Read Online House of Fallen Trees by Gina Ranalli - Free Book Online Page B

   “Hawks and falcons, too,” Saul said. “And I did see the elk.”
   Rolling his eyes, Rory said, “Okay, okay. Maybe you’ll see an elk.”
   But Karen was hardly listening to the two of them bicker. Movement just beyond the tree line had caught her eye and it was definitely no crow. It was low to the ground, with red fur, a long bushy tail and a black snout.
   “What about dogs?” she asked.
   “Dogs?” the men said in unison. Then understanding cleared Saul’s face. He looked at Rory and said, “Dusty.”
   “Oh, yeah,” Rory nodded. “Dusty.”
   Karen watched the dog, barely visible in the shadows of the woods, trotting along, pacing them. “Dusty,” she repeated. “Male or female?”
   “Female,” Saul said. “She used to belong to an asshole in town named Richard Mallack. He had her for a good year and that dog never once saw the inside of his house. Kept her chained to a doghouse 24/7, every season, every kind of weather. His kids used to shoot BB guns at her. I was bitching about his treatment of that dog one night in The Lantern and Mike—the guy you met—got pissed off enough to go and snatch the dog from Mallack’s backyard. But, of course, she was skittish as all hell and not housebroken, which Mike was annoyed about. Anyway, he let her roam free and she just took off, came to live out here on her own where there are no people to torment her.”
   “Jesus,” Karen said. “The poor thing.”
   “Yeah, I tried to catch her a couple times myself, but no go. I don’t think she likes men much and I can’t say I blame her.”
   “And Dusty just lives out here? How does she eat?”
   “I guess she must hunt. Not sure,” Saul answered. “I suppose she might trek into town at night, get into trash cans and whatnot, but nobody ever sees her down there anymore.”
   Karen watched the dog as it kept pace with them, keeping a safe distance. She thought Dusty definitely had an air about her—she seemed ready to bolt at the slightest hint of danger.
   “One time,” Saul went on, “I was out in the woods and she damn near attacked me.”
   “Really?” Karen asked. “She seems so timid.”
   “She is. Problem was, some ruffian from in town must have had his way with her and then left her high and dry.” She looked at him, confused. Saul laughed. “She had a litter of pups. I was just wandering around like I do, minding my own business, and I got too close to where she’d hid ‘em. Get this—they were inside a hollowed out log.”
   “Wow.” Karen was impressed. “Is that where she lived?”
   He shrugged. “I guess it’s where she slept at the time. Eventually, when they were old enough, I gathered ‘em up and brought them into Indigo Bend with me. Found ‘em good homes.” Apparently Saul was able to read Karen’s face quite well by now because he quickly followed up with, “It was for the best. Can’t have a whole litter running around these woods. Something would have eaten them sooner or later. Not to mention they would have bred like rabbits, making the situation even worse.”
   She thought about that, then asked, “But what about Dusty? Didn’t she wonder where her babies went?”
   Saul smiled sadly. “I’m sure she did for a while. Not a lot you can do about that though.”
   Karen sighed. “She must have been worried sick. Thinking that a cougar or something got them.”
   “Okay,” Rory cut in. “Enough, you two. Animals don’t have the same emotions as people. You don’t have to get all teary eyed about her feelings .”
   Neither Saul nor Karen responded to this remark but they exchanged a knowing glance that said, shows what he knows. After a few minutes, the dog fell back, but continued to trail behind them for the rest of their journey. It wasn’t until they came into the clearing where the house was that she disappeared for