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“There are positives,” the doctor said. She was elevating Snow’s head with a board. “Have to turn her every half hour,” she murmured to herself as she worked. “No bone fracture, her vitals are good, if a little off center. How old is she?”
“Two years,” Meadow choked.
The vet nodded. “Young. And she’s in great shape physically. There may be some neurological problems if . . . when,” she added after a glance at Meadow’s drawn face, “she recovers. Seizures, most likely. We’ll have to put her on anticonvulsant medication. Look at that,” she added softly, noting Snow’s sudden sharp movement. The blue eyes opened and looked around. They closed and she breathed regularly. “Another good sign.”
Meadow let out the breath she’d been holding. She reached out to pet Snow’s soft fur. “When I get through my current nervous breakdown, I’m going to move heaven and earth to find the man who did this to her,” she said through her teeth.
“If you get him, I’ll be more than happy to testify,” the vet said grimly. “I hate animal abusers.”
“Me too.”
“Dr. Bonner and I will take turns watching her, around the clock if we have to. But we’ll need someone to special her once that’s out of the way. It may be expensive.”
“I don’t care what it costs,” Meadow said, choking up. “It’s so hard!”
Dr. Clay patted her on the shoulder. “I know. I’ve been in this situation myself,” she added. Her pale eyes were sympathetic. “You go home. There’s nothing you can do here. Give me your cell number. I’ll call you if there’s any change.”
Meadow gave it to her, tears running down her cheek. “She’s the only family I have left,” she said huskily.
“I know how that feels, too.” Dr. Clay took the pad and pen she’d loaned Meadow and put the number into her own cell phone.
“Will she come out of it, do you think?” Meadow asked after a minute. “Honestly?”
“I don’t know,” came the quiet reply. “In cases like this, we have to wait and see. I’ll run those tests. They’ll help us decide on what treatments to pursue. You have to authorize them.”
“I’ll sign anything.”
The doctor smiled sadly. “Try not to worry. I’ll do whatever I can. I promise.”
“I know that.” She smoothed her hand over Snow’s fur and ground her teeth together. “Don’t leave me, baby,” she whispered. “Please, fight. You have to fight.”
The dog seemed to stir a little again at the words. Meadow kissed the fur behind an ear. “I’ll be waiting at home, okay?”
She moved away, shaken, terrified. Her wide eyes met those of the doctor. There was really nothing else to say. It was a matter of waiting now. She signed the electronic permission form, fighting more tears.
She passed the veterinary technician on her way out the door. She was a young woman, short and dark-headed, with a sweet face and a compassionate smile.
“I’m Tanny,” she told Meadow. “Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of your dog,” she assured Meadow. “One of us will make sure you know the minute she comes around,” she added with an optimism that Meadow prayed was justified.
“Thanks so much,” Meadow said huskily.
“It will be all right,” the vet tech said quietly. “You have to have faith. It really does move mountains.”
Meadow just nodded.
* * *
She went home, dragging, worn to the bone, sick with worry. It was far worse than when Snow had wandered into the barbed wire fence and everyone had been out searching for her. She could die. If only she could do something!
Her heart jumped when she saw that Dal Blake’s big truck was sitting in her driveway when she got there.
She got out of the SUV. He was furious. She winced as he moved closer, face like a thundercloud.
“You let the thief take my table right out the damned window, and you didn’t even chase him! I followed his footprints to the woods, only his, yours went to the damned driveway! You left the doors unlocked, the window open . . . what the hell kind of security are you?”
She started to speak, but she couldn’t get a word in edgewise.
“Next time I want someone to guard my house, I’ll have Jeff send a real law enforcement officer, not some damned flighty woman who welcomes thieves into houses and walks off without even leaving a note behind!”
