The Money Man. Carolyn McSparren

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      CHAPTER FOUR

      “MARK’S LETTING YOU get away with this?” Mabel said as she hefted the bag of kibble and a few cans of dog food. “And here, I thought he was such a hard-nose.”

      “I sandbagged him,” Sarah said happily as she checked the plastic animal carrier at her feet. “Yeah, this is the right size. She should be happy to have her little den to crawl into when she’s frightened. Tomorrow we can get her a regular wire kennel to keep in his office here, and whatever else I can figure out to spend his money on.”

      “Dr. Marsdon, you are a devil,” Mabel said, grinning.

      Sarah lifted her eyebrows. “I was hoping to keep that a secret for a couple of days.” She glanced around the now empty waiting room. “Here are my car keys,” Sarah said, and tossed them to Mabel. “Stick that stuff on the back seat of my truck, if you don’t mind, while I brief Eleanor on what’s going on in ICU. You have my new cell phone number if you need me, don’t you?”

      “Sure, but Dr. Eleanor’s able to handle most things— she’s as good with the large animals as she is with the small.”

      Sarah glanced up at Mabel. “Why is she only working part-time? Seems as if she’d be a partner in her own clinic by this time.”

      Mabel sighed. “Long story. Lost her husband, lost her confidence, I think. She’s finally coming out of her funk, though.”

      “She doesn’t seem to lack confidence now. I watched her work with Dr. Thorn. At any rate, I need to brief her on what’s happening with the animals. Then I’ll pick up our new dog owner and his pup. And off we go to her new life.” Sarah laughed. “And his.”

      THE RAIN HAD STOPPED and a watery new moon hung high, barely bright enough to reflect in the pools that rimmed the parking lot at the clinic. Mark felt the little dog quiver in his arms when he tried to put her down on the asphalt.

      “She’s afraid you’re going to throw her away,” Sarah said.

      “I ought to. Little scrap of ratty fur like this,” he said, but the softness in his voice belied his words.

      “I don’t know where you live, so I’ll follow you again,” Sarah said. “I’ve got your stuff in my truck.”

      Before he could shift his car out of park, the little dog had scooted across the seat so that her read rested on his knee. “You’re going to have to learn to ride in one of those carrier things,” he said as he caressed her head. “But not tonight. How the hell did I get conned into this?” He glanced in his rearview mirror at the headlights of Sarah’s truck. He knew damn well. He’d been suckered by a better con artist that he’d met in some time. Considerably better than some of the manipulative subcontractors he dealt with.

      He hated to admit it, but it was those darn blue eyes of hers. And those darn black eyes of the pup in his lap. An unbeatable combination.

      Well, he’d keep the pup tonight, and tomorrow the clinic could start searching for a permanent home for her. He obviously couldn’t spend the time with her that would be necessary to get her over her fear. She needed someone who could be with her all the time, give her a fenced yard to play in. Maybe a couple of kids to play fetch with.

      He realized he was driving one-handed while he scratched the pup’s ears with his other hand. Okay, so he did have a fenced yard, small though it was. But no kids, no time, no experience, and absolutely no desire to take this creature into his life.

      He poked the remote garage door opener, waited while the door swung silently up, and then pulled into his two-car garage. Sarah’s truck pulled into the empty space beside him. He shut the garage and opened his car door.

      “I should have known you’d be one of those people who never stores stuff in their garages,” Sarah said as she climbed out of her truck. “Neat freaks always give me the willies.”

      “Not a neat freak. I don’t have stuff,” Mark said. The pup began exploring the corners of the garage.

      “I think she needs to go out,” Sarah said.

      Mark opened the side door that led to the yard, and a motion sensor light came on. As he walked out, a stream of water from the gutters ran down his neck. He jumped and cursed. Instantly the little dog dropped and flattened herself against the paving stones.

      “Hey, you scared her—don’t do that,” Sarah admonished.

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