his shoulder toward Bella. “Will she need surgery?”
“She shouldn’t. It’s a clean break and should heal on its own in a few weeks. She will need someone watching her, as she won’t want to put weight on her leg. So she may need assistance getting up to eat or to take care of her business. Is that going to be a problem?”
He shook his head. “No. She’ll probably consider it a vacation.”
What an odd thing to say. “I’ve heard of some military working dogs being given an honorary rank and even awards, but I’ve never heard of them earning leave time.”
“They don’t. My girl’s been a little stubborn lately, not wanting to listen to the other handlers.”
That tidbit caught Risa’s attention. “How does she do with you? Does she follow your commands?”
Risa moved back to the table where Bella was still sleeping, thanks to the analgesics she’d given her. She checked her vitals again.
“She went after the Frisbee. That’s how we got into this mess.”
“Yes, but did you give her any working commands, or was it a play date?”
“A play date?” He crossed well-developed arms over an equally well-developed chest and stared down his nose at her. “Lady, I’m a chief in the U.S. Navy, not a five-year-old. Bella’s my partner. Everything we do is training or work.”
“Didn’t you just say you were playing Frisbee?” She ignored the stare-down and the bulging muscles, along with the sneer and sarcasm. If she hurt his pride, he could get over it, because what mattered here was her patient’s health—both physically and mentally.
Risa continued her exam and glanced up at Jax, waiting for him to answer her question.
“Fine. Call it what you want. She loves to fetch.”
Risa ducked her head to hide her smile. He was trying so hard to come across as the tough military guy.
“Like I said, she’s been a little stubborn lately.” His voice softened as his big hand stroked the dog’s fur like he was caressing a newborn.
“Jax, I’m just trying to help.” She reached out and gave his hand a quick squeeze to get his attention before letting go. Stepping over to the cabinet, she reviewed the labels before pulling out the right bottles. “It wasn’t your fault she got hurt.”
“Let’s hope the Navy agrees with you.”
Risa stopped in the middle of filling the prescriptions to look at him. She hadn’t thought he’d get in trouble for an accident. “If you need, I can explain to your boss that this is a simple and common accident. Also, that she’ll be okay in a few weeks.”
“Why were you asking about her behavior?”
“Based on how quiet she was when you arrived, plus what you said about not responding to commands, there’s a chance she could be burned out or suffering from PTSD.”
He flinched. It was there and gone in the blink of an eye, but she’d caught it. Chief Faraday was the kind of guy who wore the weight of the world on his shoulders… or at least the well-being of a dog that wasn’t even his.
“What do I do with those?” He nodded toward the bottles in her hand.
“Three times a day for both. It’s really important that you keep her calm and from moving around a lot. Use the sling to help support her hind legs when she gets up to walk, but keep it far enough forward. Here.” She pointed to the area where he needed to place the device. “Her appetite might drop off some due to the lack of activity, but that’s normal. Dogs are pretty intuitive when it comes to healing. Just don’t let them rush her back into training.”
“Will do, Doc. I assume Dr. Lagasse will be around tomorrow to check on Bella at the kennel, or do I need to bring her in for a follow-up?”
“He’s on leave, so I’ll be by in the morning.” She turned and grabbed a pen and pad of paper, quickly scribbling on it before handing it to Jax. “Please give this to whomever is on duty. If she takes a turn for the worse or appears to be in a lot of pain, have them call me right away.”
“Thanks. And if you really want to help, don’t include in your report that you think my dog has mental issues. They’ll want to send her to Texas for reevaluation and training. Let’s get her leg healed and give her a break, and see how she does first.”
“I’ll agree on one condition.” She waited for him respond, but only got a raised brow. “Be honest with me about her progress. I might be able to help and keep her from being sent away.” What she was offering to do went totally against her job description working for the Navy, protocol, and her better judgment, but damn. She knew if someone tried to take away one of her four-legged family members, her heart would break.
“You got a deal, Doc.”
Chapter 2
Risa pulled up in front of her farmhouse and swore. Sitting on the front steps was Fiona Sinclair, her best friend in the whole world, sipping a glass of wine with Risa’s cat on her lap and the pups at her feet. After Jax had left with Bella, Risa had cleaned all the equipment and sterilized the room. Then she wrote up her report while everything was fresh in her mind, minus her suspicions about the dog’s mental state. And she’d forgotten about Fiona and their plans.
They had met the first day of first grade. Fee had been the only one not to make fun of Risa’s English accent. Risa had been tall, gangly, and shy, while Fee had always been a bit smaller than the others kids. She’d also been a bit fiercer, and they’d made a perfect team.
She hung her head as she slipped out of the SUV. “Fee, I’m so sorry—”
Fiona held up a hand. “Was it a work emergency?”
“Dog with a fractured hip.”
“Aw, poor baby. Say no more. Here, you probably need this as much as I do.” She held her near-empty wine glass out to Risa.
Risa took the glass and sat down on the steps next to her friend. The cool, crisp white wine slid down her throat and burned her empty stomach. She handed the glass back and took a minute to greet her cat, Morpheus, and her two dogs, Athena and Eir, while studying the prominent stress lines on Fee’s face.
“Rough day?” Risa asked.
“Salvador strikes again.”
Given Fiona’s ex-husband’s track record, Risa didn’t bother asking what happened this time. It didn’t matter. Her role was clear. “Where’s the body? I’ve got the perfect spot to bury him.”
Fiona laughed and laid her head on Risa’s shoulder. “I shouldn’t laugh. You’re probably more than half serious.”
“I’ll have you know I’m one-hundred-percent serious. The guy’s a wanker and doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as that sweet, beautiful boy he helped create. That was his one-and-only good deed in life. Now that he’s accomplished his mission on the planet, he can exit this plane of existence.”
Fiona held up the empty
