Читать книгу Courted By The Cowboy - Sasha Summers - Страница 11

Chapter Three

Fisher dropped to his knees in the parking lot of the vet school, keeping well away from the edge of the beat-up Jeep. A growl greeted him. His gaze met that of the very angry, very disoriented bobcat crouched smack-dab in the middle under the Jeep. Dammit.

“He’s in the middle,” Fisher announced, seeing two pairs of vet students’ feet—too far back to do much good. He knew these kids were scared, and he didn’t blame them. But if this was going to be their job they needed to learn how to handle difficult situations with hostile animals. Technically, it was a pretty sweet training opportunity. This was one of the reasons he loved his job—he liked a little danger now and then. As long as everything turned out right in the end. Just now, they needed to help this animal. The bobcat was breathing hard, clearly in distress.

“I need the catch pole,” Fisher called out, but the students’ feet didn’t move.

The cat looked around nervously.

“Now,” he spoke again, trying to keep things calm. If they didn’t get the animal lassoed, it would end up running onto the highway. He didn’t want to see that happen.

The vet students’ feet moved, both of them.

“One of you needs to stay there,” he spoke again while mentally cursing the situation. Where was Archer? He could use some experienced backup on this one—just in case.

The cat’s ears perked up as it looked at him.

Fisher smiled. “Don’t suppose you’d let me take you inside? So we can get you fixed up?”

The cat lay down, still panting.

“Here, Dr. Boone.” The vet student handed down the catch pole.

“Nope, get on your knees and see what we’re doing.” Fisher didn’t take his eyes off the cat. Bobcats were fast.

“But—”

“What’s your name?” Fisher asked.

“Michelle,” she said.

“Well, Michelle, I can see it. And it needs help.” He paused. “That’s your job, right?”

A few seconds later Michelle was on her knees beside him. “It’s gorgeous.”

“It is. But remember it’s also a pissed off wild animal with a nasty set of claws and teeth. I wouldn’t get all warm and fuzzy over it.” Fisher knew all too well the havoc a bobcat could wreak on a farm. A few years back, he’d spent the better part of an afternoon cleaning up what remained of the family chicken coop after a bobcat’s visit. It hadn’t been pretty. “You need to get the pole in front of it. Keep it flat, slide it in—”

He kept his voice low and even, for the cat and Michelle. When it came time to catch the cat, he took the pole. He was quick, flipping the loop over the cat’s head and snugging the loop before the animal could react. When it realized it was caught, the bobcat dug in, the growl deafening.

“Tranquilizer?” Fisher asked.

“Jake has it.” Fisher could hear the awe and fear in Michelle’s voice as the bobcat thrashed around.

Fisher sighed. “Maybe now would be a good time for him to use it?” This was ridiculous. “Before it makes its injuries worse?”

“Jake,” Michelle called out. “Now. Sedate him.”

Jake flopped down on his stomach on the other side of the vehicle. Fisher pulled the noose just tight enough to keep the animal still so Jake could get a solid shot from the tranq gun, praying the kid knew how to aim. A minute later the bobcat was unconscious, completely limp.

“I’ll get a gurney,” Michelle offered, hurrying in to the hospital.

“Sorry, man,” Jake murmured, joining Fisher. “Guess I sort of panicked.”

“In a situation like this, you’ve got to focus and stay calm.” Fisher needed Jake to understand how serious things were. “You’ve got a highway, pedestrians, a tranq gun—a lot of variables in an uncontrolled environment. You have to act quickly—carefully.”

Jake’s shoulder drooped.

“Good shot, though,” Fisher added.

Jake nodded.

The two of them pulled the forty-plus-pound animal from under the Jeep and onto the sidewalk, out of harm’s way. Fisher rubbed the cat’s head, checking its pupils before running his hands along its muscular side. The cat’s right back leg hung at an awkward angle.

“Fracture. Possibly oblique, maybe transverse. We’ll know soon,” he murmured.

“Pretty lucky, considering.” Jake knelt beside him.

Fisher nodded. “So was the woman who was driving.”

Why the woman decided to put the bobcat into the Jeep with her after she’d hit it, he’d never know. Sure, she did a good thing by bringing it to the hospital. But she’d also endangered herself by handling a wild animal. She’d loaded it into her Jeep while it was too stunned to react. But when it did come round, the bobcat wasn’t too thrilled about being trapped. The woman was going to need stitches the length of her forearm as well as on her thigh and the side of her hand. The bobcat was probably looking at some pins and a plate in his leg.

Michelle arrived, pushing the metal gurney in front of her. “Sorry. Couldn’t find one big enough.”

Fisher stood, scooping the bobcat up and placing it on the gurney. “No problem. Long as we get him into a cage before he wakes up again.” He ran his hands over the bobcat, careful of the broken leg. “Did you page Dr. Archer?”

Michelle paused. “No.”

“I will.” Jake finished making notes on his tablet and started to go, but Fisher stopped him.

“How about you two get the cat secured first.” He shot a meaningful look at Jake. Something about fourth-year vet students. They got all competitive. “Then call Dr. Archer to present the case—together.”

Jake looked irritated, but he nodded and helped Michelle push the gurney inside.

He followed behind the two, making a few notes on his tablet. When he entered the hospital he was hit with a chorus of barking. It was vaccination day. The community clinic in the teaching hospital offered a low-cost vaccination clinic once a month. Cats in the morning and dogs in the afternoon. He glanced at his watch. It was almost four. From the looks of the lobby, they were behind.

“Hey, Dr. Fisher,” Shawn’s voice caught him off guard. “Kylee said Chance wanted to see us so we brought him a toy.” The boy held up a large rawhide twist.

He smiled at Shawn. “Good to see you, Shawn. Chance’s gonna be one happy dog.” His eyes swept the room until he found Kylee. She stood off to the side, arms crossed, posture rigid. Like him, she was inspecting the room—but she wasn’t looking for him. He didn’t know what she was looking for, but it was obvious she wasn’t comfortable being there. He and Shawn joined her. “Hi.”

“Hi,” she murmured, hardly acknowledging him.

“What?” he teased, cupping his ear.

She looked at him, her eyes so blue they took his breath away. “I said hi.”

“What?” he repeated, loudly. “Wait.” He waved them through the doors that separated the lobby from the exam rooms and specialty wings. “Hi.”

She arched a brow. “You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

“I have my moments. You have to admit, it’s a little quieter back here.” He smiled. “Let me take you back to see Chance.”

She nodded, a small smile on her face. In the few days since he’d seen her, he’d thought a lot about her smile. “Is it always this crowded?”

He shook his head. “Last Monday of the month we have discounted vaccinations. Tends to be our busiest day of the month.”

“Oh.” Her expression softened further. “That’s really nice.”

“We try to do that around here,” he returned. “Be nice. Take care of animals. And their people.”

“What was that thing on the cart?” Shawn asked, pointing at the gurney and its comatose occupant.

“It’s a bobcat,” Kylee answered. Her huge blue gaze fixed on him, “Right?”

“Yep.” Fisher nodded, inspecting her. She looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes. But then, working all night would do that to a person. How she managed her job and kept up with Shawn was a mystery. Looking at her, he’d bet she could use a break. It was close enough to quitting time—maybe he could take them for an ice cream.

She’d say no, he knew that. She was too guarded. But he’d already learned she had two soft spots. Her brother and animals. He respected her desire to protect those who were weak. Hell, that was one of the reasons he was in the line of work he was in. Maybe she wouldn’t be so quick to turn him down if he showed them around the hospital. “Just got here. Wanna see?” he asked Shawn.

Shawn glanced back and forth between his sister and Fisher. It was only after Kylee nodded that Shawn followed Fisher into the exam room where the bobcat lay.

“Jake, what can you tell us about the patient?” Fisher asked.

“Lynx rufus,” Jake said, listening to the animal’s heart with his stethoscope. “His vitals are steady. Bleeding is controlled. Actually pretty minor. Waiting on X-rays.”

Fisher nodded. Sounded like everything was on track. He turned to Shawn. “He’s out cold, if you want to pet him.”

Shawn stared at the bobcat. “Really?”

Fisher nodded. “Sure thing.” He looked at Kylee then, figuring he might need to ask her first. But she was just as transfixed by the animal. Something about the look on her face made his chest feel heavy—and warm. “You, too, Kylee.” He smiled at the uncertain expression on her face. “Not every day you get to pet one of these. Normally they have too many teeth and claws.”

Shawn moved forward slowly, his hands wavering before sinking deep in the cat’s fur. “He’s so soft.” He looked at his sister. “Kylee.” The boy’s exasperated tone brought a smile to Fisher’s lips. How often had he goaded Renata into doing something?

Kylee placed Chance’s rawhide chew on the counter and moved to Shawn’s side. Her fingers barely touched the cat’s fur before she drew back. Her hand returned, stroking the bobcat’s head with more confidence. “Poor thing,” she murmured. The smile that appeared on her face was mesmerizing. She was mesmerizing—too mesmerizing.

Fisher understood the awe on Shawn’s face. There was something magical about animals, they inspired delight and wonder—something it was easy to forget when you worked with them day in and day out.

“What happened to it?” Kylee asked. “How did it get hurt? His leg...is it broken?”

“It looks broken,” Shawn echoed.

Fisher nodded toward the bobcat’s back leg. “Got hit by a Jeep.”

Shawn winced.

Fisher nodded.

“How did it get here?” Kylee asked, her brow furrowing.

“The driver, the one who hit him, loaded him into her car while it was knocked out and drove him here.” Fisher shrugged, still amazed that the woman hadn’t stopped to think about what might happen once the bobcat woke up. A slew of stitches wasn’t good, but it could have been a lot worse.

Jake jumped in. “Then the bobcat woke up while she was still in the Jeep.”

Kylee’s mouth fell open. “Is she okay?”

“She will be. But she needs stitches,” Michelle answered, handing the chart to Fisher for review.

Kylee grabbed Shawn by the shoulders and pulled him back.

“He won’t be waking up anytime soon,” Fisher reassured them. “It’s safe, I promise.”

Shawn resumed stroking the bobcat, his black hair flopping forward onto his forehead. “He has spots.”

“Know why the bobcat is spotted?” Fisher asked, glancing over the notes Jake and Michelle had added to the chart.

“No,” Shawn shook his head.

Fisher handed the clipboard back to Michelle. “One Native American tribe, Shawnee I think, say the bobcat trapped a wily rabbit. Once he was caught, the rabbit told the bobcat he’d taste better grilled. So the bobcat built a fire. But the rabbit told the bobcat the best wood to use was damp wood. Know what happens when you burn damp wood?” he asked Shawn.

Shawn shook his head.

“The wood swells, pops and can be a real fire hazard,” he explained. “So when the wood burned, it popped and snapped, and the embers singed the cat’s fur, leaving spots.”

Kylee frowned. “Mean rabbit.”

“Smart rabbit.” Shawn laughed. “Bet he didn’t get eaten.”

Fisher chuckled. “I bet you’re right.” He glanced at Kylee to find her watching him.

“What will happen to him?” she asked.

He swallowed, unnerved by the intensity in her blue eyes. “We’ll fix him. If he can be fully rehabilitated, he’ll be released in the wild. If not, my brother Archer has a rehabilitation and refuge center. He’ll take in any animal that needs a safe place to live out their life.” He saw the slight crease between her brows. She looked like that a lot when they were together but he didn’t know why. He got the feeling she was waiting for him to do or say something else. He hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed to know that, with him, what you saw was what you got.

* * *

LISTENING TO FISHER’S folktale filled her with unexpected longing. She didn’t put much stock in being sentimental or dwelling on the past. Most of her memories were best forgotten. But she had a few of her mother that she cherished. Climbing into her mother’s lap with a book, the feel of her mother’s softness, her sweet scent engulfing her and the soft lilt of her voice. Kylee had felt safe and protected...two things she hadn’t felt in years, two things she’d almost forgotten were a part of her childhood.

“Dr. Archer on his way?” Fisher asked the students.

“Yes, sir,” the girl answered. “He said he’d meet us in the OR after X-rays were done.”

“I’m betting there’s a hip issue,” Fisher spoke, leaning over the bobcat. “See the displacement?” Both the students crowded beside him, peering at the slight bulge of bone along the cat’s hip. Kylee almost smiled at their eagerness. “Make sure you get clear images. Might want to have an ultrasound on standby, as well.”

Shawn was still stroking the bobcat, but even he’d bent closer to the animal. His eyes narrowed as he studied the area Fisher had pointed out. His nose scrunched up and he frowned as he realized what the lump might mean. “Will you have to do surgery on him?” Shawn asked.

Fisher smiled at her brother. “Looks like it. He’ll be up and around in no time.”

Kylee was surprised to realize she believed him. And, from the small smile on Shawn’s face, so did he.

“Since he’s in such capable hands, how about I show you around?” Fisher offered.

“That would be cool.” Shawn was instantly excited.

It did sound cool, but she knew Fisher was being polite. “No, we should go,” she argued, placing a calming hand on her brother’s shoulder. “We don’t want to interrupt. You obviously have work to do.”

Fisher shook his head. “I wouldn’t have offered if it was an interruption. I’m off in—” he glanced at his watch before finishing “—eighteen minutes anyway.”

“Please, Kylee,” Shawn pleaded. “This place is awesome.”

“It really is,” the female student agreed. “I came here on a field trip when I was in seventh grade and knew I wanted to go to school here.”

“You took a field trip here?” Shawn asked.

“Every year,” Fisher said. “The kids get to be a vet for a day.”

The girl nodded. “I saw all these dogs and cats and knew this was my future.”

Kylee smiled when Shawn looked at her. They hadn’t spent much time talking about the future before. Their days had been about surviving—keeping Jesse happy. Thinking beyond their day-to-day was dangerous; it led to ideas and hope. And hope meant there was something to lose. But if they stayed here in Stonewall Crossing that might change. Shawn could grow up making plans for a real future, have friends and gain legal skills for a good life.

She didn’t say much as Fisher gave them a tour. It was an overwhelming facility, full of high-tech gadgets and impressive equipment. The only experiences she’d had with medical facilities had been for stitches, slings or treatment for her latest injury. She’d always equated hospitals and clinics with the suffering she and Shawn had experienced. But now...she saw beyond the injury to the healing. What would it be like to be a student here? To be trained on the newest, best equipment. To have engaging and passionate teachers like Fisher. To help.

Shawn had a million questions and Fisher answered them all—just like she’d known he would. She was beginning to consider Fisher was something she thought didn’t exist: a good guy. She waited for Fisher to be preoccupied with Shawn before studying him. Fisher’s smile, his laugh, his easygoing nature was a stark contrast to Jesse. Which was good—Shawn needed a better role model.

“Recovery ward,” Fisher said, pushing open another door.

Chance greeted them with several awkward spins and the frantic wave of his stubby tail.

“He’s happy to see you,” Fisher translated.

“Even I figured that one out.” Kylee couldn’t stop her smile then. “He looks great.”

“He’s a real sweetheart.” Fisher squatted so he could rub the dog behind his good ear. “Good disposition. A real pleaser.”

“What will happen to him when he’s all healed?” Shawn asked, sitting on the floor. Chance was on him then, circling Shawn, licking his ear, whimpering with unfiltered happiness. “Hey, boy, I brought you something.”

Chance took the rawhide chew, put it in the corner of his cage and ran—awkward but steady—back to Shawn. Shawn held his arms out, hugging the little dog close and carefully rubbing the wiggling creature.

“We’ll find him a home,” Fisher said, watching Shawn. “He’s got too much energy to live here at the school.”

“Some animals do?” she asked, surprised.

“Tripod does,” Fisher answered, turning his green eyes on her.

“Who’s Tripod?” Shawn asked, giggling as Chance curled up in his lap.

“He’s a pretty important cat, actually. He comforts the patients that are hurting.”

“A cat?” Kylee repeated. “Patients, as in other animals?”

“Not all of ’em. He seems to know who needs him.” Fisher grinned. “I know it sounds weird but he helps. I’ve seen it, calming the other animals’ BP. He’ll lie by them, groom them, sometimes he just puts his paw on them. He must give off some sort of healing vibe that other animals respond to.”