George, Mary Lou - Prey (BookStrand Publishing Romance)

by Mary Lou George

  Sam opened the spare room door and was greeted with snarls and growls. He turned to look at Jade. She approached the room.

  Tom interrupted them. “You’re not going to let her get near Gridlock, are you? He’s almost twice her size. He could eat her alive. What are you thinking, man?”

  Jade walked toward Tom and stopped directly in front of him. With rare confidence, she looked up and smiled straight into his eyes. “It’s okay. I know what I’m doing. You should see me work with horses and they’re four times bigger than me.”

  He looked unsure and glanced Sam’s way. Sam offered reassurance, “Trust us, Tom. I’d never let Jade do this if I wasn’t absolutely certain she was safe. Now step back and let her do her work.”

  Jade stood in the doorway. Sam hadn’t lied when he’d said that Gridlock was a large dog. She slid to the floor and met the dog’s eyes steadily. He was in agony and was terrified by what was happening to him. In her own very unique way, Jade explained to him that she and Sam were there to help him. Gridlock was not a vicious dog by nature. His growling and snarling was just his way of indicating to Tom that his touch would cause agony. He needed help. Finally trusting Jade, the big dog lay down on his side and waited.

  After a moment, Jade looked over her shoulder at Sam and Tom. “Gridlock has learned the painful truth that porcupines are not toys. He’s got it pretty bad. He’s hurting and doesn’t want anyone within ten feet of him, but it’s okay now, Sam, he understands what you’re here to do. He doesn’t like it, but knows he has no choice.”

  Astonished, Tom said, “How did you—?”

  Sam interrupted. “It’s a long story man…” He walked to the panting dog and knelt beside him, gently examining poor Gridlock. After a few moments, he said, “We’re going to have to take him back to the clinic. I’d like to put him under general anesthetic to take out the quills. It’ll be easier on him.”

  Tom nodded. “Do whatever you have to.” He looked at Jade hopefully. “Can I touch him?”

  She smiled and nodded. “Yeah. He understands. In fact, he’d appreciate your touch right about now, but stay away from his head or chest. That’ll make him nervous.” When Tom moved close to his dog, Jade put a hand on his arm. “He’s going to be okay. Sam’s just given him a mild sedative. He’s conscious, but without pain at the moment. ”

  He was so grateful that after they’d got Gridlock settled comfortably in Sam’s truck, he hugged Jade. She hugged him back.

  Sam cleared his throat interrupting the moment. “Tom, you can come to the clinic this afternoon if you want, but I’d like to keep Gridlock over night, okay?”

  “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

  * * * *

  On the way back to the clinic, Jade said, “He’s a nice man. He certainly loves his dog. I like that.”

  Sam didn’t turn to look at her. “He’s a widower.”

  Jade frowned at him, “What’s that got to do with anything?”

  “He liked you. He’s going to ask to see you again.” His tone was matter of fact, emotionless.

  Jade ignored his tone and concentrated on his words. “How do you know that?”

  Still he didn’t look at her when he shrugged. “I know the signs.”

  She leaned back in her seat and considered what he’d said. Tom seemed like a good guy. Would she say yes if he did in fact, ask to see her again? Why the hell not? He might be just the distraction she needed.

  The rest of their morning was spent working on Gridlock. Sam had a qualified veterinary assistant, but he asked Jade to stay with them as well. He was reluctant to put the dog too far under. General anesthetic could be dangerous, and he wanted Jade there just in case. When they were done, he asked her to sit with the dog, take his pulse and his temperature and make sure he regained consciousness.

  “I’m sorry Jade. I have a lunch appointment and I’m late. If Gridlock is fine, feel free to take lunch whenever you want. Call me on my cell if you need me.” He began to walk away then turned back. “Oh and call me if you want me to bring you back something for lunch.”

  * * * *

  Gridlock came through the surgery just fine. She called Tom and left a message on his voice mail. She knew he’d be worried. Hanging up the phone, Jade’s stomach finally reminded her that she hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday. Relieved that her appetite was restored, Jade walked to her car with a light step. It was cold outside. It still hadn’t snowed, but today she could feel it in the air. The thought of snow brought with it images of Christmas. She’d enjoyed being with Chase and Reggie for Thanksgiving, but for Jade, nothing compared to Christmas. It thrilled her to be home in New Crescent for Christmas. Main Street had already been decked out with colored lights, and every shop had a festive display in the front window. She decided to make a dent in her Christmas shopping that evening if she wasn’t too exhausted after work. Maybe Reggie or Gillian would like to come with her. Shopping with a friend always helped her to figure out what they’d like as a gift. She smiled happily. This was going to be a wonderful Christmas. Jade was finally home. Her dreams had come true.

  She was still smiling when she pulled up outside the diner. She looked forward to enjoying her lunch at the counter, surrounded by the friendly people of New Crescent, many she had only hazy memories of, but she’d managed to get reacquainted with some since she’d returned. It had been too long. She’d never felt uncomfortable dining alone in this diner. It was like home, a close friend’s kitchen. Jade nodded to the waitress as the door closed behind her. She looked over the spattering of diners and froze.

  Michelle smiled and waved to her. Sam sat across from her. He looked over his shoulder and frowned. He didn’t look happy to see Jade, and she lost her appetite again. Michelle gestured to her to join them. Sam merely turned around. Unable to avoid it, Jade walked toward their table.

  “Hi, Jade, it’s so nice to see you again. Congratulations on the new job.” She stroked Sam’s hand as it rested on the table next to his coffee cup. He took a drink. “I’m hoping that now you’re helping out, Sam will have more time for us.” She sent him a hot look, and Jade felt uncomfortable. She refused to look at Sam. He didn’t look happy to see her and that smarted. Jade directed her conversation at the friendly and immaculately dressed Michelle.

  “It’s nice to see you too, Michelle. So far, I really like the job and if my presence can help free up some of Sam’s time then I’m happy to be there.” Jade stuffed her hands into the front pockets of her jeans and resisted the impulse to compare her attire to Michelle’s far more sophisticated outfit. In simple jeans and a Fight Against Poverty sweat shirt, there was no question Jade would come out the loser in that competition.

  “Would you care to join us?” Michelle asked, completely at ease.

  Jade shook her head. The idea of interrupting their intimate conversation made her feel ill. She smiled at the beautiful woman. “No, thanks. I’m just picking up something quick. I have errands to run before I go back to work. Sam? Gridlock came out of the anesthetic just fine.” She smiled and started to walk away saying, “It was nice to see you again Michelle. I’ll see you later.” Jade wasn’t hungry any more, but she could hardly walk out of the diner without ordering something, so she leaned on the counter and asked for curly fries and a ginger ale. She hoped the ginger ale might help to settle her stomach, but she knew there was no way she’d be able to eat the fries.

  Grabbing her order from the grinning waitress, Jade couldn’t leave the diner quickly enough. Michelle waved goodbye gracefully. Jade walked down the street to the Real Estate office where Reggie worked. If anyone could relieve her of the offending fries, it would be Reggie.

  Jade admired the huge Christmas wreath that sat securely on the glass door. A bell jangled when she walked in. Reggie was on the phone, but her face lit up when she saw Jade. She continued with her call and put her hand on her heart when Jade placed the fries in front of her. Expertly, her eyes on the fries, she brought her conversation to an end and hun
g up.

  “Bless your heart, Jade. You really are an angel. I’ve already eaten lunch, but these days I eat at 11:00 and need to eat again at 1:00. And just to clarify, that means am and pm.” She laughed and put her hand on her belly. She wasn’t showing yet, but Reggie seemed to draw strength from the baby she was carrying. Her laughter was deep and genuine. “Poor Chase, he is having trouble keeping the refrigerator stocked. Me and Egg here are keeping him on his toes.”

  Reggie was such a tonic. Jade said, “The thought of Chase on his toes is impressive. Wouldn’t that make him about seven feet tall?”

  Laughing, Reggie said, “Can you imagine how huge Egg is going to be? It’ll be like giving birth to a three year old.” She grabbed another fry. “I can’t think of it right now. I wouldn’t want to spoil my appetite.”

  In the chair opposite Reggie, Jade laughed and stretched her legs out in front of her. “I think I’m going to go Christmas shopping after work. Care to join me? We could grab dinner quickly beforehand.”

  “I’d love to.”

  “I thought you might say that. I’m going to put up my Christmas decorations this weekend. Does Maynard’s still grow Christmas Trees?”

  Reggie nodded while she chewed.

  Realizing she was running out of lunch hour, Jade changed the subject abruptly. “Anything from Constance on Allan’s death?”

  Reggie pressed her lips together and shook her head, “I’ve asked her, but sometimes getting her to give me information when I want it is like trying to reason with the IRS. She expects me to do what she wants when she wants, but if I need something from her…somehow my request gets lost in bureaucracy.

  “Sounds frustrating.” Jade smiled and sipped her ginger ale. Her appetite was starting to return. The smell of the fries had ceased to make her feel nauseated. Jade spied a bowl of apples and bananas in a bowl on the coffee table to her right. They looked promising. She stood up and grabbed one of each. Peeling the banana she asked.

  “What about Gillian? Have you heard from her?”

  “Yes, and no she hasn’t come up with anything and neither has Travis. I hate to think that we won’t make any progress until the thing strikes again.”

  Jade shuddered and agreed, but something told her there would be more bloodshed before long. The animals had told her as much.

  * * * *

  The wind chill factor made it frigid on the beach at this time of the year, but the thing that jumped gracefully from rock to rock didn’t feel the cold. The hot fury was hard to control. The thing bled freely from self inflicted wounds on its arms. No more control. Tonight it would hunt and feed. The prey had been selected, the location staked out, and the approach confirmed. This one was young and supple. Ah, the throat, warm blood would pump from the throat and fill its sucking and greedy mouth. It would taste metallic and oh so sweet. More importantly, it would help to ease the constant hunger. The coupling would come later. Panting at the thought, thick drool dripped off its tongue, slid unchecked to the rocks and mixed with its fresh blood.

  Chapter 11

  When Sam returned to the clinic, Jade tried to give him the cold shoulder, but it wasn’t easy because his good humor was contagious. Just as she’d decided to give in to his cheerfulness, Tom Weatherby walked in. Sam frowned.

  Tom stopped dead in his tracks, concerned at his expression. “Is Gridlock okay?”

  Jade tossed Sam a quelling look and answered for him, “He’s resting comfortably. Come on, I’ll take you to him.”

  It was touching to see how much the man cared for his dog. Jade always had a soft spot for men who were good with animals. She stood watching him stroke Gridlock with relief. The dog was very sleepy, but he wagged his tail and tried to get up when he heard Tom’s voice. Of course Tom stopped him with a gentle hand. Since he’d shown no inclination to leave anytime soon, Jade started to slip away quietly.

  “Jade, I have to thank you for all you’ve done for Gridlock.” His words halted her retreat. “I think this whole experience would have been much harder on him if it weren’t for you. I don’t know what you did, and I’m not going to ask. I just know you did something.”

  He had a very bright and engaging smile and Jade happily returned it. “I’m glad I was helpful. He’s a great dog, and he’s bonded very closely with you. Do you jog?”

  He looked at her in surprise. “I run, yeah. How did you know?”

  Blushing, Jade said, “Gridlock loves to run with you.”

  Tom laughed. “You are something else. Could I take you to dinner some night this week?”

  His question took her by surprise, and she didn’t answer for a moment. The pause was impossible to ignore, and he started to fill the silence.

  Jade interrupted him. “Sure.” She laughed awkwardly and continued, “I’m busy tonight, but the rest of my week is clear.

  She wrote down her phone number and before he left he said, “I’ll call you tomorrow with some suggestions on what restaurant, time etc.”

  She was still smiling when Sam made his way into the kennel. He checked on Gridlock and a few other patients. When he was finished, he walked over to Jade and helped her put supplies away. He talked to her about the uses of all the items they were sorting and they worked on the system that would help her to anticipate what he would need and how he’d indicate it to her. She was a quick and eager learner, a fact she’d never been more proud of than when Sam started to explain things to her. He smiled crookedly at her when he’d finished a particularly complex explanation. She looked up at him intently.

  “Don’t worry, Jinx, I’ll go over all of this with you as many times as you’d like. So far you seem to be grasping things pretty quickly. I’m impressed.”

  She breathed a soft sigh of relief. “I can’t wait until we work together as a unit. I want to be able to anticipate your every need.” When she realized how that sounded she blushed.

  Sam showed no mercy. “That’s quite an offer. Are you sure you’re up to it?”

  Her chest knotted, and she said nothing.

  “Weatherby asked to see you again, didn’t he?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do I know this stuff or not?” There was an odd edge to his voice that irked Jade. Was he making fun of her? She felt anger rise to the surface.

  She lashed out. “My sex life is none of your business.”

  “Oh so, you’re planning on having sex with the school principal, are you?” It should have been a teasing question, but the clipped tone in his voice destroyed all hope of that.

  “Like I said, my sex life is none of your business.” She moved away and grabbed her coat. Calling to Rags, she spared a word for Sam, “I’ve got plans with Reggie for dinner. I’ve got to go, so I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She almost ran out of the room. In her car on the way to Reggie’s she regretted saying yes to Tom. If he really liked her, it was unfair of her to see him when she knew there was no chance of it turning into anything but friendship and of that she was pretty certain given her reactions to Sam. Perhaps she should be honest with him when he called her tomorrow. She worried the problem in her mind until Reggie came striding out of the house. Chase called to Rags who jumped out of Jade’s car and ran towards him. Pru welcomed him with a brief wag of her tail.

  * * * *

  The Christmas shopping was an unmitigated success. They drove to the closest mall and power shopped. Christmas carols could be heard in every store, and Jade and Reggie ended up humming along.

  Reggie said, “It’s nice to see you happy, Jade.”

  Turning to her with surprise, Jade smiled. “Right back at you.”

  Reggie shook her head. “No, I mean it. Having you here means the world to Chase. Please tell me you’re going to stay, settle down here.”

  Jade reassured her with a smile. “There’s no place I’d rather be. I would never have left New Crescent if I’d had a choice.”

  “Chase tried to get custody. He wanted you to stay.”

  Jade smil
ed and nodded. “Yes, he did, but I told him to give up. I realized I couldn’t let my father get away with what he’d done here in New Crescent and continue to do the same thing to other people. I was vigilant and was pretty successful keeping him from pulling his cons up and down the entire eastern seaboard.”

  Reggie furrowed her brow. “That’s a lot of responsibility for a fourteen-year-old girl.”

  “I had no choice. It was within my power to make a difference so I did what I could. He was abusive to animals too. I think that his cruelty helped me to develop my gift. So I guess Ernestine is right; all things happen for a reason.”

  Reggie agreed. “Yeah, that Ernestine is a cagey old bird at the best of times. She gets around. I saw her in town today, bundled up and rosy cheeked. I think she was Christmas shopping too.”

  “Has she said anything about what killed Allan Simpson?”

  “She asked Travis to give her until tomorrow. Apparently there was something she had to take care of first. He’s going to see her in the morning. I guess the crime scene was pretty gruesome, huh?”

  “I didn’t see anything but police tape and blood soaked earth. The animals are scared, and it’s getting worse everyday. It’s hard for me, knowing that they feel real terror and not for themselves but for us. It puts me on edge.”

  Reggie linked her arm with Jade’s as she smiled and nodded at an older couple. Idily Jade realized that she and Reggie must look like a study in opposites, one tall fair and voluptuous and the other tiny dark and delicate.

  Reggie said, “I can’t even imagine how the animals must feel, knowing there’s something horrible out there and they can’t warn us. I promise to try harder to get Constance to offer some guidance.”

  “Thanks, but I have a feeling that we can’t stop what’s about to happen, and the animals know it. That’s part of the reason they’re so scared. They know it’s going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.” Jade frowned. Reggie frowned too. “Do they ever make any suggestions about what we can do to stop this thing?”