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A few minutes later, Laina gave him back his phone. “Your friend is on the way to get the jackal. He’s reaching out to the state and getting clearance. This is really wonderful news, thank you so much. It’s amazing that you came along today!”
“Timing is everything,” he said. “We’ll wait out in the foyer for our friends.”
She nodded. “I’m off to clean cages.” She gave Rhomi a hug. “Thank you again for being part of this organization. If you ever want to come back and help out, give me a call.”
“I will,” she said.
He stooped down and stared at the jackal, who retreated to the back of the cage.
“You don’t have to be afraid anymore,” he said with a low voice. “I’m getting you out of here.”
Its ears twitched and he swore it nodded in agreement, but he knew he was seeing things. It wasn’t like it could actually understand him, but hopefully his voice was kind enough and filled with reassurance so it would know that safety was coming.
“Come on, sweetheart,” he said, standing and taking Rhomi’s hand. “Are you sure you don’t want to adopt a cat? The apartment is plenty big and you can have one if you’d like.”
“Maybe another time,” she said. “My heart’s still not quite ready yet.”
They waited in the foyer for Cael and the others he was bringing with him. He hoped they’d be able to help the jackal. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt compelled to help it.
ChapterThirteen
Rhomi watched as Mercer helped Cael lift a large dog crate from the back of one of the park vans. They’d driven into the park through the apartment entrance at the back and taken an access road to the aviary.
“Don’t you have a vet office?” she asked Cael. “Why bring it here?”
“I do, but I want to bring it here because they have the most up-to-date equipment for testing, plus a quarantine area. I think the jackal will be able to go with the wolves, but we’ll have to see what its temperament is like, not to mention the testing I need to do.”
She followed as they carried the cage into the clinic portion of the aviary and into a small, clean room with large, empty cages. They set the jackal’s cage on a steel table.
“What do you think?” Mercer asked Cael.
“I’m not sure. It’s thin, so it probably wasn’t taken care of well while it was with the hoarders. It’s not really an animal I’ve heard of being trafficked on the black market for exotic animals, but that would be my guess for how it got into the States.”
“What if it doesn’t get along with the wolves?” Rhomi asked.
Cael shrugged. “I kind of doubt we can put it in the petting zoo; it’s too unpredictable as a wild animal. If it doesn’t get along with the wolves, then we’ll have to figure something else out.”
He turned to Mercer and clapped him on the shoulder. “It’ll work out, okay? I promise we’ll take good care of it.”
“Thanks, man.”
“I’ll let you know when I figure out what sort of favor I need from you.”
“Sure thing,” Mercer said, laughing. He put his arm around Rhomi. “Come on, sweetheart. The guys are waiting to help take your furniture to the thrift store.”
“Can we come check on the jackal when we’re done?”
“You bet.”
She smiled. “I had fun today at the shelter with you. Did you enjoy it?”
“Definitely. Maybe I’ll help you when you’re hanging out with the petting zoo too.”
“I’d love that. Maybe we could check out the petting zoo when we get back.”
“After we see the jackal? Sure.”
They walked through the park and met up with his friends who were helping get her furniture to the thrift store that she’d contacted to make arrangements for them to take it all off her hands.
