Leave a Trail (Signal Bend #7)(78)

Dora had had to replace her at the shop, anyway. It was summer, and they’d been busy. She couldn’t wait for Adrienne to be able to come back. That job hadn’t lasted very long. She wasn’t sure what she’d do for work when she was ready to work again. Badger told her not to worry about it, but she didn’t just want to sit around once the doctors said she didn’t need to—and that day was coming up soon. In the meantime, her days were full of family, and she liked it.

Badger and Show came inside from the yard, where they’d been cleaning up. Show smiled down at her.

“Hey, little one. You thinking about running off with my girl there?”

She gave him an innocent look. “No, sir. I promise. Just wasn’t quite done with the snuggle. Shannon took Joey up already.”

“You mind if I get my hands on her? Barely saw her all day.” Show reached out for his littlest daughter, and Adrienne reluctantly let her go. Millie squeaked and squirmed and then settled heavily onto her father’s shoulder, her tiny hand twisting instinctively into his hair. His voice now little more than a murmur, Show said, “I’m gonna take her up, see how Shannon’s doing. You two heading out soon?”

Adrienne turned to Badger, who was eyeing her with interest. Then he nodded and looked over at Show. “Yeah. We’re on our way.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” When Adrienne stood, Show bent down and kissed her head. “Love you, little one.”

“I love you, too. Sleep well tonight.”

He laughed softly. “Yeah. We’ll see how that works out.”

As Show turned to the stairs, Badger took Adrienne’s hand and led her out to his pickup. She missed riding with him on his bike, but since the fire, he wouldn’t let her, not even after she’d gotten the brace off earlier that week. He was probably right, but she couldn’t wait until she was fully healed and strong again.



oOo



His pickup was old, though, and had a bench seat, so she sat right next to him, his arm around her shoulders. Because of his own scar, he couldn’t stretch his arm too far out to the side, so she tucked herself against his shoulder. It was a nice way to ride. Not like his bike, but cozy. She felt safe and warm and loved.

The drive to their little place wasn’t long, and they went along in companionable silence. About a half-mile or so from the town proper, Badger muttered, “Hold up. What was that?” He pulled onto the shoulder, then reached across her and took a gun out of the glove box. “Stay here, babe.”

“Badge, wait. If you think you need a gun, you shouldn’t go out there alone.”

“I’m not going alone. I’m taking my gun. Stay put and lock the doors.” He got out of the car, precluding further discussion.

Her heart slamming against her ribs, Adrienne turned to watch out the back window as Badger crept along the side of the truck. He’d left the lights on, and the taillights made an eerie, blood-red glow. Then, at the end of the bed, he stood up and stared back toward the shoulder, along the fence of whatever farm they were near. Adrienne wasn’t familiar enough with the town geography yet to know who owned what. As she looked on, he tucked his gun in his jeans, against the small of his back, and walked beyond the red glow of light. She could see that he’d squatted down, but she couldn’t see more. Not knowing was killing her, but she did what he’d said and stayed where she was.

Then he was trotting back to the truck, and when he came into the radius of red light, she saw that he was grinning. She unlocked the door as he came to it.

He opened it, breathless, his grin wide and bright. “Come on. Come see.” He held out his hand to her.

She didn’t take it. “What is it?”

“Come see.” He gave his hand an impatient shake, and she took it and let him pull her gently out of the car. He led her to the place where he’d been squatting. As they approached she heard noises that she couldn’t make out at first. And then she could. Whimpering.

“A puppy?”

He pulled her to the edge of the shoulder, right along the drainage ditch. It had been a dry summer, and the ditch was full of hardy wildflowers, like goldenrod and Queen Anne’s lace, but no water. “Puppies.

Somebody must have dumped a litter. I saw their eyes glowing in the headlights. Couldn’t make sense of it at first.” He squatted and held out his hands, and a dark, round ball of puff in the ditch put its paws up on the shoulder and carefully nosed his fingers. “They’re good size. Hard to tell in the dark, but maybe some Rotty in them.” The pup, apparently having decided that Badger was an okay guy, struggled up onto the shoulder and sat between his squatting legs.

“Oh, my God. What a cutie!” Adrienne looked into the ditch. She could hear them, and just make out some squirming bodies. “How many?”

“Not sure. I want to take them with us. Take them to the clubhouse. Maybe they can be Horde dogs.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s a good idea. We can’t leave them in the ditch, at any rate. Are we sure there’s no mom?”

“I think so. With us messing with them, she’d have been here if she could be. I think this is a dump. It happens around here sometimes. People drive their dog out into the boonies and leave it on the road. Never seen a whole litter before, but I bet that’s what happened.”