’t want to either.” He snapped a photo. “Let’s see what your face all over the news does.” The cop now blubbering, Lucas turned away and walked back into the clinic. He sat down beside Tanya, hating that he felt so dirty and so angry.
“You okay?”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rubbed her back. He had been so focused on his own feelings, he had forgotten about her and how difficult this must be for her. And she didn’t even realize how much this was connected to Claire’s death. “I will be,” he said. “How are you doing?”
“Feel like shit,” she muttered. “So much has gone on. It’s overwhelming.”
“I know. I’m sorry about your mom.”
She nodded. “I am too. Because you’re right. She’s had a shitty life. I guess I was hoping, somewhere along the line, that she’d straighten up and find a few years for herself.”
“Maybe you’ve misjudged the last few years. Maybe she’s been good, and this is just a very sad, fast end for her.”
“I don’t even know what to think about any of it,” she said, a yawn releasing. “I just want it all to go away.”
“You should have stayed home today,” he said abruptly. “I had no business bringing you into this.”
“You didn’t know it would become this,” she said as she snuggled in close, her eyes closing. “The question now is, when can we go home?”
“Pretty soon,” he said. “They are just checking Top Hat over. We might be able to take him home tonight.”
She bolted upright. “Really?”
He nodded. “Really.”
She beamed, and then her smile fell away. “I suppose you are going back to your sister’s.”
“Maybe,” he said. “I have to take care of Top Hat.”
“Right. He would probably be better off there.”
“Maybe,” he said. “Although there are two kids under the age of six living at Meg’s place. He might not be the best around them. If I can get enough medication, maybe he’ll sleep for a good twelve hours.”
“We can go to my place, grab a few hours’ sleep, and then go to your sister’s place, if Top Hat is doing okay.” She studied his face. “He might need to see another vet tomorrow.”
“That might work,” he admitted. “It’s hard to say at this stage.”
Just then the vet stepped out, looking very tired.
Lucas stood up. “You’ve got a long night ahead of you.”
“I do. It’s worse when we’re short on space. I understand you are interested in taking Top Hat home with you?”
Lucas nodded. “Back to my sister’s. Lots of space for him there.”
“I don’t suppose you have anything in writing to say this dog should go with you?” she asked delicately. “With everybody worried about stolen dogs, I feel like I need to do some due diligence.”
“Would a couple emails help or a couple texts?” He swiped and scrolled and brought up an email from Corporal Badger and then Corporal Jager. “This might help clarify.”
“Interesting,” she said as she read them.
“Here. Let me call.” He keyed in Badger’s number and put the phone on Speaker as it rang. He told Badger he had found Top Hat. He told him the vet wanted to talk to him and took the phone off Speaker and passed her his phone. The vet had a short conversation and then handed the phone back.
“Good enough,” she said. “You go get his cage, and we will get him ready, will prepare some medication.”
Two more cops stood by, listening. “He’s really one of the US War Dogs?” one cop asked.
Lucas nodded. “He’s a K9 military dog that somehow got mixed up in this rescue shipment. And Andy, the great Andy, always on the lookout for dogs to fight, took him. Top Hat jumped a six-foot fence to get away from Andy. The dog must have known what a piece of shit Andy was. Still, he tracked down my dog and shot him. That’s the kind of guy you’re protecting,” he said with another hard look at the crooked cop.
The cop’s face turned a deep red, but he didn’t say anything.
Damn good thing he kept his trap shut because Lucas was ready to pop him one if he didn’t.
Chapter 9
Tanya drove carefully. She knew Lucas wanted to drive, but he needed to stay beside Top Hat. They were both in the truck bed, and he was talking to the dog quietly in his cage, but with the door open, so he could run his fingers gently through his fur.
Top Hat was pretty drugged but conscious. His eyes were moving; she’d seen it for herself.
“Are we going straight to my place?” she asked through the open back window. “You never did decide.”
“Yes,” he said. “Though I’m tempted to take him to a vet in town.”
“I don’t think he needs a vet,” she said. “He’s been well cared for. He just needs to heal. But tell me something.”
Lucas lifted his head so she could see his face in the rearview mirror. “What?”
“How do all those dogs get the help they need?”
“What do you mean? You just saw the vets and their assistants working after hours back there on these poor animals.”
“But, I mean, who pays for all this? I’m worried there won’t be enough charitable donations for all of them.”
Lucas nodded, glanced at her in the rearview mirror again, then focused on Top Hat as he spoke to Tanya. “Well, of course, Titanium Corp paid fully for Top Hat here.” He gave the dog another soft stroke. “And I’m sure, like in other fields, a certain amount of pro bono services are given.”
“But for sixty-four dogs?” she asked, pressing the point. “And that’s not the only vet clinic around.”
“Yeah, I see what you mean.”
“And, like the vet said, it happens over and over again. It’s not like this is a one-time event.”
“You’re right.” He shook his head, then continued, “Even Titanium Corp works off donations. We have one guy, the father to a buddy SEAL, and a veteran SEAL himself, Gunner Redding, who keeps us running mostly, but he also steps in when the needs are even greater. Like here. He donated money to these local vets. He’ll call around an
d get more donations to see that the veterinarians are reimbursed and that no animal is turned away simply because a bill is not paid.
“If that doesn’t cover all the dogs just for tonight’s vet bills, I don’t know how it works in Canada. In the States, we have special governmental agencies and even grants that can help out. Despite the fact that some of our homeless animals end up here more often than they should, America is full of animal lovers. They donate their time and their money to worthy causes in all countries. Plus, as former SEALs, we have a special brotherhood all over the world that we can call on to help in various ways. If not with money, then with time, contacts, supplies …”
“Same here, I just don’t know if there’s enough for a big influx like tonight. I hope so. I want to know the vets involved tonight at all the animal clinics will most likely be paid. So that these poor dogs can live a better life.”
“That’s the plan, yes.” He smiled at her. “I know some people I can ask to help out.”
Her eyes lit up. “Good.” “It’s very good. Now keep an eye out and make sure we’re not being followed, okay?”
Her gaze darted to the rearview mirror. “That’s really not a cool thing to say to me,” she exclaimed.
“We could also find somewhere halfway between,” he said.
She considered it. “It’s already eight p.m. We can pick a hotel for the night, if you want, and get some food.”
“Yeah. Let me do some searching and see what I come up with.”
In her rearview mirror, she could see him pull out his phone and start tapping away. How the world had changed for them. Everybody was on the internet—hotels, restaurants, gas stations—from here to home, all online.
She kept driving with a vigilant eye on her surroundings. She loved to drive—she was really happy in a vehicle doing road trips. Either as a driver or a passenger, it didn’t matter. But now, knowing she had Lucas and Top Hat in the bed, well, there was a certain amount of contentment in this trip. She hadn’t expected it—the bonding together. She had more hope for them now.