Chapter Two
Hannah
“ T hat is not how we make a good impression on the neighbor, Peaches,” I cooed to the big cat as I walked back to Snuggle Squad Rescue center.
Although was there a right way to meet a member of a biker gang?
Surely, not in a dark alley. Although I didn’t get dangerous vibes from Moose, as much as I think he wanted me to.
He’d reunited me with my runaway cat. How a man treated a cat told me everything I needed to know.
Cats didn’t take crap from anyone and I trusted their judgment more than my own.
Peaches looked right at home between his big black combat boots.
I had a hard time not laughing at the sight of the tall, tattooed man decked out in jeans and leather glaring down at Peaches who couldn’t have cared less.
I’d counted at least three skull tattoos on him.
One on his hand, one on his arm and one on the front of his neck.
There was barely any bare skin under all the ink on his left arm.
If he’d offered me a tour of whatever other ink he had hiding under his grease streaked clothes, I would have gladly agreed.
I went into Snuggle Squad Rescue center and shut the door firmly behind me before letting Peaches go.
The center didn’t look like much on the outside, it was a modular building that had only taken a few weeks to assemble on the plot of land I’d bought.
I’d added a fence for any dogs I might take in and tada!
Instant animal shelter. If there was a better way to spend my lottery win, I didn’t see it.
My phone vibrated in the pocket of my scrubs and when I saw my best friend, Montana’s, name on the screen I hit accept.
“Hey, hun, I just got back from capturing a runaway Peaches. What are you up to?”
“I need a favor, and it is already on its way to you so I hope you say yes.”
I pursed my lips, wanting to be annoyed and failing. “What is it?”
Montana worked dispatch for the local police. They were a small precinct and everyone knew about my new animal rescue. If they needed help they knew to call soft-hearted Dr. Carter.
She blew out a breath. “We executed a search warrant on a place just outside town today. Looks like they were trying to set up a dog fighting ring. We took custody of a mama pit bull with a litter of four young puppies. They seem to be in good shape, but they need a place to stay until the pups are old enough to be weaned and given new homes.”
I peaked out the window when I heard the sound of an engine. A police car had pulled up out front. “I think they’re here. I should go check on them.”
“You’re the best, girl. Thank you. I’ll see you at yoga later.”
I ended the call, my mind already on what I needed to do.
I grabbed a dog crate and ran out the front door to greet Officer Shaw. He was a tall, thin man in his fifties. Salt and pepper hair and deep lines around his eyes from years as one of the only officers in town.
“What do we have?” I asked, snapping on a pair of gloves.
Officer Shaw rubbed his forehead with his wrist. “I think we got there in time. Mama dog is skittish as hell, but doesn’t have any visible wounds or scars. Pups are young but seem to be okay, too. We will keep investigating, see if they were tied to any other criminal activity.”
I nodded. “Well, I’m glad they are okay.”
“Me, too. Sort of.”
My brow dropped. “What do you mean sort of ?”
He held up a hand. “I don’t want anything to happen to the dogs.
That’s not what I meant. It’s just, we got to these guys before they’d really set up shop.
We don’t have much to charge them with. We were only there on a noise complaint for the barking.
No reason why they won’t be out in the next twenty four hours and right back to it. ”
My stomach clenched. “You’ll keep an eye on them though, right?”
He nodded. “As best we can, like always. More criminals than there are cops. That’s why we let those guys stick around.” He nodded his chin towards my neighbors.
I glanced towards the garage where I’d met Moose earlier. The area was relatively rural and open. We each had a decent sized piece of land. Even so, I could see three men standing with arms crossed over their chests watching the exchange.
“Who are they?”
The officer squinted. “Wrench is the owner of the garage. He’s the guy with the beard and the ball cap. Ex Air Force mechanic, I think. Lucky is the guy holding the cigarette. He’s a mechanic, too.”
“And the third guy?” My heart rate picked up.
“That’s Moose. He’s newer around here. Joined the club from somewhere in Western Canada from what I hear. They are members of the Savage Kings MC, or affiliated with it anyway.”
“They aren’t dangerous, are they?”
He shrugged. “They’re more bark than bite as far as motorcycle clubs go. The best thing is they keep worse people out of Jackson Ridge. We work with them more than against them, but that doesn’t make them Goldilocks.”
“How would someone set up a dog fighting ring with the MC around?”
He shrugged. “If the MC didn’t know about them before, they do now.”
I nodded. “Let’s get these sweethearts inside and comfortable.”
I spent the rest of the day setting up a quiet spot for my new charges.
Dogs were always trickier than cats since they didn’t use a litter box and needed more space.
I didn’t want them outside overnight though.
I’d have to spend the night with them here until they were less stressed.
Then maybe I could take them home with me at night.
After a full medical evaluation and a good meal for all the dogs, I grabbed a blanket and started making the couch into a bed for myself. I hadn’t realized how late it was until I’d started yawning. I’d already missed my usual yoga class with Montana.
“Your creatures seem to be multiplying.”
I jumped at the voice and whirled towards the door. I’d left the door open to let the air in, otherwise the modular building tended to smell like cat butt. “Moose. Hi.” I pushed a wayward strand of hair out of my face.
“Bad time?”
I shook my head. “Just getting my new babies settled. The mama dog is Daisy and the pups are Dot, Freckles, Socks and the runt of the litter is Squirt.”
He rubbed a spot between his eyebrows then studied the dogs. Daisy was laying on a blanket and the pups were play fighting around the floor. “Did you pick the names?”
I smirked. “How did you know?”
“Lucky guess.” He glanced around, his eyes landing on the sign on the wall. “ Snuggle Squad Rescue.” He raised an eyebrow and I beamed.
“Cute name right?”
“Yeah, real cute.” His words were dripping with sarcasm, but there was no malice there. He wanted to be annoyed with my fluffy little corner of the world, but I could see he was struggling.
“Did you come to adopt a cat? Peaches is available.” The cat in question appeared and started rubbing his big head against Moose’s ankle.
He scoffed, but didn’t try to stop him. “Very funny. Why were the cops here?”
Ah, so that was what this was about. “They brought the dogs. Confiscated them during a raid. Sounds like the people were trying to set up a dog fighting ring.”
He cursed. The muscle in his jaw clenched under his dark stubble.
“Luckily, these five passed my medical exam and don’t seem to have been hurt.”
“Your medical exam?”
I nodded. “Scrubs aren’t just for show. I’m a veterinarian.”
“So it’s Doctor Hannah then, is it?” He took a step forward with an unnecessary amount of swagger.
“Most of my patients don’t call me anything.”
“Doc it is.” He smiled at me. Not the trying to scare me off grimace of earlier but a genuine smile.
It changed his entire face. He was smoking hot to begin with, but it softened him a little. As much as possible for someone with a red eyed skull staring at me from the front of his neck.
His facial hair was trimmed short and cut in a sharp line that mimicked his rugged jaw. His eyes were a pretty shade of sky blue that made his gaze more intense than it had any right to be.
I hadn’t been looking to add a man to my life, but I was in the habit of taking in strays. Should I be worried that this particular one might be a little feral?