Wildfire by Roxanne Rustand Page A

another.
    “I’ve given her Bute, which is an anti-inflammatory, and some DMSO. I also gave her a vasodilator to increase her blood flow. She’s going to be feeling a lot better soon, but she needs to be on deep, soft bedding in her stall.” Leigh frowned. “Keep her on stall rest, and you can continue to give her Bute for the pain if she needs it. Give it to her in the muscle, though.”
    “She’s going to be okay?” Claire asked.
    Her voice was so soft and shaky that all three women turned to look at her in concern.
    “Leigh has done everything right,” Tessa said. “She’s gaining quite a reputation in these parts.”
    Claire moved closer and rested a hand on the mare’s nose. “Socks is an old gal. I’m not sure how well she’ll come through something like this.”
    “I’ll do X-rays tomorrow, and then come back a few days later and check her again,” Leigh said, handing the bottle of Bute to Tessa. “If she still isn’t doing well, we’ll need to look at other measures.”
    Claire nodded, then rested her forehead against the mare’s cheek. “Thank you, Leigh. I—I’m not sure I ever said it, but I’m proud of what you’ve done, being a vet, and all.”
    Obviously taken aback, Leigh looked up and met Tessa’s eyes before reaching out to briefly touch their mother’s arm. “Thanks.”
    Surprised at Claire’s brief display of affection, Tessa stepped away and hurried down the aisle of the barn to prepare a stall for the mare by tossing in two extra bales of sawdust and fluffing it with a pitchfork.
    After the mare was back in her stall, Sofia took Claire down to her cabin for a cup of coffee, but Tessa lingered in the barn with Leigh.
    “Do you really think Socks will be okay?”
    “I hope so—for Claire’s sake. She loves that old mare like one of her kids.”
    “Or more so.” Tessa gave a rueful laugh. “The sad thing is that it’s taken old age for her to allow even a glimpse of her softer side. Do you ever what she would’ve been like, if Dad hadn’t died so young?”
    “I don’t even remember him.” Leigh’s expression turned wistful. “Do you?”
    “Barely. Hearing him laugh, I guess. Otherwise, I’m not sure which memories are real, and which stem from what someone else said. I know…well, that they didn’t have the happiest marriage.”
    Leigh rolled her eyes. “Can you imagine our mother ever giving an inch on anything? ”
    “The McAllisters don’t have a great history of marital success, but Janna and Michael sure seem solid. And if anyone can succeed, it’ll be you and Cole. That man adores you.”
    “I just want to make it past the wedding. I’ve had almost no time to work on it, and it’s less than four weeks away.”
    The cell phone at her hip rang, and she answered quickly, then pulled a notepad from the back pocket of her coveralls and wrote something down.
    “I have to go,” she said as soon as she hung up and jammed the phone back in its holster. “A horse ran through a fence and has some severe lacerations. I’ll come back tomorrow to check on Socks.”
    She started toward her truck, then turned back. “I heard over the scanner that another batch of wildfires has started about five miles from town. Deliberately set, according to the fire crews.”
    “That’s what I heard, too. Who could be that crazy? This whole area could go up in smoke.”
    Leigh nodded. “And I keep wondering if a single person is behind all of this…and if it’s the same guy who’s been harassing you. Be careful, Tess. You could still be in danger.”

ELEVEN
    L eigh’s words replayed through Tessa’s thoughts long after her sister left on the vet call, and during the long drive back to Snow Canyon Lodge, when Tessa took their mother home.
    Clearly tired after her day at the ranch, Claire headed straight inside to her bedroom, but Janna came out to visit. Michael pulled in just minutes later.
    “Glad to see you, Tess,” he said as he climbed out of his patrol car