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“And they don’t show?”
“Some do, some don’t. Most of the time, she looked miserable. The dating game hasn’t been kind to her. What I know about her as a person is that she’s sweet. Not many friends. Tends to volunteer a lot. Most people use her for help, that kind of thing.”
“That’s not a lot to go on,” he said.
“When is there ever anything to go on?” Thomas asked. “Are you thinking of dating her?”
“I’m forty-two years old. I don’t date.”
“Then you’ve got to do something. Otherwise, you’re going to die a lonely old man with nothing and no one but me.”
“Now that’s a scary thought.”
Chapter Four
Monday morning couldn’t have come soon enough for Maddie. Even as she tried to focus on work, at random times, tears would fill her eyes, and she would remember that sweet dog that didn’t have the best start in life.
It was a slow day. The first one in over a week. She had thought there was no such thing as a slow day.
“Hey, Maddie, I need you to call parts again and tell them I’m still waiting for my brake light,” Bull said, coming into the shop.
She had let tears fall.
“Yes.” Her voice croaked. She cleared her throat, wiped at her eyes, and answered him. “Yes, of course.” She turned toward him, reaching for the details, but he wouldn’t let go of the sheet of paper.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“That face doesn’t look like nothing.”
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. There was no compulsion to smile. “It’s nothing. Can I just have the paperwork so I can chase this delivery for you? I know it’s important.”
“You can as soon as you tell me what is going on.”
Maddie dropped her hand. “It’s nothing. Honestly.”
“Has someone upset you?”
“No.”
“So they’re happy tears?”
“Bull, Mr. Reynolds, please, let me do my job.”
“Then tell me.”
She sighed.
He wasn’t going to budge, and she was too damn miserable to fight him. She licked her lips. “You know how I … er … volunteer at the animal shelter?”
He nodded.
“Yesterday, there was a … some dogs that had been acquired or taken, or I don’t know, it doesn’t matter. They ended up at the animal shelter, and this one little girl. She wasn’t any older than two, couldn’t be, she … she had been in such a bad way.” She looked at Bull and saw him frowning.
“Dogfights. You know, the illegal kind where people bet on dogs fighting each other until they kill each other. It’s so awful. This girl, I could see that she just wanted to be loved. That was all she wanted, and the vet came and told us that she wasn’t going to make it. I held her as she died in my arms.”
Maddie stopped, pressed her lips together, and took a deep breath. “Sorry. I know I shouldn’t be bringing this kind of thing into work, but I can’t get her out of my head. Why would people do such a thing?” Her throat felt like it was on fire.
Bull put the piece of paper down, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her in close. “I’ve got you,” he said. “Just cry it out.”
“I don’t want to cry.” The tears were already falling thick and fast. “It was so horrible. She was covered in blood and it looked like they were starving her.” She sobbed. “Why? Why do they do it?”
“Because the world is full of evil bastards who take pleasure in sick and twisted games.” Bull began to stroke her hair. His touch helped to soothe her.
The tears fell hard, but after some time, and with her face pressed against his chest, she was able to calm down. To bring herself back into some kind of control. She took a breath and leaned back.
“Thank you. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have cried like that.”
“You care about the pets at the animal shelter, don’t you?” he asked.
“Someone has to. They’re good … pets. Sorry, I don’t see them as pets, I guess.” She shrugged. “This is why I shouldn’t volunteer, but I love those guys. I’d adopt them all if I could.”
“Do you have any pets?”
“Not allowed. Building rules.” She shrugged. It sucked, but she hadn’t broken any of the rules to get a dog or a cat, even though she had really wanted to.
She reached for some tissues and quickly blew her nose. “I will phone this order for you and handle it.”
“Did the cops bring the dogs to you?” Bull asked.
She shook her head. “No. They had been dumped along the road. The dogfighting thing is still going strong. They have no idea where it is.”
Bull nodded. “If you need to talk or if you want to take some time, let me know.”
“I will. I was hoping to come in today to just work, you know? It helps me when there is bad news to just dive in and work through it. It’s how I cope with things.” She picked up the piece of paper and saw the number along the top.
