“YOU DON’T HAVE to go with me,” Meredith repeated even as her truck sped farther from the beach and closer to the address she’d plugged into her GPS. “This doesn’t involve you.”
“I work for the rescue,” Ryan said. “I’m your wingman.”
“You don’t work there,” she countered, even though she found the thought of this man as her backup strangely appealing. “I agreed that you could volunteer. An actual dog rescue is well beyond what I’d expect of anyone.”
“Don’t tell me you go on these kinds of missions alone?” He let out a harsh laugh. “Do you know the kind of trouble you could get into if you ran across the wrong type of person?”
“I know,” she said quietly. Her stomach pitched and tumbled. It wasn’t only a dark night that brought trouble. Trouble could also find a person at a party with a boy she’d known for most of her life. She wanted to say more, to reassure him that she no longer took chances—either with her physical or emotional well-being. But too many feelings coursed through her, and she couldn’t trust her voice not to reveal her personal history.
“You didn’t sound surprised when that woman told you about the dog,” Ryan said a moment later.
She felt his gaze on her but kept her eyes glued to the road. After Kat had approached with her plea for Meredith to investigate the Brons’ property, they’d quickly paid the bill and returned to the rescue so Meredith could pick up her truck and several crates, not knowing exactly what she’d need. Kat had mentioned one pregnant-looking animal, but there might be others.
She’d expected Ryan to head home, but he’d helped her load the wire crates into the truck bed, then climbed in next to her. Every few minutes, he massaged a hand over his left thigh, and she couldn’t tell whether the movement was to ease a physical ache or simply habit.
“Backyard breeders are far too common around here, especially out in the country where people have more land. It’s what made me start the rescue.” She flicked a glance in Ryan’s direction and found him watching her with an intensity that made her toes curl in the thick hikers she’d changed into at the house.
“Tell me your origin story,” he said with a half smile.
She laughed softly. “It wasn’t long after I got hired at the vet clinic. A woman brought in a puppy for a checkup, and the wee baby was in bad shape. He was barely six weeks old, too early to be separated from his mama and showed signs of dehydration and infection.” Meredith’s heart still tightened at the pitiful shape of that first pup. “He didn’t survive the night, and the owner was mad that she’d paid good money for a sick dog. She told the vet about how she’d bought the puppy after seeing a sign for discounted purebred German shepherd pups on one of the back roads outside of town.”
“I’m guessing those puppies weren’t purebred?”
“That’s how they were advertised, but the vet didn’t think so. Some people get into the bloodlines of dogs because of a dedication to breed standards or specific personality traits.”
“If you ask me,” he said, looking out the window into the blackness surrounding them, “breed standards shouldn’t be how dogs are judged.”
“There are different schools of thought, but responsible breeders take care of their animals. People may have legitimate reasons to seek out a reputable breeder, but that isn’t what we were dealing with in the case of the puppies. The vet called local law enforcement, and I volunteered to drive out to the house with them.”
She shook her head at the memory. “There were over three dozen dogs in squalid conditions. I’d heard of puppy mills and backyard breeders, but I’d never seen anything like those mistreated animals. It made me sick to my stomach. We seized the dogs, but the local shelter didn’t have room for all of them. I ended up with five at my house. I managed to nurse them back to health and find new homes for them. I knew I could do more, so I started Furever Friends shortly after.”
“You created a solution,” he murmured. “That’s impressive.”
“Not really,” she protested automatically. “It wasn’t exactly splitting the atom, but I filled a need. Once I rented the property near the beach from Niall—”
“Your father,” Ryan confirmed.
She bit down on the inside of her cheek. “I don’t think of him that way, but technically, yes. After I had more land and the barn, word spread that I would take on animals in need, and things expanded.”
“Why not bring in animal control or local law enforcement tonight?”
The car bumped over a rut on the gravel drive she’d turned onto. “It slows down the process,” she said, then blew out a breath. “Obviously I can’t seize a dog, so this is more of a wellness check. Kat said Matthew Bron is out of town. I’ve never met the guy, but my brother Erik was in the same grade as his girlfriend. I’m hoping I can talk her into doing what’s right for whatever dogs they have on the property without calling in animal control or the sheriff.”
A house came into view, and Meredith automatically scanned the property.
“And you think she’s going to hand over the dog or dogs?” He frowned and rolled down the truck’s passenger window. “It seems unlikely if the animals are a source of income.”
“I’ll work it out,” she told him and hoped she sounded more convinced than she felt. In truth, it would have been smarter to call law enforcement, but the thought of animals in need made her act impulsively. The story of her life. But if she could save even one dog tonight, she had to try. She knew from experience that every hour counted.
She parked about a hundred yards from the house, near a detached garage. To her astonishment, Ryan didn’t argue. He got out of the truck and followed her to the side door of the garage, using his phone to shine a light into the dark interior.
“I don’t see any movement,” Meredith said quietly.
“Do you think we should knock on the door before someone comes out with a shotgun?”
Meredith glanced over her shoulder at him. “That only happens on TV.”
He gave a disbelieving grunt. “We’ll see.”
She turned at the sound of a plaintive whine. “Did you hear that? It’s around back.”
“Hey! What’s going on out here?”
They both froze at the sound of a woman’s angry yell.
“Kris, it’s Meredith Ventner. Erik’s sister.”
“I know who you are. What the hell are you doing lurking around the garage?”
Meredith squinted as Kris Dulles walked toward them with the bright light of a heavy-duty flashlight trained on Meredith’s face.
“I heard you have a dog in trouble on the property. Can you stop shining that in my eyes?”
Kris moved the beam of the flashlight from Meredith to Ryan. He lifted his arm to shield his face. “Matthew’s dogs are none of your business. You bring your boyfriend with you?”
“He works with me at the rescue,” Meredith said, annoyed. Why did everyone assume Ryan was her boyfriend? Why was the idea of that so darn appealing? “How many dogs does Matthew have?”
“Just one at the moment.” Kris lowered the flashlight and gave an irritated sniff. “Praise the damn lord, since Matty took off a couple weeks ago. I ain’t got time to deal with his animals while he’s probably partying his butt off with some random woman.”
“That’s not fair to you.” Meredith made her tone sympathetic, sensing an angle she could exploit to get the dog to safety. “You’re way too busy with your own life, right?”
“Yeah.” Kris frowned as if mulling over Meredith’s assessment of the situation, then nodded. “Damn straight.”
The woman wore a snug tank top with a flannel shirt over it, cropped jeans and flip-flops. Her dark hair fell almost to the middle of her back, and she had smudges of mascara under her eyes. Meredith had no idea what Kris did for a job, but she knew that she still ran with a crowd that liked to shut the local bar down on weekend nights. Another whine sounded from the back of the garage, making the fine hairs on the back of Meredith’s neck stand on end.
“Can I see the dog?” Meredith asked and felt Ryan’s fingers brush her hand. The featherlight touch felt both comforting and supportive. “I might be able to help give you a break.”
“Sure.” Kris started for the back of the garage. “You could have just knocked on the damn door, Mer. Scared the pants off me when I saw a couple of dark figures outside.”
“Sorry,” Meredith said, not having to work at sounding contrite. Once again, she’d let her instinct override good sense. “I wanted to take a look around before bothering you.”
“That’s some convoluted-ass reasoning.” Kris sniffed. “You’re lucky Matty’s out of town. You might have ended up with the barrel of a gun in your face instead of my flashlight.”
“Exactly,” Ryan muttered, and Meredith elbowed him—gently, of course—in the ribs.
As they came around the back of the garage, their movement triggered a motion light, and Meredith got her first glimpse at the animal Kat had told her about.
It was a yellow Lab—or some indiscriminate mix that looked like a Lab. The dog watched them from where she lay, chained to a metal stake in the ground. The ground was bare dirt under and around her, and the stench of urine and feces carried to them on the night breeze.
All thoughts of contrition fled her mind as she moved toward the animal. “What the hell, Kris?” she demanded. The dog’s stomach was round and even in the dim light Meredith could see her frightened, panting and wide eyes.
“It looks like she could go into labor any day.” Meredith blew out a breath, trying to control the anger and frustration coursing through her. “She’s in bad shape.” She turned to the woman standing at her side. “How many litters has she had in the past year?”
Kris shrugged. “I told you, the dogs are Matthew’s business. I don’t pay no attention.”
“How many litters?” Meredith demanded. “Give me your best guess.”
“Two or maybe three,” the woman said with a sigh. “What’s it matter?”
“A dog needs time to recover.” Meredith fisted her hands at her sides. Why hadn’t she known about this place before now? How many more substandard operations were there around Magnolia? She couldn’t stand the thought of any animal suffering, and this dog was clearly distressed and malnourished.
“The dog don’t complain,” Kris said. “She barely makes a damn sound. Matthew had another bitch in here, but that one was a fighter, so he had to get rid of her. He’s been selling off all of them. She’s the last.”
Meredith felt Ryan move closer, and the heat from his body gave her a strange bit of comfort. “Got rid of her how?” he asked, his voice tight.
“I don’t ask questions.” Kris placed her hands on her waist. “But what I can tell you is this dog is our private property, and her puppies are gonna be worth some money.”
“I could come back with law enforcement,” Meredith said casually. “I don’t want that, Kris. Do you?”
“Matty’s gonna be real mad if I let that bitch go,” the other woman said. “Whenever that jerk comes crawling back to me.”
“How much do you think she’s worth?” Ryan asked.
Meredith glanced over her shoulder at him and then back at Kris, whose eyes had taken on an almost predatory gleam. “She normally pumps out five to six pups, so that’s a decent amount of income.”
“I thought you didn’t pay attention to the breeding operation,” Meredith reminded her.
“It’s a guesstimate.”
“I’ve got seven hundred dollars cash.” Ryan pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “It’s yours right now if we can take the dog.”
Meredith felt herself gawk as much as the other woman. “Why do you carry that kind of cash?” she asked.
He gave her an arch look. “Does it matter at the moment?” He took several crisp bills from his wallet. “This is between us. Tell your boyfriend that the dog ran away. Tell him whatever you want.”
Kris licked her lips, clearly wavering.
“No cops need to be involved,” Meredith added. “At least for tonight. But you’d better find a way to encourage Matthew to get a different hobby other than dog breeding. Because I’m going to be watching you, Kris, and next time it won’t be just me who shows up at your door.”
“Why are you still bothering with all these strays?” Kris crossed her arms over her ample bustline. “I thought once you were outed as Niall Reed’s daughter that you’d start living the life of luxury or something.”
“This is my ‘or something,’” Meredith answered. “Are you going to take the money or not?”
She held her breath as Kris stared at the outstretched hundred-dollar bills. For a moment Meredith thought the woman was going to walk away, fear over the potential repercussions from her boyfriend outweighing her greed.
There was no way Meredith was leaving this property without that sad, neglected dog in her truck, so if Kris wouldn’t—
In a flash, Kris reached out and plucked the money from Ryan’s hand.
“Not a word of this to Matty,” she said, flipping through the bills, her chest rising and falling like she’d just sprinted around the track at the high school. “I’m telling him that dumb bitch just disappeared.”
Meredith’s temper spiked at the venom in the woman’s tone. “Seems to me,” she said through clenched teeth, “that you’ve got the market cornered on dumb bi—”
“No one is going to talk to Matthew,” Ryan interrupted, wrapping a hand around Meredith’s upper arm. “You made the right choice.”
“That makes one of us,” Kris said, smiling at Ryan. “If you ever want to drop the crazy dog-lady baggage, let me know.” She shot a glare at Meredith and then turned on her heel and stalked back toward the house.
“Five minutes alone in a room with her,” Meredith muttered. “That’s all I’m asking for.”
“Eyes on the prize,” he reminded her. “Let’s get the dog loaded up and back to the rescue where you can take care of her.”
“Right.” Meredith shook her head, frustrated that she’d almost let her anger get the best of her. Her firecracker temper had been a problem most of her life. She’d inherited it from her mom, according to her father, which didn’t sit well with Meredith. She didn’t want anything to tie her to the woman who’d left her behind without so much as a call or a birthday card in the years that followed.
“Why do you carry so much money in your wallet?” she asked as she eased toward the animal.
“Habit,” he said.
“I thought only drug dealers or gangsters carried that kind of cash.”
“I’m not either of those.”
“You’re a good negotiator,” she told him. “Thank you.”
“The money did the talking for me. You can thank the Benjamins.”
“I can pay you back.”
“No.” His voice was solemn. “I’m happy to help get the dog out of here.”
The animal didn’t move as Meredith approached. “Poor thing,” Meredith murmured. “I hope we’re not too late for the pups she’s carrying.”
“Do you think she can walk?” Ryan’s voice sounded shaky, and her heart melted to think that he seemed as invested in this dog’s health and survival as she felt.
“Probably, but we’ll have to coax her to get up.” Meredith knelt down, ignoring the cold that immediately seeped into her skin through her jeans. “Hey, sweetie, can you come with us?” The dog continued to look away into the night, like she was mesmerized by something that only she could see. Meredith pulled a plastic sandwich bag of mini liver treats from her coat pocket. She dumped a few into her hand and held out her palm for the dog to sniff.
No response, not even a tail flick.
“She’s got to be hungry,” Ryan said. “Come on, girl.” He made a kissing sound and patted his leg, but the dog stayed put.
“She’s given up,” Meredith said, trying not to let tears clog her throat. “I hate it the most when they give up.”
“I’ll carry her,” Ryan offered. “She can’t weigh more than fifty or sixty pounds.”
“It’s risky.” Meredith shook her head. “We don’t know how she’s been abused. She could bite.”
“I’ll take the chance,” he answered without hesitation.
She looked up at him. “Why?”
“Because she needs a chance.”
“Let me try to distract her.” Meredith reached forward and dropped the treats on the ground in front of the dog. She smelled them but didn’t try to eat them. Then she lifted her snout and sniffed at Meredith’s fingers, snuffling softly.
“That’s a girl,” Meredith said, keeping her voice soothing. “A sweet, sweet girl.” She continued to murmur to the dog as she stroked under her chin and then around her head. The dog whined and tried to scoot closer when Meredith drew back her hand.
“My friend Ryan is going to lift you,” she told the animal as if the dog could understand her.
“So don’t bite him,” Ryan added, his voice pitched just above a whisper.
The dog let out a rumbly growl as Ryan bent and reached for her but allowed herself to be lifted without a struggle. Or a nip, much to Meredith’s relief.
As soon as Ryan had the animal balanced in his arms, she led the way back to her truck.
“Normally, I’d put her in one of the crates,” she said. “But I think she’d be more comfortable in the back seat. I can spread out a blanket.”
“Should I sit with her?”
“Probably. Who knows if she’s ever ridden in a car before?”
They got the dog situated on the seat, and Ryan climbed in on the other side. Meredith started the truck and pulled away from the property slowly, trying to jostle the dog as little as she could manage.
“Congratulations,” she said on a shaky breath once she got to the main road. “You just took part in your first animal rescue.”
He chuckled under his breath. “Do I get a merit badge?”
“You get my unending gratitude.” Meredith lifted her gaze to the rearview mirror. She met Ryan’s gaze, and the intensity in his eyes made her heart thump wildly in her chest.
They drove the rest of the way to the farm in silence, and she worked to process the avalanche of emotions tumbling through her. She didn’t understand what was happening between them, but she liked it. She liked it far too much.