snapped. “Some idiot left a bunch of fucking crates out here.”
“Well get up and let your eyes get used to the dark. I’d rather not turn any lights on.”
Frank backed up a few steps and waited until Glenn scrambled to his feet. The deputy kicked the boxes savagely.
“Can’t you move any faster?” Glenn navigated as slowly as a full moon rising, and he wanted to get this over with ASAP.
“Get off my back, chief,” he answered irritably.
They made it down the dark hallway. Glenn opened the door to the treatment room and stopped short.
“Jesus!”
Frank plowed into his back. “What’s the problem now?” He pushed the smaller man out of his way. Across the room, two amber orbs glowed like embers in a coal fire.
“Christ, she spooked me. Get a light on.”
“What the hell is the matter with you, Glenn? You’re gonna piss yourself.” Frank fumbled for the light switch. There were no windows back here to give them away. “Didn’t you ever see a wolf before?”
“She’s staring right at me.”
“And she’s locked up tight as Hannibal Lecter.”
“Yeah, and he ate his jailers.”
“Nobody’s eating you, Glenn. You don’t have enough meat on your bones.” Frank blinked in the light as he moved into the room and started looking in the cabinets “I got it.” He eyed the wolf. “Damn. She’s big.”
“Give it here. I’m a better shot.”
“You don’t need to be a good shot with a jab stick. You just poke it through the little opening where the food goes and jab her.” He tossed the stick to Glenn.
Glenn feinted to the right, then the left, taunting the wolf with the three-foot stick. Only her eyes followed his movements.
“You could be one of those dog whisperers, Glenn. The bitch is just sitting there waiting for you.”
“Just like a female, too stupid to react.”
“Just do it already. Let’s get this over with. It stinks of wolf in here.”
“Sleep tight, bitch.” Glenn poked her in the left flank and administered the drugs.
“Good job. In ten minutes, we’ll be able to drag her sorry ass into the Jeep.”
I’d love to see your girlfriend’s face when she opens up in the morning and her prize patient is gone.”
“You just let me worry about Karin.” She’d be upset, but he’d be there to offer support. Pretty soon she would realize how much she depended on him.
* * * *
Karin stepped out of the Mule gingerly and took small careful steps. The ankle hardly bothered her anymore, but she’d gotten into the habit of favoring it, and she put most of her weight on her right foot. She hobbled across the porch, crunching something under her feet. Confused, she looked down. Shards of glass twinkled in the morning sun. For a minute, she thought her eyes played tricks on her, but when she looked up, a big gaping hole stared back where there had once been a window.
A cold chill ran down her spine, and she peeked inside. The overturned boxes and supplies scattered all over the reception area made her suspect kids looking for drugs. What else would anyone be looking for?
Oh, shit! The wolf. She forced back her fear and grabbed a good-sized tree limb. For sure, any intruders would be long gone, but she felt better with a weapon in her hands. She unlocked the door and held the stick up for protection.
The empty cage shouldn’t have come as a surprise. On some level, she expected it. Her stomach churned with guilt and frustration. If she hadn’t been so wrapped up with Malcolm, she would have done a better job protecting the wolf. The sour feeling in her belly increased.
At least she didn’t find any blood. It had to be a good sign. She took out her cell phone to call Frank.
He showed up so fast he must have been on his way.
“Tell me again what happened when you got here?” Frank perched on the side of her desk and handed her a Styrofoam cup of coffee.
She shook her head. The thought of it made her stomach turn.
“I saw the broken window and came
“Well get up and let your eyes get used to the dark. I’d rather not turn any lights on.”
Frank backed up a few steps and waited until Glenn scrambled to his feet. The deputy kicked the boxes savagely.
“Can’t you move any faster?” Glenn navigated as slowly as a full moon rising, and he wanted to get this over with ASAP.
“Get off my back, chief,” he answered irritably.
They made it down the dark hallway. Glenn opened the door to the treatment room and stopped short.
“Jesus!”
Frank plowed into his back. “What’s the problem now?” He pushed the smaller man out of his way. Across the room, two amber orbs glowed like embers in a coal fire.
“Christ, she spooked me. Get a light on.”
“What the hell is the matter with you, Glenn? You’re gonna piss yourself.” Frank fumbled for the light switch. There were no windows back here to give them away. “Didn’t you ever see a wolf before?”
“She’s staring right at me.”
“And she’s locked up tight as Hannibal Lecter.”
“Yeah, and he ate his jailers.”
“Nobody’s eating you, Glenn. You don’t have enough meat on your bones.” Frank blinked in the light as he moved into the room and started looking in the cabinets “I got it.” He eyed the wolf. “Damn. She’s big.”
“Give it here. I’m a better shot.”
“You don’t need to be a good shot with a jab stick. You just poke it through the little opening where the food goes and jab her.” He tossed the stick to Glenn.
Glenn feinted to the right, then the left, taunting the wolf with the three-foot stick. Only her eyes followed his movements.
“You could be one of those dog whisperers, Glenn. The bitch is just sitting there waiting for you.”
“Just like a female, too stupid to react.”
“Just do it already. Let’s get this over with. It stinks of wolf in here.”
“Sleep tight, bitch.” Glenn poked her in the left flank and administered the drugs.
“Good job. In ten minutes, we’ll be able to drag her sorry ass into the Jeep.”
I’d love to see your girlfriend’s face when she opens up in the morning and her prize patient is gone.”
“You just let me worry about Karin.” She’d be upset, but he’d be there to offer support. Pretty soon she would realize how much she depended on him.
* * * *
Karin stepped out of the Mule gingerly and took small careful steps. The ankle hardly bothered her anymore, but she’d gotten into the habit of favoring it, and she put most of her weight on her right foot. She hobbled across the porch, crunching something under her feet. Confused, she looked down. Shards of glass twinkled in the morning sun. For a minute, she thought her eyes played tricks on her, but when she looked up, a big gaping hole stared back where there had once been a window.
A cold chill ran down her spine, and she peeked inside. The overturned boxes and supplies scattered all over the reception area made her suspect kids looking for drugs. What else would anyone be looking for?
Oh, shit! The wolf. She forced back her fear and grabbed a good-sized tree limb. For sure, any intruders would be long gone, but she felt better with a weapon in her hands. She unlocked the door and held the stick up for protection.
The empty cage shouldn’t have come as a surprise. On some level, she expected it. Her stomach churned with guilt and frustration. If she hadn’t been so wrapped up with Malcolm, she would have done a better job protecting the wolf. The sour feeling in her belly increased.
At least she didn’t find any blood. It had to be a good sign. She took out her cell phone to call Frank.
He showed up so fast he must have been on his way.
“Tell me again what happened when you got here?” Frank perched on the side of her desk and handed her a Styrofoam cup of coffee.
She shook her head. The thought of it made her stomach turn.
“I saw the broken window and came
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