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"Hello?" Dr. Liz Ellis sticks her head into the barn, her smile falling when she catches sight of Mari. "Oh, no. Poor thing."
"Thanks for coming out." In a town this size, of course, I've heard about the new vet and seen her around, but I haven't officially met her. I stick out a hand as she approaches. "Grant Holiday. It's nice to meet you."
Liz offers me a hand and shakes, but she doesn't take her eyes off Mari. "Dr. Ellis. You say you found her in the woods like this?"
"I found her." Dani walks into the barn and sets Skidmark on the floor. The little skunk is attached to a wheeled contraption, but stays close to Dani, who offers him a carrot before walking over and joining Dr. Ellis in front of Mari.
"Maybe your cat should stay in the house," I say. "We don't want Mari to get spooked and step on him."
Dani grins at me and something warm and fizzy ignites in my chest. "You're right, I didn't think of that." She looks down at the skunk, a wrinkle of concern between her brows, before bending and picking him up, wheels and all. "He won't let anyone else but me touch him, so I'll just cuddle him for now."
Dr. Ellis turns away from Mari for the first time. "Skidmark looks well. Is he keeping you up all night with his wheels?"
Dani smiles warmly at Dr. Ellis. "Every night. I'm beginning to think maybe I should become nocturnal, too. Which wouldn't be too hard, since I'm up at four every morning to bake, anyway."
"He may adjust to your schedule," Dr. Ellis says, though she doesn't look convinced. "Now, tell me about this cow."
While Dani fills Dr. Ellis in on Mari's story, I step outside and call in a few favors. By the time Dr. Ellis walks out of the barn, I've got everything figured out. For tonight, at least.
"How's she look?" I ask.
Dr. Ellis winces. "I'd guess she's seven years old, not ancient in cow years, but on a dairy farm she'd have been culled by now."
"Culled?" I'm pretty sure I know what she means, but I ask to be sure.
"Sent to slaughter, because milk production declines around five to six years of age."
"So, not likely to interest a farmer."
"No," Dr. Ellis says. "She's clearly been mistreated. Dairy cows tend toward very thin, but Mari is underweight and weak. There are also scars on her flanks that show mistreatment and her hooves are in poor shape. Unfortunately, there are no repercussions for mistreating cattle."
I rock back on my feet. I'd just assumed the owner of a cow would be subject to fines and jail time, the same as anyone guilty of mistreating an animal. "You think there could be someone looking for her?"
Dr. Ellis shrugs. "I haven't heard of anyone. This animal is in such bad shape that I don't see them getting enough for her at slaughter to make it worth looking for her. But I'll put the word out and let you know if I hear anything."
As she's leaving, another truck, its bed filled with hay, pulls up the drive and around to park in front of the barn. Rodney hops out of the driver's seat as I walk around to look at the hay.
"This is more than we're gonna need."
He slaps me on the back and shrugs. "If your friend is going to keep this cow, she's going to need it eventually."
He's probably right. "I have to pay you for at least some of this. What's the going rate for hay?"
"Nope." His familiar face, one I've known since we were toddlers playing in the sandbox behind his house, creases into an amiable smile. "I owe you more than this for getting those park passes for Lissa's whole family when they came to visit. I know how hard it is for you to break the rules."
I shudder at the memory. "It wasn't breaking the rules. Not really. I have oversight of the passes and can make the call on a certain number of them each year for charitable or—"
Rodney laughs. "Look at you going all pale and green around the gills. The hay is yours, man. You got a pair of gloves to help me unload it?"
"I'll see if Dani's got some in her barn. Be right back."
Conversation stops as soon as I step inside the barn, but judging by Goldy and Dani's angry expressions, they were arguing about Mari. Honey looks as serene as she did when I met her.
She's moving art supplies around to make room for Mari, but it's a small enough barn that she's really just moving stuff to new places where it'll still be in the way.
"I've got a friend here with hay for Mari. Do you have gloves I can borrow to help him unload it?"
Dani turns a soft, amazed look on me, her eyes lighting. "You got hay for Mari?"
