I wrapped my arms around my dog as he whimpered. “All right now. I got you.” I slowly ran my hands down his body to his leg, but Koda wouldn’t let me near the wound. “Okay. I won’t touch it.”
I pushed to my feet. “You think you can stand?” Koda tried to follow but cried out, holding his leg off the ground.
I ran a hand over my head, thinking about my options. Pulling out my phone, I held it up. One bar. I tried Hadley first, knowing she had the day off. The call wouldn’t connect.
“We’re gonna have to get creative, buddy.”
Koda looked up at me with sorrowful eyes.
“I know. I’m gonna get whoever did this.” With that promise, I noted in my phone where we were on the trail so I could come back to investigate. Then I slid my phone back into my pocket. “I hope Hads and Shy haven’t been giving you extra treats.”
I groaned as I lifted Koda into my arms. “They definitely have.” It was going to be a long five miles to the trailhead.
“It’s all right, buddy. We’re here.” I pulled to a stop in one of the parking spots in front of the vet. Koda let out a whine from the backseat.
I’d oscillated between pissed and worried the entire drive to the vet. Thankfully, my adrenaline had carried me most of the hike back to my SUV at the trailhead. But that had melted away as soon as I started driving, replaced by anger and fear.
Pushing my door open, I jumped out of my vehicle and rounded to the backseat so I could get Koda. My arms shook just a bit with his weight. “I’m telling you. It’s diet time once you’re all fixed up.”
The only noise Koda made was a groan of pain. I hurried up the walkway, and just before I reached the front porch, the door swung open. Everly’s eyes widened as she took us in. “What happened?”
“A hunting trap off Bear Creek trail.”
A blue heat, the sharpest of flames, filled those wide eyes. “Anyone who uses those traps deserves to get stuck in one. Come on inside. I was just locking up. Miles is gone, but I’m sure he’ll come back.”
I hadn’t even considered that it was already after five. I’d only been thinking about getting here as quickly as possible. Everly ushered us into an exam room, and I carefully laid Koda on the table. She stroked his face with one hand while pulling out her cell phone with the other.
“Hi, Miles. I’ve got Hayes Easton here with Koda.” Her hand moved gently but efficiently down Koda’s side to his injured leg. She barely grazed the limb, but he still let out a whimper. “He got his leg stuck in a trap, and I’m worried it might be broken.”
She made some sounds of agreement as she listened to whatever Miles had to say and answered with succinct responses. At one point, she pulled a stethoscope from her purse and listened to Koda’s heart. “Nice and strong.”
I felt such relief at those words, I nearly had to take a seat in one of the empty chairs. Everly wrapped the stethoscope around her neck and then went back to passing soothing strokes along Koda’s side. “No problem. I can do that now. We’ll see you when you get here.”
She tapped end on the screen and slid her phone into her purse. “He’ll be here as soon as he can. He drove out to the Callahans’ to check on a horse who’s due any day, so it’ll take him a bit to get back. I’m going to administer a painkiller in the meantime so we can get Koda a little more comfortable. Is that all right with you?”
“Of course. Anything you can do to help.”
“I’ll be right back.” She hurried into the back.
I took her place at Koda’s head and stroked his face. “You’re going to be okay.”
The back door slid open, and Everly appeared with a syringe. “If you want to stay at his head, that would be great. Most dogs aren’t fans of needles, but I’m pretty good with doing injections as painlessly as possible. They usually give me the tough cases.”
“Sure.” I stroked the side of Koda’s face. “Show Ev what a tough pup you are, okay?”
The heat from Everly’s body seeped into mine as she moved in close and positioned the needle near the scruff of his neck. She bunched the skin with one hand and wielded the syringe deftly with the other. Koda didn’t flinch.
“I don’t think he even felt it.”
She soothed any possibility of a sting with strokes along his side. “Let’s hope it gets him feeling better. It should only take a few minutes to kick in.”
I scratched in the spot that Koda loved behind his ears, moving in a rhythmic motion over and over until his eyes drooped and his breathing grew deep. I slowly removed my hand and took a step back. “I think he’s asleep.”
Everly gave my dog a gentle smile, one I wished was pointed in my direction. “He’s been through the wringer. Sleep is the best thing for him right now.”
I reached out and took hold of her hand, squeezing and releasing it before she had a chance to possibly pull away. “Thank you.”
“It’s my job.”
“I know. But I’m still grateful.”
She moved to a drawer, examining its contents and doing some sort of unnecessary organization.
“Don’t like people thanking you?”
A flush of pink brushed her cheeks. “I don’t need it. I love what I do.”
“And you’re good at it. You’ve got a way with animals. They’re lucky to have you.”
That pink deepened. “Thanks.”
I chuckled. “I’ll let you off the hook now, promise.”
“Did you call in the location of the trap to the Forest Service?”
My hint of amusement fled in a flash. “Not yet. I’ve got a contact over there that I’ll call when I leave. Hopefully, he’ll sign on to letting me be involved in the case. I’d like to be there when whoever set those traps is arrested.”
“I’d like to put his leg in one.”
“I don’t disagree with you there. You usually a fan of bloody revenge?”
She looked up and met my gaze. “Sometimes, violence is the only thing a person understands. I’d never make the first move, but I won’t hesitate to fight back.”
A chill skittered across my spine. Everly spoke as if she’d experienced that kind of violence firsthand. “You should always defend yourself by any means necessary.”
She turned away. “I will. But not everyone has the skills to do that.”
The sadness in her voice ripped at something in me. I took a stab in the dark. “Addie?”
Everly didn’t turn back around, but the tightness in her shoulders told me I’d hit the nail on the head.
“I’d like to help her if I can.”
After a moment, she turned. “You really are just the little helper, aren’t you?”
The corner of my mouth kicked up. “Little feels like a bit of an insult…”
She snorted. “Fine, big helper.”
“That’s better.” I took her in for a second, my gaze traveling across her face, looking for any piece of insight into this woman I could find. “If I can make someone’s life better, I want to try.”
Everly leaned back against the counter. “I might have ruined our chances there.”