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“Mine’s been gone six,” Cody said. His face tautened. “Her, and now Anyu...”
Bill scowled. “What about Anyu?”
Cody took a steadying breath. “She’s got cancer. It’s spread too far for the drastic treatments to do much beyond lengthening the pain. I won’t let them put her down. I said I’d take her home and pamper her, and I have. They gave me pain meds for her.” He ground his teeth. “She’s all I’ve got left in the world,” he said gruffly.
“They’re like our kids, aren’t they?” the other man said quietly. “I’ve got three. All mutts, but I’d do most anything to save them.”
“I can’t imagine life without her.”
“You know, God never closes a window except he opens a door.” He cocked his head. “You understand what I’m saying?”
Cody thought about it for a minute. “I guess I do.” He sighed. “It’s just so damned hard!”
“We’re leaves floating down the river, Cody,” Bill said softly. “We think we have control, that we can do anything. But in the end, even with free will, there are limits. We have to consider that there may really be a higher power dictating what happens to us. And if that’s true, it’s easier to just float than to try to paddle to the bank. And if we could do that,” he said, leaning forward with a grin, “we’d miss the whole adventure of life!”
Cody burst out laughing. “You should have been a preacher, Bill.”
“Yes, I should have, but I wasn’t called to it.” He smiled. “I guess I’m more of a chaplain here, when you get down to it. My big shoulder gets a workout. So many officers have problems of one sort or another. I just sit and let them talk.”
“It helps more than you know,” Cody said. “Just somebody to listen.”
“You don’t have anybody to do that.”
“I have Anyu.”
“Yes, but she doesn’t answer you. I hope,” Bill added quickly and with mock horror.
Cody laughed. “No. Not yet.” He grabbed his hat and got up. “I’ll keep you in the loop. And if you talk to the chief, tell him I’m envious. I’d have loved a child,” he added wistfully.
“I read about a man fifty who just had his first child,” Bill said with pursed lips. “You’re not that old, son.”
“I feel like it sometimes.” He shrugged. “I’d never get over Debby. Anybody else would be second best. I couldn’t settle for that.” He went to the door. “I’ll let you know if I find out anything.”
“You do that.”
Cody closed the door and walked back to his SUV. He forced Debby and Anyu to the back of his mind. He had a case to solve.
HANNAHANDABBYwere getting supper started a week or so later when a truck pulled up beside the house. It was the one Don Blalock drove. He picked something up and came up the steps.
Abby was there just as he knocked on the door. She opened it and her lips fell apart. He was holding the most adorable fluffy furred little animal she’d ever seen.
“I’ve got an orphan who needs a home,” he said with a sigh. “Found her out in the thicket while we were rounding up the pregnant cows to move to a closer pasture. She’s cold and hungry.”
“And say no more.” Abby took the puppy from him and nuzzled her. The dog made a whimpering sound and tucked her little head into Abby’s chest. “Oh, that did it,” Abby said. “I’m never letting go of this puppy until I die!”
Don chuckled. “Thought you might feel that way. Lucy wanted a puppy, I remembered, and you said you’d think about it. Want to think about it some more?”
“Not on your life! This baby isn’t leaving.”
Hannah came over to pet the tiny thing as well. “She’s adorable!” she said.
“And just what we need,” Abby said. She sighed. “Well, we’ll get through housebreaking somehow.”
“Maisie’s brother used to train dogs for the police,” Don said with a grin. “Might ask him for some pointers.”
“Thanks! I will!”
“I’ll get his number and text it to you.”
