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My anger flares, at Roy for his callous attitude and at Jonah for his indifference. “I just spent the last hour fending off Muriel and her trigger finger. Marie’s trying to save him. He can’t turn around and tell her to put it down,” I hiss, my words meant for Jonah but too loud, apparently.
Roy’s eyes narrow. “I can do whatever the hell I want.” He casts a hand toward the black beast that’s watching us intently. “I could shoot him if I wanted and you couldn’t do a goddamn thing about it.”
My jaw drops as I grapple with a suitable response, but I can’t think of one. Didn’t Muriel claim these animals were like family to him?
“Muriel.” In that single name, it’s obvious her displeasure with Roy is mutual. His lips twist in thought. A long, silent moment drags as he regards his other dog. “You probably shoulda let her shoot him. ’Course, a young, city slicker like you wouldn’t have the guts for that.”
I glare at him. It’s like he’s trying to antagonize me. “Well, I didn’t let her, so now you get to be a decent human being and take care of your wolf. Of course, a miserable, curmudgeon like you probably doesn’t have the guts for that.”
Roy cocks his head, seemingly astonished by my retort.
So is Jonah, by the arched eyebrow he flashes me. “On that note …” He’s still holding the business card up between two fingers. “Do you want Marie’s information or not? I’ve got shit to do.”
I hold my breath. What if Roy says “not”? What happens to the animal?
Roy saunters over and accepts the card, examining it as he steps backward. “She gonna give me issues?”
“Nah. Not unless he bites someone.” Jonah starts the engine.
“You’re welcome!” I yell, unable to contain my annoyance with this man, especially after the day I’ve had because of his wandering animal.
The corners of Roy’s mouth twitches, almost as if he’s about to smile, but then the fleeting moment is gone and he’s left glaring at me as Jonah pulls away, back down the muddy path.
“I hope that dog bites him,” I say to myself, assuming Jonah can’t hear me over the engine.
His body shakes with laughter.
* * *
“Come on!” I whine as Jonah steers us left toward the hangar instead of continuing home. I’m desperate for a shower and food. I haven’t eaten since this morning.
He pulls up next to Archie, the Piper my dad left him, wrapped in canvas and sitting outside the door until Jonah can swap out Phil’s old plane, the hangar only able to accommodate two. “Gimme two minutes. I didn’t get to finish up properly.”
Two minutes is never just two minutes when Jonah’s with his planes.
With reluctance, I release my grip of his torso. He swings a leg over, hopping off. It always amazes me, how he moves so gracefully for such a tall, broad man.
“It’s fine. I’ll be over here, gnawing my arm off,” I call out, my tone dry.
“Just like Roy’s dog would have had you not been out there to find him.”
I cringe. “Jonah!”
“Too soon?”
“Not funny!”
“Who knew you had a soft spot for wild animals.” His chuckle carries as he disappears through the small door into the hangar, leaving me alone to pick at my thoughts about the turn my day took.
After five minutes and no sign of Jonah, I waver between leaving him here to walk home and going inside to rush him. In the end, I cut the engine and head for the door, annoyed. He’s exactly where I expect him to be, circling Veronica with his clipboard, going through all his postflight notes and safety checks with a mask of deep concentration.
“I think he’s been coming around here.”
“Huh?” Jonah murmurs absently.
“Something Roy said, about the dog taking off a lot lately. I think maybe he’s been lurking around here. And I think he followed us out to the cabin today.” Why else would he be out there?
Jonah finally looks up from his clipboard. “What do you mean, lurking?”
