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A sentiment I shared.
But since I knew Nolan was doing it to try and protect my reputation, I held my hand up and Nolan remained silent.
We were having dinner when we heard Gentry.
“You were having dinner? Together?”
“Yes, together,” Nolan bit out impatiently. He moved to stand at my side. “Can I ask what this has to do with anything?”
I knew Nolan was still dealing with the intense emotions the attack had caused, so, not caring that the sheriff was watching, I dropped my hand and linked my fingers with Nolan’s. He squeezed them hard, then let out a little rush of air.
I wasn’t surprised when the sheriff looked at us with distaste, but he kept his comments to himself.
“Fine, we’re finished here,” the man said.
“You’re going to arrest Jimmy, right?” Nolan asked.
“I’m going to question him,” he responded snidely. “Boy like that comes from good family.” His eyes shifted briefly to me as he spoke and I heard the unspoken comment.
“Wouldn’t surprise me if he’s got better things to do than hassle your” – he nodded at Gentry – “critter.”
“Sheriff,” Nolan began, but I pulled him against my side in the hopes he’d get the message.
He did.
He fell silent and didn’t say anything until the crusty old cop had left.
“Oh my God, what was that?” he snapped as he motioned in the direction the sheriff had gone. “It’s like we were making a damn noise complaint or something.” He turned to face me and said, “He’ll do it, right? He’ll arrest Jimmy?”
I typed a message for him.
Did you know that he’s related to Jimmy? Jimmy’s mother is his cousin.
“What?” Nolan said, his eyes going wide. “Then he needs to step aside, let his deputy handle the case.”
Won’t happen.
Nolan was clearly frustrated. “Why aren’t you more upset about this?” he snapped. “Those assholes hurt Gentry, Loki…they could’ve hurt-”
His voice fell off. He was pacing the small room, much like Gentry was still doing.
Sheriff Tulley was my father’s best friend, did you know that? I asked.
Nolan stopped long enough to read my message, then shook his head.
Short of me getting murdered, he’s not likely to lift a finger to help me, not after what happened to my parents.
“My mother said you weren’t arrested back then because the deputy forgot to have the hospital run your blood alcohol or something.”
I wasn’t surprised he’d asked his mother about me and that that was the story he’d been told.
It’s complicated, I hedged. I turned around to check on Gentry, then typed out, Kids and vandals come out here every once in a while. Luckily, none of the animals have ever been hurt, but that’s because Loki usually chases people off before they can do anything major. They’ve slashed my tires and cut some fences, but that’s been the extent of it.
“It’s not right,” Nolan murmured. I held out my arm for him and he immediately walked into my embrace. I wanted to tell him that he, more than anyone, should know that things didn’t always end the way they should.
I kissed the top of his head as my own adrenaline rush began to wane. I’d been so caught up in my own fight that I hadn’t been able to get to Jimmy quickly enough. I’d released the one guy I’d been whaling on so I could reach Nolan and get Jimmy off him, but the other guy had tackled me. Thank God Loki had jumped back into the fray or Nolan could have been seriously hurt.
Loki jumped up from where he was lying. A second later, the door to the building opened and a man with dark hair entered, bag in hand. I didn’t recognize him, but I knew who he was.
The vet.
Only, he wasn’t a vet I’d ever seen before. The state had vets specializing in wildlife on retainer throughout the state. Although my center was privately owned, I serviced multiple counties in the area, so the state had set me up to use the same group of vets they did whenever I needed them.
“Dallas Kent?” the man asked as his eyes shifted back and forth between me and Nolan.
“That’s him,” Nolan said as he reluctantly released me.
The man held out his fingers for Loki to sniff before approaching me and extending his hand. “I’m Dr. Sawyer Brower,” he said. His eyes fell briefly to my neck, but unlike the sheriff, they didn’t linger on my scars. I hadn’t had time to grab my bandana, and considering everything that had happened, I didn’t really give a shit.
I pulled out my phone and typed a message and handed it to him. He didn’t react in any way other than to take it and read what I’d typed.
Are you new, Dr. Brower?
“It’s Sawyer, and yes, I am,” he said. “I moved here from Alaska a few weeks ago. I was working for the federal government on a bear study, actually,” he said as he nodded at Gentry. “Before that I spent most of my years after vet school at the San Diego Zoo.”
