Dev watched with interest as Kate knelt, and waited. It didn't take long for Hildie to rise and walk over. She sniffed Kate's knee, then her arm, then her hair. Then she sat down. Murmuring her approval, Kate finally touched Hildie, giving her several long strokes and scratches. Hildie lay down at Kate's feet and let out a long sigh. So unlike her. After a while, Kate stood, thought a minute, and said, "So she's off her food. Tired. Lies around a lot. Looks sad. Does she whine out of the blue?"
"Yeah. Sometimes."
"And how long has she been doing this?"
"Almost two weeks."
"Is she spayed?"
Dev blinked. Pregnant? His Hildie. No way. "All female MWD's are spayed before they go into training. Otherwise it'd cause too much trouble while they're on tour."
Kate frowned. "You're telling me she was a military working dog?"
If there was one thing Dev didn't like talking about, it was the military and the time he'd spent in it. He wanted to leave the past in the past. But he also loved Hildie more than life itself. He'd jumped in front of enemy fire for her, and she'd done the same for her handler. Finding out what was wrong was more important than his reluctance. "She was a PEDD, a patrol/explosives detection dog."
Kate stared at Devin in shock. "And you were her handler."
"No." Already his pulse was up and the anxiety was increasing. He didn't want to focus on this. Didn't want it to keep being a point of interest for Kate. So Dev drew in a deep breath and quickly ripped off the Band-Aid. "Her handler was one of my best friends…" And that was as far as he got. The rest wouldn't come.
"Well," she said at length. "If she's not going through pregnancy symptoms… Could it be PTSD?"
Dev shook his head. "She was evaluated before adoption. Didn't show any signs."
"Well, they don't call itposttraumatic stress for nothing. Could be it. Or she could just be lonely, bored—"
His back went stiff. "She's not lonely. She has me. I'm with her all the time."
Kate's dark brows went high and her mouth thinned. "I'm sure she's perfectly happy with you. I'm just thinking out loud. If she's physically healthy, then her problem could be emotional. Or she's just in a funk—maybe she misses her work, being busy all the time."
"She's busy here." He winced at the defensive tone in his voice. Why was he getting all worked up?
"Look," Kate said, exasperation lacing her tone, "you're the one who said to come by. Don't get mad at me just because I'm throwing possibilities out there. It's better than doing nothing."
Instant indignation shot to the surface. "What are you saying? I'm doing nothing for her?"
"No. Not saying that at all. You're worried about her. It's obvious you love her and want the best, so you don't have to go on the attack. I'm not attacking you, Devin. I'm not the enemy." Her cheeks had turned pink and her eyes were bright and irate. Oh, she was mad, practically fuming. "You're lucky I'm going to let your crappy attitude slide."
"Oh you are?"
"Yeah, I am. See, I'm actually a pretty nice person, even when some guy I barely know is being an asshole."
Chapter 4
As Kate stood there, fuming, she wondered if she was being too hard on him. It was pretty obvious from his reactions that Hildie's handler, Devin's best friend, had been lost, a trauma he still wasn't over. "Anyway," she said, softer, her ire deflating, "think about it. She might like to work again is all I'm saying. Obviously, she's very intelligent, having done the job she's done. Maybe you can teach her to herd or put a pack on her and she can carry your tools and water. Some animals like having a job, like staying engaged. Or you could get another dog, that might help."
Devin took a moment to digest her words. While he did, a sense of depression came over her.
She'd given his bad attitude the benefit of the doubt. Had been understanding. But maybe that was part of her problem. She'd repeatedly done the same thing with Holden. Though Holden and Devin were like day and night. Holden had never gone to war, seen horrors, lost friends… No. Holden and Devin weren't even close. So maybe it was a mistake to lump them together. Maybe she should be giving him a lot understanding.
It was clear Devin loved Hildie. The devastation that flashed in his eyes when he mentioned his friend, the horror at the very idea he might have failed Hildie in some way—that was where his harsh tone and defensiveness had come from. And she thought animals were easy to read. Devin MacLaren was an open book. All one had to do was look into his eyes, look past the quietness, the hot bod and rugged face, and they'd see a wounded man.
Maybe it wasn't just Hildie who needed help.
After leaving it at that and telling Devin she had to go, Kate left the farmhouse.
"No, no, no," she muttered to herself as she walked the bike down the lane. "Not getting involved. Not getting involved." She knew well her weakness for wounded animals. She'd always been drawn in, rescuing birds, mice, bunnies, and anything else she found in her backyard or neighborhood growing up on Long Island. Once she moved to the city, starting her own pet business had been a no-brainer. It had begun with pet sitting gigs, then walking, then grooming, until she had a good reputation and enough repeat clients to open her own place.
A place that had crumbled in the wake of Holdenmort.
