Read Online BIG SKY SECRETS 03: End Game by Roxanne Rustand - Free Book Online
Authors: Roxanne Rustand
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the new cabin just this past week. And best of all, I just heard from the County Board of Supervisors. They’re pleased with how the animal shelter has been operating here, and said they’re already planning to extend my contract for another three years.”
“After everything you went through last winter, you deserve good news. Congratulations.” Megan grinned. “Now, tell me about that cowboy of yours. Is he still around?”
Kris blushed. “Quite a bit. Trace and I are ‘an item’ according to his sister Carrie. She teases us about it all the time and swears that if he doesn’t propose by the end of the year, she’ll eat her best boots—and she’ll also disown him.”
“I’m so happy for you. He seems like a great guy.”
“Do you have time for dinner? Carrie invited Trace and me over to her place at two, for her incredible coconut cake and fried chicken. Even if it isn’t exactly heart-healthy, we’re celebrating his birthday today and it’s Trace’s favorite meal.”
Megan glanced at her watch. “Sounds fantastic, but I need to get back to Copper Cliff. I…wonder if I could see some of your dogs.”
“Absolutely. Are you looking for anything in particular?” Her eyes sparkled. “Something small and fluffy?”
“You know me so well,” Megan said with a dry laugh. “How about something like that, times three?”
“We’re actually really full right now, so you’ll have a lot to choose from.” Kris led her down to the kennels, opened the door and ushered her inside. “You might wish you had earplugs.”
The inmates burst into a deafening chorus of barking, some of the dogs launching themselves at the wire mesh doors of their runs, while others cowered at the back.
“Let’s start at one end and work our way down,” Kris said, raising her voice to be heard above the din. “Some of them are quite new, so I don’t know as much about them yet. They aren’t available until I can assess their behavior and personality for being a safe pet.”
“What are the adoption arrangements here?”
“A seven-day waiting period after your decision. A signed contract, promising the animal won’t be given away or sold. The dogs are vaccinated and spayed or neutered before leaving.”
Megan’s heart fell. “Seven days?”
“I can make rare exceptions. For you, as an example. You live a long ways from here. And I know you’d give an animal a wonderful home.”
Megan followed her to the end of the building, then walked slowly, surveying the runs on both sides of the aisle. “You sure have a lot of puppies.”
“Are you looking for something young?”
“Grown. Something with a good bark and protective tendencies, but not a breed I’d have to worry about with visitors—especially children.”
Kris tapped her lips with a forefinger. “I know you like bigger dogs. We’ve got a couple of labs—both are older animals, though. Several larger mixed breeds.”
“Sounds good.”
She paused in front of one of the cages and hunkered down to entice the golden retriever closer. “This one is a sad case. He was found with a collar practically embedded in his neck, and he was so undernourished that I figure he was dumped and on his own for a long time. He’s still so, so thin. We try to feed him a lot, but he just isn’t thriving in this environment.”
“It’s unbelievable, how selfish and cruel people can be.”
“And he probably saw some of the worst. But unfortunately, even now he won’t have a chance to finish his life in a loving home. He’s at least eight, maybe nine, so adoptive families will be leery of looming geriatric issues.”
Megan nodded. “That’s so sad.”
“It sounds like you need a young, vigorous dog, at any rate, so you wouldn’t want to deal with his problems. Someone will have to work at gaining his trust, and that could take a long time. He was already neutered when he came in, but I don’t even know if he’s housebroken.”
“Poor guy. Goldens are
“After everything you went through last winter, you deserve good news. Congratulations.” Megan grinned. “Now, tell me about that cowboy of yours. Is he still around?”
Kris blushed. “Quite a bit. Trace and I are ‘an item’ according to his sister Carrie. She teases us about it all the time and swears that if he doesn’t propose by the end of the year, she’ll eat her best boots—and she’ll also disown him.”
“I’m so happy for you. He seems like a great guy.”
“Do you have time for dinner? Carrie invited Trace and me over to her place at two, for her incredible coconut cake and fried chicken. Even if it isn’t exactly heart-healthy, we’re celebrating his birthday today and it’s Trace’s favorite meal.”
Megan glanced at her watch. “Sounds fantastic, but I need to get back to Copper Cliff. I…wonder if I could see some of your dogs.”
“Absolutely. Are you looking for anything in particular?” Her eyes sparkled. “Something small and fluffy?”
“You know me so well,” Megan said with a dry laugh. “How about something like that, times three?”
“We’re actually really full right now, so you’ll have a lot to choose from.” Kris led her down to the kennels, opened the door and ushered her inside. “You might wish you had earplugs.”
The inmates burst into a deafening chorus of barking, some of the dogs launching themselves at the wire mesh doors of their runs, while others cowered at the back.
“Let’s start at one end and work our way down,” Kris said, raising her voice to be heard above the din. “Some of them are quite new, so I don’t know as much about them yet. They aren’t available until I can assess their behavior and personality for being a safe pet.”
“What are the adoption arrangements here?”
“A seven-day waiting period after your decision. A signed contract, promising the animal won’t be given away or sold. The dogs are vaccinated and spayed or neutered before leaving.”
Megan’s heart fell. “Seven days?”
“I can make rare exceptions. For you, as an example. You live a long ways from here. And I know you’d give an animal a wonderful home.”
Megan followed her to the end of the building, then walked slowly, surveying the runs on both sides of the aisle. “You sure have a lot of puppies.”
“Are you looking for something young?”
“Grown. Something with a good bark and protective tendencies, but not a breed I’d have to worry about with visitors—especially children.”
Kris tapped her lips with a forefinger. “I know you like bigger dogs. We’ve got a couple of labs—both are older animals, though. Several larger mixed breeds.”
“Sounds good.”
She paused in front of one of the cages and hunkered down to entice the golden retriever closer. “This one is a sad case. He was found with a collar practically embedded in his neck, and he was so undernourished that I figure he was dumped and on his own for a long time. He’s still so, so thin. We try to feed him a lot, but he just isn’t thriving in this environment.”
“It’s unbelievable, how selfish and cruel people can be.”
“And he probably saw some of the worst. But unfortunately, even now he won’t have a chance to finish his life in a loving home. He’s at least eight, maybe nine, so adoptive families will be leery of looming geriatric issues.”
Megan nodded. “That’s so sad.”
“It sounds like you need a young, vigorous dog, at any rate, so you wouldn’t want to deal with his problems. Someone will have to work at gaining his trust, and that could take a long time. He was already neutered when he came in, but I don’t even know if he’s housebroken.”
“Poor guy. Goldens are
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