When Love Matters Most. Kate James

the gurney on which the sedated dog was lying to the clinic’s recovery area. Once Zeke was settled and she’d given Sean strict instructions for his care, she washed up the best she could. She was a mess; it had taken nearly two hours, but she was optimistic that Zeke would be fine. That was worth anything to her. Fortunately, the injury wasn’t as bad as she’d first suspected. The bullet must have just grazed him, and the damage was limited to the muscle and nerves in his right rear leg. An artery had been nicked, accounting for the significant blood loss, but his handler had been smart and acted quickly to stanch the flow. He’d likely saved the dog’s life.

      With some rehab therapy, Zeke would recover, as long as he didn’t develop an infection. That was always a risk in cases like this, and she’d watch for it. She’d have to talk to the dog’s handler, though—Rick, Angela had told her—and strongly urge him to consider retiring Zeke. The dog might only be six years old, but he shouldn’t work again. With any luck, he’d enjoy eight or nine more years of just being a dog. However unpleasant the handler had been, it was clear he cared about his dog, so she figured it would be an easy sell.

      Madison stripped off her soiled lab coat and stuffed it in a hamper. She thought about the groundbreaking platelet-rich plasma research she was part of at the San Diego Animal Rehabilitation Center. Zeke could be a candidate for a trial because of his muscle and possible nerve injury. But she was getting ahead of herself in her enthusiasm for the early success of her research. Whether platelet-rich plasma therapy was right for Zeke or not, she’d see to his rehab. If not through PRP, then definitely through aqua therapy.

      She washed and dried her hands, then took a deep breath. She didn’t relish facing the truculent cop, but at least she had encouraging news for him. She didn’t want to consider what his reaction might have been otherwise. Was it just her personal experience, or did great-looking guys always have attitudes or tempers that were off the charts? This cop certainly proved her theory.

      The cop in question was standing by the window when she entered the reception area. He had one hand jammed in the pocket of his pants and was holding a Styrofoam cup in the other. There were no other clients waiting. Fortunate, she mused, because if the strained look on Angela’s face was any indication, the cop’s disposition hadn’t improved.

      Madison had a definite aversion to ill-tempered people, but she accepted that in this case he had a legitimate reason. She would’ve been surly, too, if it was her Alaskan malamute, Owen, who’d been injured. Yes, police dogs had a job to do, but it didn’t mean there wasn’t a very real attachment between a handler and his dog. Perhaps it was even greater, since their very lives could depend on each other.

      He was looking outside, and yet with the tension almost visibly rippling off him, she doubted his mind was on the tranquil green space the practice maintained for its patients next to the building. The slope of his shoulders and the fatigue evident on his face told their own story. He was hurting and vulnerable.

      He must have been deep in thought, too, since he seemed oblivious to her presence when she approached him. Of course, the comfortable, soft-soled clogs she wore might have had something to do with it.

      She took another minute to study him. Tall, with wide shoulders that narrowed to a lean waist, he was obviously fit. She knew K-9 cops had to be. He had thick, jet-black hair, not closely cropped as many cops favored, but more stylish with loose waves. She guessed that, working narcotics, he’d go undercover at times, and a brush cut on a physique like his all but screamed cop.

      She took a couple more steps forward. “Excuse me, Officer...”

      His head snapped toward her. She must have observed him in a weak moment. Now his shoulders were squared and there was no sign of vulnerability.

      “How’s Zeke?” he demanded.

      Madison raised an eyebrow at his brusque tone. She tried to rationalize again that it was out of concern for his dog and rushed to give him the good news. “Zeke’s prognosis is positive. I was able to repair most of the internal damage. There might be some sustained muscle and nerve injury, but we’ll have to assess that once he’s recovered from the immediate trauma and the surgery. I’ll watch for infection. Barring that, Zeke should recover well.” She could see the relief on his face, softening the harsh lines, and his whole body appeared to sag. She glimpsed the vulnerability again and warmed to him a little. He must care deeply about his dog, she concluded.

      “My expectation is that he’ll require rehab,” she said. “At the appropriate time, once we’ve assessed his needs, I’d like to discuss some experimental work that I’m involved in that might be beneficial for Zeke.”

      “Experimental? What are the risks? I don’t want Zeke to be a guinea pig if there are any risks.”

      So much for warming to him. Did he really think she’d do anything that wasn’t in the absolute best interest of an animal? “As I said,” she continued in clipped tones, “we can discuss the options at the appropriate time. In the meanwhile, I want to talk to you about his future.”

      He frowned. “What about his future?”

      She might not intimidate easily, but this cop set her nerves on edge. She thought she heard her own gulp and hoped it wasn’t audible to him. Thinking of Zeke and what he’d been through firmed her resolve. Whether he’d like what she had to say or not, she had a responsibility to her patient. “You should retire Zeke,” she said emphatically.

      He paused, and seemed to reflect on it. “Is that a medical opinion?” he asked curtly.

      “No. It’s a humane one,” she retorted.

      “Well, it’s not up to me. How long will you need to keep Zeke here?”

      “Probably a week but, as I said, he’ll likely need rehab. And he should be retired from active duty.”

      “Yeah. I heard you the first time.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “Unless you need anything else from me, I should get going.”

      Need anything from him? How about a personality? Or a little courtesy? A simple thank-you would’ve been nice. He couldn’t fathom how much it took out of her when she feared she might not be able to save a life. With Zeke, it had been touch and go because of the amount of blood he’d lost. “No. We’ve got everything we need.”

      He crushed the coffee cup, tossed it in a waste receptacle and started to walk away. Unexpectedly, he paused. “Look, thank you for what you did for Zeke. For saving his life.”

      It was almost as if he’d been reading her mind. Without the harsh undertones, she liked the deep timbre of his voice. How strange that goose bumps formed on her arms.

      “Just doing my job,” she said, wanting him gone because of the sudden discomfort she felt in his presence. When the front door chime sounded, she glanced toward it, and the tightness in her chest eased. She smiled broadly when she saw her next clients, twelve-year-old Tammy Montpelier, her mother and their miniature Doberman, Gustav. “I’ll be right with you,” she said before shifting her attention back to the cop. In that brief moment, his frown had returned. What was it that made him so moody? It had to be more than concern for his dog, since she’d told him the dog would be fine.

      “I’ll be in touch tomorrow to check on Zeke,” he said.

      “No problem.” What an odd man, she thought as she watched him walk out the door. Leading Gustav, Tammy and Mrs. Montpelier to an examination room, she tried to block Rick—and the disconcerting sensation he stirred in her—out of her mind.

      * * *

      RICK’S EMOTIONS WERE a muddle. He felt light-headed with relief over Zeke. At least the dog was going to be fine. He wished the same could be said for Jeff. The last he’d heard, the doctors had restored Jeff’s heart function with a defibrillator, but he was back in the OR. The doctors were concerned, although they said he had a fighting chance. And Jeff was a fighter.

      Rick tried to ignore the worry, but that just left the anger and guilt to consume him.

      He couldn’t shake the feeling