chance.
“So I went in. Two years, baby. No contact with family.” At this, her eyes widened, but he continued. “My family knew. They get it, ‘cause this job is who I am. But it sucked all the same. I thought maybe six months, but it fuckin’ kept draggin’ out. And livin’ in that world for two years was fuckin’ killin’ me.”
The room was quiet for a moment until Leon spoke. “So what about doc? Where did she fit into your world?”
Annie’s eyes shifted to Leon and Suzanne in the corner, having forgotten they were still there. Suzanne was no longer sniffling, but eyes wide, attentively listening.
Shane glanced to the corner also, taking in the two friends. Rubbing his hand over his face, he continued. “Been watchin’ them torture dogs to get the shit in and around the country. Finally got a tip that a vet in the area was helpin’ them. Didn’t know how. Findin’ easier ways for the dogs to ingest the drug packets. Started watchin’ some of the vets. I ended up with you,” he said as he leaned back over the bed, placing his fists on either side of her.
“Annie baby, you were the first ray of sunshine I had in almost two years. It wasn’t hard followin’ you, watchin’ you. I’d been buried deep in the belly of the beast. Forgot what clean livin’ looked like. Smelled like. Felt like. But you, you lived that clean every fuckin’ day. I had the urge to make contact just so I could have a little of that clean back. It didn’t take long to figure out you weren’t the vet we were lookin’ for. But baby, couldn’t give you up.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, peering into his sky blue eyes, looking for understanding.
“I kept followin’ you. Just to see you. Just to have that sunshine, even from a distance. Not too close. Not enough to get burned. But just enough to feel the warmth.”
The room was silent. No one spoke. No one moved. The only sounds came from the heart monitor that Annie could swear was beating faster.
“We were gettin’ close to havin’ the evidence we needed, when one of the fuckers decided to test some of us by havin’ us use our own personal dogs. I’d rescued one not long after takin’ this assignment. It fuckin’ killed me to have them get Sarge to swallow that shit, but I knew that would give us the evidence.”
Shaking his head at the memory, he continued, “So I let them do that, but only ‘cause I knew I could get him out and get him to you. I wasn’t testin’ you. I wasn’t settin’ you up. I already knew you were clean. Annie baby, I came to you ‘cause I knew you would save his life. Without thinkin’. Without askin’ for the moon. Without throwin’ a shitfit ‘cause it was late and I might not have money. I came to you ‘cause I knew you were the only one I wanted to trust with my dog.”
Shane finished by bending his elbows and leaning the rest of the way down, placing his lips gently on hers. It wasn’t a kiss of passion. But one of promise.
“I hate to interrupt this touchin’ scene, but I gotta witness I need to interview,” came a voice from the doorway.
Growling, Shane stood up, recognizing Matt’s voice. “You got shit timing friend.”
“Yeah well, add it to my list of other transgressions.” Matt’s eyes cut over to Leon and Suzanne. “You Leon?” Receiving a nod, he added, “I gotta interview you too, since you were at the crime scene.”
“Crime scene?” Suzanne asked in confusion.
“The clinic,” came the terse answer.
She slid back into Leon’s embrace unnerved to hear the clinic being called a crime scene.
Annie looked up at Detective Dixon, suddenly fearful of reliving the events of last night, while hearing the heart monitor speed up again. Shane caught that look and slid his hand down to hers, holding it tightly.
“It’s gonna be all right, baby. I’m right here,” he said.
Her eyes cut over to his expressive blue ones and she gave a quick nod. Linking her fingers with his, she turned
“So I went in. Two years, baby. No contact with family.” At this, her eyes widened, but he continued. “My family knew. They get it, ‘cause this job is who I am. But it sucked all the same. I thought maybe six months, but it fuckin’ kept draggin’ out. And livin’ in that world for two years was fuckin’ killin’ me.”
The room was quiet for a moment until Leon spoke. “So what about doc? Where did she fit into your world?”
Annie’s eyes shifted to Leon and Suzanne in the corner, having forgotten they were still there. Suzanne was no longer sniffling, but eyes wide, attentively listening.
Shane glanced to the corner also, taking in the two friends. Rubbing his hand over his face, he continued. “Been watchin’ them torture dogs to get the shit in and around the country. Finally got a tip that a vet in the area was helpin’ them. Didn’t know how. Findin’ easier ways for the dogs to ingest the drug packets. Started watchin’ some of the vets. I ended up with you,” he said as he leaned back over the bed, placing his fists on either side of her.
“Annie baby, you were the first ray of sunshine I had in almost two years. It wasn’t hard followin’ you, watchin’ you. I’d been buried deep in the belly of the beast. Forgot what clean livin’ looked like. Smelled like. Felt like. But you, you lived that clean every fuckin’ day. I had the urge to make contact just so I could have a little of that clean back. It didn’t take long to figure out you weren’t the vet we were lookin’ for. But baby, couldn’t give you up.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, peering into his sky blue eyes, looking for understanding.
“I kept followin’ you. Just to see you. Just to have that sunshine, even from a distance. Not too close. Not enough to get burned. But just enough to feel the warmth.”
The room was silent. No one spoke. No one moved. The only sounds came from the heart monitor that Annie could swear was beating faster.
“We were gettin’ close to havin’ the evidence we needed, when one of the fuckers decided to test some of us by havin’ us use our own personal dogs. I’d rescued one not long after takin’ this assignment. It fuckin’ killed me to have them get Sarge to swallow that shit, but I knew that would give us the evidence.”
Shaking his head at the memory, he continued, “So I let them do that, but only ‘cause I knew I could get him out and get him to you. I wasn’t testin’ you. I wasn’t settin’ you up. I already knew you were clean. Annie baby, I came to you ‘cause I knew you would save his life. Without thinkin’. Without askin’ for the moon. Without throwin’ a shitfit ‘cause it was late and I might not have money. I came to you ‘cause I knew you were the only one I wanted to trust with my dog.”
Shane finished by bending his elbows and leaning the rest of the way down, placing his lips gently on hers. It wasn’t a kiss of passion. But one of promise.
“I hate to interrupt this touchin’ scene, but I gotta witness I need to interview,” came a voice from the doorway.
Growling, Shane stood up, recognizing Matt’s voice. “You got shit timing friend.”
“Yeah well, add it to my list of other transgressions.” Matt’s eyes cut over to Leon and Suzanne. “You Leon?” Receiving a nod, he added, “I gotta interview you too, since you were at the crime scene.”
“Crime scene?” Suzanne asked in confusion.
“The clinic,” came the terse answer.
She slid back into Leon’s embrace unnerved to hear the clinic being called a crime scene.
Annie looked up at Detective Dixon, suddenly fearful of reliving the events of last night, while hearing the heart monitor speed up again. Shane caught that look and slid his hand down to hers, holding it tightly.
“It’s gonna be all right, baby. I’m right here,” he said.
Her eyes cut over to his expressive blue ones and she gave a quick nod. Linking her fingers with his, she turned
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