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Lia drove faster than the speed limit, but didn’t care. She had a cop riding shotgun, after all. She glanced sideways at Tee, and didn’t know whether to be angry, or relieved.
Grandfather never lost. He’d set Lia up to fail. So in a way, this woman had done her a favor. “We need to talk.”
“We will. Just not now, please.” Tee kept her eyes focused out the window, taking in the North Texas landscape as the city streets made way for pasture. “It’s not easy for me, either.” She played with something—looked like seashells—in one hand, and they made a whispery sound like waves at the beach. “You the one emailed my Auntie.” It wasn’t a question. “That’s why she talked about fate, me being in Dallas.”
There, she confirmed it. Lia gripped the steering wheel so hard her hands hurt. All those emails she’d sent out months ago, when she’d flouted Grandfather’s wishes out of hurt. She’d been careful to keep them secret from Grandfather, even hiding her name. She never wanted to go behind his back, but he refused to entertain a calm, adult discussion. At age twenty-one, she deserved answers, didn’t she? Anyway, she’d received zero replies. Now, this.
Heat flushed her face. She wanted to scream at the woman, make her talk, explain, give details about the man Grandfather blamed for everything. Lia had only suspicions until Grandfather’s reaction confirmed the connection.
“What does the W stand for? His first name, give me that at least.” Tee had answers to the questions that had plagued Lia her whole life. She’d let the woman dodge most for now, not wanting a repeat of the woman’s meltdown.
“Wyatt.” The officer spit the name. The shushing of the seashells grew agitated. “Don’t we have to get your dog?” She changed the subject without apology.
Lia nodded. Wyatt Teves. The old worn leather made the letters look like Tex rather than Teves. With the name, she could dig deeper to find out more about her family history, even if Tee—her half-sister—refused to help. Maybe the woman’s Auntie would be more forthcoming.
“The vet kept Karma for oxygen therapy, same as us. She had some superficial burns on her muzzle and paws, but nothing serious.”
“Good.” Tee turned from the window now the conversation had moved to safer ground. “What happens now? With the police dog training, I mean.” She slipped the shells back into a pocket.
“Don’t know.” Lia rubbed her bloodshot eyes that still stung from the after effects of the fire. “Even if Karma passed the test, Grandfather wouldn’t have come through with the financial support. He’d have found a way to get his own way.”
Tee frowned. “Sorry I barged in. I should’ve waited until he left.”
Sighing, Lia pulled the car into the parking lot of the Heartland Veterinary Hospital. “You couldn’t know.” Her eyes narrowed. “Or did you?”
The derisive snort spoke volumes. “If it had to do with Wyatt Teves, yeah, I’d expect a toxic reaction. But I didn’t know it was you.” She looked out the window again, anywhere but at Lia. “Your last name isn’t—”
“Like you said, we’ll talk later.” Lia sat for a moment, wanting to rush in and collect her dog but worried what she’d find. Dogs could have PTSD, just like people. Only time would tell if Karma suffered fallout from the fire or water. That could disqualify her from police dog consideration. Her breed already counted against Karma because of overheating concerns. In Texas triple-digit heat indexes, Karma wouldn’t be a top K9 no matter how well she performed. She’d do better in a cooler climate.
Only one hurdle stood in Karma’s way. If Doc Eugene gave the okay, Lia would sign those papers, get it done today, and pick up the big girl tomorrow. “You want to wait in the car, or come in?”
“I’ll wait. We can put my suitcase the back to make room for Karma.” Tee started to get out.
Lia shook her head. “It’s fine for now. Karma may need to stay an extra day or so for surgery. I’ll let you know.”
“Surgery? I thought she just needed oxygen. You said she wasn’t seriously injured.” She sounded more concerned than Lia expected. Tee and Karma connected out at the tank. Karma knew what to do, to cut short the woman’s flashback.
“You can come in if you want, but the baby-dog’s fine.” Lia smiled as she got out of the car, too. “She’s just getting spayed, that’s all.”
“Wait. You’re getting her fixed? But you can’t.” Tee looked panicked.
Puzzled, Lia tried to calm the cop’s concern, and explained. “She can’t be a police dog unless she’s spayed. Bitches go into season, and that’s a distraction for her and any other dogs she encounters. It’s a safety issue. To perform at peak levels, female dogs are spayed.” She started toward the clinic. “Karma won’t even notice the difference.”
Tee didn’t look convinced.
“Look, it’s usually done at a much younger age, and safe. I shouldn’t have waited so long, but got caught up in the training, and Rotties don’t often go into heat this early. Jeff—that is, Detective Combs, found blood trace that didn’t belong to either victim.” She shrugged. “I always figured we could get Karma spayed after Grandfather’s test. Now that won’t happen, so it’s as good a time as any.”
“You don’t understand.” Tee grabbed Lia’s shoulder, stopping her. “Mele told me a story. She said Karma had a lover.” She smoothed her dark curls, clearly upset. “She called him a Koa, pu’ali īlio.”
“That can’t be true.” But the words rocked her. Six months ago, an injured shepherd appeared to help save them, and then vanished just as quickly. And now, he’d reappeared when Karma faced her trial by fire? On top of that, September’s tracking dog had gone missing during the fire. “What else did Mele say?”
“She said they slept together, all three of them. Mele says Koa warned them of the fire, he barked and held it at bay until they were safe in the water. Then he disappeared into the smoke.” She laughed uneasily.
Lia shivered, still not willing to believe. “She must have dreamed it.”
Tee shook her head. “No, I saw him, too. When I galloped after you, I planned to ride west to the nearest pond. Instead, a big dog appeared like a smoky shadow, and drove Fury the other direction. That’s how I found you.”
“A shepherd? Like a shadow?” Lia whispered the question.
Tee nodded, eyes wide. “I’m not into all that woo-woo mystical stuff, but still. Lia, do you have to spay Karma today? I mean, what if . . .” Her voice trailed off. The corners of her mouth twitched into a hopeful smile.
The past six months overflowed with anger, stress, heartbreak and even death. Karma’s future as a police dog already teetered on the brink. Now with Lia’s future shot to hell, and Mele’s past offering little hope, didn’t everyone long for—and deserve—a happy ending?
“No, the surgery doesn’t have to be today.” Lia nodded at the car. “Make room for the baby-dog. Let’s take Karma home, and see if that Shadow-dog’s magic is real.”
PART 3 CALLED to PROTECT
(October)
