And you did a great job with the birth.”
Her fork stopped halfway to her mouth. Her gaze moved from Doc to Ethan. She placed the food in her mouth and nodded.
“Ethan says he thinks you did a nice job delivering the foal.”
Tessa turned to Ethan, surprise in her eyes. He saw what his faith in her meant and felt ashamed that he hadn’t actually said any of those things.
“It was a team effort.” Tessa buttered her toast. “We need to watch Hope’s leg. She wasn’t too sure standing on it last night. The strain of the birth might’ve damaged that ligament in her foreleg.”
Cupping his coffee in both hands, Ethan said, “I didn’t notice much of a limp when the foal started nursing this last time. I might’ve been a little sleepy, but things might already be working out.”
“Good.”
The phone rang. “The day begins,” Doc muttered as he stood and answered the phone. “Hello. Yes, Mary, we’ve done the initial evaluation of the horses. All of them made it through the night.” Doc looked from Tessa to Ethan. “You need the report that soon?” He frowned. “Okay. Drop by tonight and we’ll have the report. Also, I’ll have a list of where each of the horses will be housed.” After saying goodbye, he hung up.
“Mary wants a written report on the condition of each horse. She’ll print out the pictures she took so we can petition the judge for custody.” Doc sat down beside Tessa. “Have you written any reports for court fights?”
“Yes.”
“Good, because I’m all thumbs and can’t type worth spit. Can you have a report for Mary by five today?”
“Low man on the totem pole, huh?” A grin followed the question.
Doc threw his head back and laughed. Tessa smiled.
“You nailed it.”
As Ethan looked from one vet to another, he had the oddest feeling of hearing an echo. There was a similarity. He shrugged it off, telling himself he was just tired.
The sound of tires squealing to a stop followed by the slamming of car doors stopped the jocularity.
Instantly, Ethan and Doc were on their feet, heading for the door.
“Grab the cordless phone,” Ethan shot over his shoulder, his stomach tight, “and be prepared to call the sheriff.” Ethan followed Doc outside.
“What’s wrong?” Tessa asked.
“No rancher would’ve come to as reckless a stop in front of the animal hospital. It’s trouble.”
It turned out to be William Moore and his mother. William held a rifle and his mother looked as if she was spoiling for a fight.
He’d been right—they sure looked like trouble.
Chapter Three
Tessa didn’t wait for Ethan to tell her to call. She dialed 911 and told the dispatcher what the problem was while keeping an ear out for the conversation outside.
“Mornin’, Doris,” Doc called out, his voice congenial.
“It will be when I get my horses,” she snapped.
Doc walked toward her. “You’ll be happy to know all the horses made it through the night. It was tough going, though, getting your mare and her foal through those hours. We took turns hand-feeding them.”
Doris glared at him. “I didn’t need your help. My mare would’ve done just fine. It was all that commotion that your team stirred up that gave her trouble.”
Just how much in denial was this woman? It wasn’t unusual for people who neglected animals not to see what they’d done, but Doris brought it to a whole new level.
“William, go get the horses,” Doris commanded.
William’s eyes widened. “But Ma—”
“Don’t Ma me. Get the horses.”
Tessa scrambled outside into the parking lot. “If you move either of those horses, you might kill them.”
Doris’s attention focused on Tessa. “What are you talking about?”
“The mare might not make it back to your stable. And the foal, her leg was in the wrong position when she was born. She has a slight limp. If they’re left here, we can oversee their medical condition and help at this critical junction. It’s their best chance to survive and fully recover.”
For the first time, the hostility in Doris’s expression softened.
“She’s got a point, Ma.”
“Dr. Grant is right in her assessment, Doris,” the older veterinarian confirmed. “The best choice for your animals is to leave them here. Do you want to see how they’re doing?”
Doris put her hands on her hips and glared. “Of course.”
“Come in and see for yourself.” Doc motioned Doris into the breezeway.
Ethan stepped to William’s side. “Why don’t you put that rifle down before someone gets hurt?”
Relief swept across the young man’s face. “Ma thought we needed the show of strength.” He looked at his mother. She nodded and he put the rifle on the floor behind the seats in the cab.
William moved behind his mother with Ethan and Tessa trailing behind.
Doc walked down the breezeway to the barn. “This way, Doris.”
She shook her finger at Doc. “Okay, but I’m not giving up on getting my horses back.”
“I’d expect nothing less,” he answered.
Doris and William walked through the barn door.
“You handled that well,” Ethan whispered to Tessa.
“You’re surprised?”
“Nope.”
Tessa didn’t know how to take his answer. He didn’t wait for her but caught up with William. Tessa followed after, trying to decide how she felt about Ethan McClure.
The man seemed to be a bag of walking contradictions. He went from skepticism to approval. He questioned her qualifications yet took directions well from her last night, didn’t hesitate and did his turn nursing the horses without complaint. His skills were excellent, but that didn’t surprise her, his being a rancher. Had he changed his mind about her or would he at some point call her ability into question again?
She couldn’t get a good read on him and that made her jumpy.
Doris stopped and looked into the stall. Lady nibbled the feed, while her foal rested on a pile of clean hay in the corner of the stall.
