Rising Storm by Kathleen Brooks Read Free Book Online Page A

quiet and stared at a rustling bush nearby. Marshall held up his hand and signaled Beauford. Beauford stepped in front of his wife and leveled his 30-30 at the bush as Marshall drew his own 9mm Glock.
     
    Katelyn watched as Marshall took his gun from his holster and pointed it at the moving bush. She was holding her breath, waiting to see who was there.
    "Keeneston Sheriff. Come out slowly with your hands up," Marshall said loudly and clearly. "Katelyn, get behind me," he whispered.
    Katelyn rolled her eyes, but with the memory of the other night fresh in her mind and no pooper-scooper in sight, she grudgingly stepped behind his wide shoulders. A sudden memory to four months ago flashed through her mind. His voice repeating his order to come out brought her back to the now.
    The bush moved again and Marshall slowly inched forward. He held the gun in his right hand and with his left he slowly moved a branch out of the way. She watched him as he looked down toward the ground.
    “Damn!" He quickly holstered his gun and fell to his knees.
    Katelyn tightened her hand on her medical bag, but couldn't see over Marshall. She stepped forward and gasped at the vision she saw over Marshall's shoulder.
    "What is it, darlin'?" Beauford asked as he started forward.
    Katelyn was too busy to answer. She pushed Marshall out of the way and went to her knees beside the injured dog. She opened her medical bag and grabbed the saline wash and a bunch of gauze.
    The dog before her was black, about forty pounds, and female. There was too much blood to tell much else. She checked the dog's pulse and found it weak. Her gums were white with lack of oxygen and her eyes were glazed. She wet the gauze and started her exam. There were bites on the neck, ears, and hind legs. Blood was flowing freely and she needed to operate to save her life, and quickly.
    "Lord have mercy," her grandfather whispered.
    Katelyn wrapped a tight layer of gauze around the biggest wounds on the dog's neck and leg. She slowly flipped her over and saw the massive tears down her side.
    "Here." She shoved the gauze into Marshall's hand. "Wrap that around her as best and tight as you can. Then we need to get her into your cruiser and get to the house as fast as we can. Sorry Nana, I'll need your kitchen table. I need to operate and close these wounds before she bleeds out. Papa, I need you to call all your farm workers and have anyone with a large or medium sized dog come to the house immediately to donate blood."
    "I'll buy you a new table, Sweet Pea."
    Her grandmother shot daggers at him. "As if I care about a stupid kitchen table. Just go and save that precious little dog."
     
    Katelyn used every suture and every drop of local anesthetic she had. The dog had lost half of one ear and there would be a nasty scar that ran the length of the side of her neck. But, she was alive and awake. What surprised her more than the dog actually living was the fact that the dog showed no aggression. Most fighting dogs took months of rehabilitation and training to learn how to be loved and to give love. This little girl was just full of it. She was tentative, but so very sweet.
    "Well, I think that does it. I'll take her to the clinic tomorrow morning. All she'll need is to be monitored, have her wounds cleaned, and then the stitches removed in ten days. She'll probably be fit for adoption after a round of antibiotics."
    "I'm sorry, darlin', but I'm afraid I can't let you do that."
    "Why not Papa?" She was tired and hurting. The last thing she wanted was to argue with her grandfather. But she didn't understand why he wouldn't let her treat this little dog.
    "This sweet little thing is staying right here with me. I talked it over with your Nana, and we've agreed. Katelyn, meet Alice!"
    Katelyn looked over to her grandmother who had tears in her eyes and to her grandfather, whose eyes were similarly misty and then to Alice who managed to find the strength to thump her tail and give her