Reuniting With The Cowboy. Shannon Taylor Vannatter

one of each got out, then nosed all the other locks until they opened like it happens in the movies?”

      “Of course not.” She huffed out a sigh, shoved another pet carrier at him. “But I don’t know why anyone would let them out.”

      “Maybe somebody wants to shut you down.” He settled the last cat in place, striving for casual, trying not to let her see how worried he was. “Think about it—you said your state inspector must have gotten a complaint to show up when he did, and now your critters are loose in the middle of the night.”

      “But no one lives anywhere near here.” She spread her hands wide, gesturing to miles of endless woods and pastures surrounding their properties. “Just you and me. Who would want to shut me down?”

      “What about Lance?”

      “No. I’ve known him a couple of years. He’s a nice man, a member of our church.”

      “Maybe he wants to buy you out?”

      “He had his own clinic in Denton and sold it to work toward retirement.”

      “What do you really know about Derek?”

      “He’s a great guy. I can’t tell you how much it helped to have another set of hands on duty yesterday.”

      “You’re sure he’s okay?”

      “Positive.” She shook her head. “He has no reason to want to shut me down.”

      “Maybe he wants his own practice.”

      “No. He’s a tech. The only way he can do anything is under the supervision of a licensed vet.”

      But Cody wasn’t so sure. Maybe he needed his Texas Ranger brother to do a background check on Derek. And Lance. Ally’s safety was too important to risk.

      She was way too important to him. Way more important than he should allow her to be.

      * * *

      It felt good to attend the church Cody had grown up in. How many years had it been since he’d been here? When he’d visited home for the holidays while on the circuit, he’d often gone with his sister in Dallas, with his brother when he’d lived in Garland or with Grandpa in Medina. Over the years, he’d only attended his home church a handful of times.

      As morning class dismissed, he caught up with Mitch. “Can we talk a minute?”

      “Sure.”

      Metal chairs scraped the tiled floor and multiple conversations started up.

      Cody waited until the classroom emptied. “Can you run a background check on Derek Tatum for me?”

      “Why?”

      “I think somebody’s trying to shut Ally’s shelter down.”

      “What gives you that idea?”

      “This has to stay quiet.” She’d tan his hide if she knew what he was up to. “Ally’s worried it’ll hurt her shelter’s reputation.”

      “My lips are sealed.”

      “Someone turned several of her animals loose the other night,” Cody whispered, even though they were alone.

      “You’re sure it wasn’t a faulty latch?”

      “Thirty or so faulty latches? How about Lance Bridges—know anything about him?”

      “Isn’t he the other vet at her clinic?”

      “Can you run a check on him, too?”

      “I need probable cause, little brother.” Mitch folded his arms across his chest—his stubborn stance. “I can’t just run a check on random citizens because you want me to.”

      “How much probable cause did you have when you ran a check on each of your wife’s employees?”

      “What makes you think I did that?”

      “I know you.”

      Mitch’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Touché.”

      Cody sighed. “I’m worried about Ally’s safety.”

      “I’ll see what I can find.”

      “Thanks.”

      The brothers exited the classroom, strolled into the sanctuary and claimed their seats on each side of Mitch’s wife Caitlyn. Old-fashioned pews lined the church with traditional hymnals in the book racks, and prisms of multicolored light radiated through the stained-glass windows.

      Even after his years away, it was still home. New preacher, new Sunday-school teacher, new pianist, even a new song leader, but the same timeless hymns. He still knew most of the congregation, and a lot of the new faces he’d seen on the circuit over the years. But the most important member—to him—was nowhere in sight.

      “Where’s Ally?” Cody elbowed Caitlyn, trying for casual.

      “She doesn’t come anymore.” Caitlyn grabbed a hymnal from the book rack. “Not since her dad died.”

      “Really?” Why would Ally turn away from God after her dad died? That was when she’d needed Him most.

      “You two are neighbors now. Haven’t you seen her?”

      “Well, yeah. But we didn’t talk about church.”

      The pianist played louder as a deacon approached the pulpit to begin announcements. “Welcome. We hope you enjoy our services today. All of the announcements are in your bulletin, but we have one pressing need. Our volunteer couple who’d signed up to supply animals and oversee the petting zoo at our annual church carnival had a family emergency out of town.” He checked his notes.

      “Looks like they had most of the plans for the petting zoo in place, but with the carnival this weekend, we’ll need volunteers ASAP. We have several gentle horses, but we still need a few more small animals and two volunteers to oversee both. If interested, see our director after services.” The deacon turned the service over to the song director.

      Ally could provide dogs and cats, and she’d probably know where to find more animals. Maybe he could talk her into volunteering to supply the petting zoo and help him oversee it. It would help the church, she might find homes for some of her strays, and it could get her back in church.

      But how should he go about convincing her to agree?

      * * *

      At least the week started off quiet. Routine appointments. No emergencies. No state inspectors. No loose animals.

      A tiny golden Chihuahua mix shivered in the corner of her crate. From nerves, not temperature. Ally fished her out.

      “Poor baby Buttercup.” Ally snuggled the tiny shaking body against her chest. “My poor little runt. Your brother and sister found families, but don’t give up. You’ll get your forever home. I promise.”

      “There you are.” Cody’s voice echoed through the long barn.

      Ally’s heart sped as yips, barks and howls started up. She stepped out of the pen into the alley between the kennels.

      “What are you doing here?”

      “I could ask you the same thing.” Cody limped toward her, leaning on his cane. “It’s Labor Day. Don’t you believe in taking a day off?”

      “Staying open was convenient for my clients who were off work today.”

      “Well, since you like staying busy—” he stopped beside her, too close “—I have a proposal for you.”

      Her breathing sputtered. Not that kind of proposal. And she wouldn’t fall for it if it was.

      “Who’s this little guy?” Cody scratched the quivering puppy between her ears.

      “She. Her name is Buttercup.