Chapter 20
20
ASHER
I strode through the house, rattling the cat food tin.
“Cookie,” I called. “Here kitty kitty kitty.”
There was no response. I paused and listened carefully for the sound of running feet, or a plaintive meow, but everything was silent. She hadn’t been on my chest when I’d woken, and I hadn’t seen or heard her since.
I took the tin to the bedroom, shaking it while I circled the bed, double checking that she wasn’t pushed up against the side. Sometimes she liked to curl up in the strangest places. Dropping to my knees, I looked under the bed, but she wasn’t there either.
“Cookie.” I clucked my tongue, which usually brought her out of hiding because she knew it meant I had either treats or cuddles for her. “Come here you silly cat. I need to go to work.”
I couldn’t leave without seeing her first or I’d spend all day worrying. I backtracked to the kitchen and took her catnip treats from the pantry. With them in hand, I retraced my steps through the house, stopping in the bedroom, the spare room, and the gym.
I stuck my head into the bathroom and froze. Cookie’s shivering form was huddled in the dirty laundry basket. Her eyes were closed, and she didn’t seem to notice me.
“Cookie,” I said, racing to the basket.
I set the food on the ground and stroked her. She didn’t react, and her entire body continued to tremble. I lifted her up, and she was limp in my arms.
Fuck. Something was wrong with her.
“It’s okay,” I crooned, turning her over in my arms to check her underside in case she’d been hurt. Her black belly was furry and unharmed, but she still hadn’t opened her eyes, and usually she’d at least be making a fuss about me manhandling her.
I maneuvered her around so I could check the time on my watch. Damn, the veterinary clinic wouldn’t be open yet.
I carried Cookie out to the living room and gently set her down on the sofa, then I took my phone from my pocket and called Summer. The phone nearly rang out before she answered.
“Hello?” Her tone was laced with sleep, and desire lanced through me.
Inappropriate .
“Hey, Summer. It’s Ash. There’s something wrong with Cookie.” I stroked my fluffy baby, looking for signs of change, but she was still shivering and unaware of me.
“What are her symptoms?” She sounded more alert now, and rustling noises came through the line, as if she were getting out of bed. I mentally ordered myself not to dwell on that image.
“She’s shivering and unconscious. Even when I picked her up, she didn’t respond.”
My gut tightened. Nothing could happen to Cookie. She was literally my substitute child. I’d adopted her when Mum started harassing me about giving her grandchildren a couple of years ago. In the absence of a wife or girlfriend, it had seemed the best I could do.
“Bring her to the clinic.” Summer spoke briskly, her brain fully awake now. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Relief flooded through me. Whatever tension there had been between Summer and I lately, she was a damn good vet, and I knew she’d help Cookie.
“Thank you.”
I grabbed Cookie’s pet carrier from the spare bedroom, shoved a blanket inside, and carefully placed her on top. I probably didn’t need it to keep her contained since she was already unconscious, but the carrier would make it easier to move her.
I slung my work bag over my shoulder, grabbed the pet carrier with the other hand, and strode out through the front door, making sure to lock it behind myself. At the car, I dumped my bag on the ground and loaded Cookie onto the passenger seat, then chucked my bag into the back.
The drive to the veterinary clinic seemed to take forever, despite there being no traffic, and I sped the whole way. I beat Summer there, so I waited outside for her to arrive.
She pulled up only a few minutes later, jumped out of her Ute and jogged to the front entrance. Despite the fact that I’d woken her, she looked ready to go, with blue-green scrubs on her lower half and her hair pulled into a neat ponytail.
She swiped a card beside the lock and the glass door slid open. She motioned for me to stay where I was while she entered a code into the alarm keypad.
“All right, come in,” she said, hurrying to the nearest examination room without looking back. “Through here.”
I followed her and placed the pet carrier on the examination table. She undid the front, reached inside, and pulled Cookie out. My fluffy baby was whimpering now with every shudder, but her eyes remained closed.
Summer conducted a quick physical examination, checking for injuries the same way I had, and feeling along each of Cookie’s limbs and her torso. Then she listened to her breathing. My insides felt tight as I awaited a verdict. I had to believe this was something serious. I’d never seen any cat like this, let alone Cookie.
She opened Cookie’s mouth and looked inside, then checked her eyes. Her movements were brisk and efficient. It was strange seeing her in this setting. So competent. Very much a medical professional and not at all Liam’s baby sister. If this was the first time I’d met her, would I want to ask her out?
Probably.
Although there must be something wrong with me if I could wonder about that while poor Cookie was in such discomfort.
“Do you know whether she could have ingested any toxins?” Summer asked as she continued to assess her.
“Like what?” I asked, feeling useless. I inhaled slowly, breathing in the scents of antiseptic and wet fur. Cookie wasn’t wet, so it must be a lingering odor from all the animals who’d passed through this room.
“Chocolate, alcohol, acetaminophen, or any pesticides or herbicides you might use in the garden?”
I racked my mind. “I don’t think so. At least, not at my place. It’s possible one of the neighbors was spraying and she got into it. Why?”
She stopped moving and met my eyes. “I think Cookie has been poisoned. I’m going to pump her stomach and treat her for some of the more common toxins since we can’t be certain what it is.”
I clenched my hands. “Will she be okay?”
She pursed her lips. “She should be, but the sooner I can begin treatment, the better. I’m going to call one of the nurses to help, and while she’s on her way, I’ll get everything prepared. You can wait in the front if you’d like, but you can’t stay in the room with us.”
I nodded. However much I might not want to leave Cookie’s side, I got it. When I was treating someone in the ambulance, the last thing I needed was one of their worried relatives underfoot.
“I’ll be out there,” I told her, and bent to kiss Cookie’s head before leaving the room.
I sat on one of those padded vinyl benches that seems to be a staple in veterinary clinics and called Parks to let him know I was running late. He called me back five minutes later and told me to stay where I was. He’d found a replacement to work my shift for the day.
I thanked him effusively and watched as a car rumbled into the park. Sarah, a vet nurse a little younger than Summer, hurried out of the car and through the front entrance. She smiled at me but didn’t stop to talk. The door shut behind her. I checked my watch. Time seemed to be crawling by.
I waited.
And waited.
Eventually, Beverley arrived. She seemed surprised to see me, and paused to chat and assure me that Cookie was in good hands. I knew that, but it didn’t make the wait any less excruciating.
Cal turned up soon after, but he left again almost immediately, citing an appointment with a farmer out of town. A few customers passed through, purchasing treats, toys, and in one case, an eight foot tall cat palace.
Finally, Summer emerged from the back. Strain lines bracketed her mouth, but when her gaze landed on me, she smiled.
“She’s out of the woods,” she said.
My muscles went limp. “Oh, thank God.”
I leapt to my feet and opened my arms, ready to hug her tightly—in need of comfort—but then I remembered where we were, and the fact she was wearing her work gear and didn’t want my germs all over her, so I stopped short.
“Seriously, thank you,” I said. “How is she doing?”
She grabbed my forearm and squeezed, as if sensing my need for human contact. “She’s still unconscious, but she’s breathing easily. We’ve cleared as much of the toxin out of her system as we can, and she’s responding well to treatment. We’re giving her fluids, and she’ll need to stay for a while longer.”
She hesitated.
“What is it?” I asked.
She tugged on the sleeve of her lab coat. “I’d like to take some blood samples so we can test to determine which toxin she ingested. It would be good to know what it was so you can make sure she doesn’t have access to it again.”
“That would be great.” I didn’t know why she’d hesitated. “I hate seeing her like that. I’ll do whatever I can to avoid it happening again.”
“Good.” She clasped her hands together and looked down at them. “I’ll have Sarah draw up a form for you to sign, giving us permission to take the samples. Once you sign that, there’s no point in continuing to hang around here.”
“When can I pick her up?” I asked.
“This afternoon should be fine. Perhaps just before closing, so we can make sure she’s in the best possible condition.”
I nodded. “I’ll come back for her then.”
Impulsively, I took her hand. Her gaze jumped to mine, surprise and awareness flaring in their mossy depths. I held onto her for just a beat too long, and she pulled her hand away.
“Before you come back, you should make sure you’ve checked the inside of your house and that you have a way to keep Cookie contained until we know what caused the damage. You’ll want to replace her food too, in case it’s contaminated.”
My stomach sank. It hadn’t even occurred to me that her food could be the problem. “Of course.”
I really hoped she could tell me what had poisoned Cookie. If I didn’t know, then how could I possibly keep her safe?