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Gabe handed her the towel as his face folded into bewilderment. “When did you get a dog?”
As she knelt to wrap the dog up without hurting him, she said, “He’s not mine. I’ll explain everything once we’re in the car. You know the emergency vet on the east side?” She lookedup.
He was still frowning. “Sure.”
“Can we go there? I called them; they’ll be ready for us.”
The frown eased as he arched an eyebrow and then knelt to help her. “You got it.”
Together they got the dog onto the towel and picked him up, each holding an edge of the towel. They carried him to Gabe’s truck, a four-door model, and put him gently on the back seat.
Gabe closed the back door and then opened the passenger door for Danni. She jumped into the front seat and he closed the door to walk around to the driver’s side. Danni breathed in the familiar scent of his aftershave, something she’d always loved, and fought the pleasant memories crowding in.
Gabe hopped in and she felt his gaze on her. She turned to find the familiar blue eyes regarding her.
“What is going on with you?” he asked as he started the motor. “I thought you were in Hawaii. When did you get back?”
Danni had to look away from those jarringly blue eyes and shelve the million questions springing up in her mind. How did he like working in LA? Why had he come back? Did he miss working the streets?
“Last night, or I guess earlier this morning. I took a jog.” Then everything came out in a jumble. By the time they’d almost reached the vet, she’d told the whole story.
Gabe stayed quiet until she finished. “Why would you go to the alley by yourself so early in the morning?”
“What? Did you hear anything I said? There are surveillance cameras in the alley, I’m guessing with bad people monitoring them based on how fast those guys appeared looking for me. Why cameras?”
“Danni, you could have been seriously hurt. Why were you so reckless?”
“I didn’t call you to be lectured.”
He pulled into the vet’s parking lot and jammed the truck into park. “You can’t give me a good reason for going there at this time of the morning?” There was blue fire in his eyes when they flashed with anger.
“I don’t answer to you, remember? I’ll take the dog and go, for heaven’s sake, and call an Uber to get home. Why I ever thought calling you was a good idea is beyond me.” She jerked the door open.
He put a hand on her arm. “Wait. I’m sorry. I—” He sounded contrite, and when she turned to face him, the expression on his face took her breath away. It reminded her of a special moment on their wedding day. He’d leaned into her just before they left to celebrate and said, “I love you, Mrs. Fox.”
She blinked the memory away, jaw set. I can’t go down that road.
Gabe sighed and looked away. “The last time I saw you, your face was covered in blood, and I’ve had a hard time getting the image out of my head.”
Danni sat back and frowned. “You came into my room?”
Gabe shook his head. “Go-Go had your picture on his phone. Look, can we start over? You want my help. I came to give it. I don’t want to fight.” He released her arm.
Danni looked at him for a second, letting her own anger fade. He did not deserve anger. She’d called him because she trusted him, right?
“I don’t want to fight either. I do want to know what’s happening with the PD and LaRosa.”
He nodded. “Let’s get the dog taken care of and I’ll tell you what I know.”
