"I guess." Nik leaned forward and set his elbows on his knees, frustration twisting his gut. "But next thing I know, I'll be accused of burying a string of bodies in our backyard."
"You're getting worked up over nothing." Henry straightened and nudged a rolling stool over to the dog with his foot. Taking a seat, he unhooked his stethoscope from around his neck and plugged it into his ears. "Hold his mouth closed for a second, would ya?"
Nik crouched and did as Henry asked, forcing the dog to stop panting. The vet listened to a few spots on the stray's chest before patting him on the back.
"Good boy." Gliding over to the computer, he hunted and pecked the keys on the board. "He looks pretty good, all things considered. About three or four years old, I'd bet. But he's also underweight and a little dehydrated. He'll need a rabies shot, according to the law, and I'll de-worm him to be on safe side. Other than that, I just need his name. You're planning to keep him, right?"
Nik sighed. "Yeah, at least until I find him a good home."
"Well, you can't keep calling him 'big guy'."
"Why not?"
Henry snorted and studied the dog as he sniffed every inch of the room. "What about Duke? He's big but gentle like John Wayne."
"He's also a crafty bastard." Nik stood and reattached the leash. "The way he dug that hole so fast, I gotta wonder if he's part wizard."
"So-o-o…Merlin?" Henry smiled. "I like that."
"I'd rather go with Zeddicus Zul Zorander. He's my favorite in this series of books I read a couple years ago."
Henry's brows rose, and he worked a double blink. "I don't have any idea what you just said. How about Zedd for short?"
The dog wagged his tail and barked.
"Seems like we're all in agreement." He nodded and returned to his computer. "So, what are the police doing about the bone?"
"The Forensic Pathologist is running some tests. The Chief said it might take a while before they learn anything about why it was in the woods." Scratching Zedd's ears, Nik tipped his head to work out the tension in his neck. But with this morning's edition at every newsstand in town, his muscles were tighter than a rock.
Like it or not, he needed to prepare for the disasters that could lie ahead. "Thanks to the fight I was in the other night, we've had over a dozen cancellations at the kennel. And now with this article, I'm sure the whole town is assuming I'm a serial killer."
"Yeah, I heard about that." Henry hummed and wheeled over to the printer. "What if you located the rest of the skeleton? If people knew who it belonged to, the case would be closed and everyone would have no choice but to drop the subject. That is, unless there's something you haven't told me and you are a serial killer."
"Ha ha." Nik glanced at the clever sparkle dancing in the vet's blue eyes.
"Maybe it's as simple as asking Zedd where he found it."
Yeah, right. Nik sputtered. "As if that were really an option."
"Ya never know." The printer spit out some sheets, Henry grabbed them off the tray and scooted back across the tile to the computer. "There's a vet in the New Age district who've I heard is also a pet whisperer. From what my clients tell me, she's proven herself often enough, folks say that she's the real deal."
"Come on, Henry. You can't be serious." Good God. Nik rolled his eyes.
"And she's cute to boot." Plucking a pen and pad from his breast pocket, Henry swiveled to the high metal table. "Here, I'll give you her address. I mean, what's the harm in asking? If she turns out to be fake and can't talk to Zedd, then you'll still be right where you started."
"You just summed up my entire existence in that sentence."
The vet chuckled and tore off the top sheet. "About your age, too. Maybe you two will even hit it off and you won't have to walk around the Ren Faire like you're lost."
Nik snatched the note, confirmed he could read it, and crammed it in the back pocket of his jeans. "Who says I get lost at the Ren Faire? I don't know why I put up with your abuse."
Another laugh, and Henry dumped a treat into his palm from the plastic container on his desk. Feeding it to Zedd, he took the leash and walked the dog to the door. "Sit tight and I'll have him back in a jiffy."
"Fine." Nik returned to the bench and pulled out his iPhone, tapping to activate the browser. He searched for Woodward Hill Pet Clinic and selected the first listing that came up on the page.
Nice, neat, professional website and, even better, it was mobile friendly.
He scrolled to the Staff page, hit the link and fell back on the bench with a thump.
Holy shit. He clamped his jaw shut. He knew that gorgeous face. Honey-colored hair swept to one side and covering the curve of her cheek, corkscrew curls trailing past her shoulders and freckles sprinkling her adorable nose.
"Hello, beautiful." The corner of Nik's mouth curved up in a half smile. Talk about a twist of fate. Or then again, maybe this was fate having a belly laugh at his expense.
The last thing he needed was to give Sutton Fox something else she could print in the paper. If he cared at all about Dr. Woodward's practice, he would make sure their paths never crossed.
Janowski came in a few minutes later, a shiny new rabies tag attached to Zedd's collar. Nik paid the bill and jogged the dog to his Gladiator, but instead of a downpour at least the rain had eased to light steady drizzle.
Lifting the hatch on his extended cab shell, he dropped the tailgate and unlatched the crate. "Let's go, dude. It's wet out here."
Zedd jumped in the vehicle and Nik locked him inside before hopping into the driver's seat. A few drops splattered from his hair to the screen as he grabbed his phone and texted his brother.
Dog's okay. Stopping by pet store. Need anything?
Lunch. I'm starving.
Nik grunted.
BTW three more cancellations this morning. One of them mentioned the bone article.
"Shit." He slammed his fist against the wheel.
Counting to ten, he did his best to cool off and called the pet store to let them know he was coming. By the time he arrived, the owner was ready. Nik backed into the dock and loaded the bed, the whole time fuming about the surplus food they'd have on hand until business—hopefully—picked up.
It was tough asking the guy to delay next month's shipment. The guarded way he looked at Nik, he already knew what was up. Throwing the last bag of kibble into the back, he slammed the tailgate and rounded his truck.
"Oomph!" Snagging the woman's arms, he steadied her so she wouldn't bounce off his chest to the pavement.
"Geez, I'm so sorry. I didn't…" Sutton Fox eked a breath and shrank two inches, retreating from Nik's taller height.
Releasing her elbows, he clenched his fists, blood boiling and his molars grinding. "Did the paper sell out this morning? I sure hope so, since my clients are cancelling left and right thanks to the lies you're spreading."
She thrust her chin forward and tossed her head. "I didn't write anything that I can't confirm."
"Mentioning that cold case implies it's connected to the bone I brought into the station. But everyone knows that hiker's body was found. Why even bring that old case up?"