Free (Psychic Visions 01) Tuesday's Child by Dale Mayer Page B

the one to bring her dormant sexuality back to life was beyond ironic. Women had been attracted to men in uniform since time began. Just not her. Too many bad memories.
     
    The trip had to be hurting the dog in the back, yet she hadn't heard him once. The cabin came into view, surprising her at the speed of today's trip. Once home, she backed the truck up to the porch.
     
    Moses waited, wagging his golden plume of a tail. She hopped out, gave him a swift hug, and went to open the tailgate. It stuck, as usual. She pounded it a couple times before it finally dropped. Moses bounded into the truck box, eager to check out the new arrival.
     
    He loved other dogs. Most of the time, they loved him. Soldier curled a lip, but other than that showed no reaction. Sam watched their interaction carefully. Except for a low warning, Soldier ignored the other dog.
     
    Sam, hands on her hips, spoke to the dogs. "Now would be a good time for the detective to show up. We could use his help – or rather his muscles." The cage rested on an old blanket. She'd had plenty of help loading him, now she'd have to tug on the blanket to drag him off.
     
    Despite working alone, the blanket system worked well. Although, by the time Soldier had been safely moved to the porch and under the overhanging roof, Sam's limbs were shaking from the effort. Soldier never made a sound.
     
    Even now, he lay there and regarded her with his huge eyes blackened with pain. They locked on her as if he understood. Her heart melted a little more.
     
    Sam collapsed beside his cage, her breathing ragged. "There you go, boy. Life will be much nicer here." Using the bottom of her t-shirt, she wiped the rivers of moisture from her forehead.
     
    Moses and Soldier sniffed each other through the steel mesh as Sam rested and watched. The patient needed fresh water, clean blankets, medicine, and food. Lord, she needed food. And a shower.
     
    With full bowls of food and water, Sam returned to see Moses stretched out against the side of the cage, staring at her reproachfully.
     
    "Don't look at me like that. I can't let him free. He might take off." Placing the bowl down, she unclipped the front door.
     
    "Hi, Soldier." Soldier's dark pain-filled gaze locked on hers. He slumped lower.
     
    "Shit. Are you hurt? Damn it. I knew we shouldn't have moved you. I'm so sorry, Soldier. I had to. They were determined to put you down."
     
    He closed his eyes, his mouth growing slack.
     
    Fear clutched her heart. She struggled to open the tight clasp on the cage door. The closure snapped open and she stretched a hand toward him.
     
    He didn't growl and only opened one eye. Pain clouded his gaze, but a much less heated warning remained.
     
    "What's the matter, no more fight left inside? Or are you prepared to give me the benefit of the doubt after rescuing you from there?" She stroked the thick, lush fur. Dried blood decorated his dark coat. As her fingers worked deeper and deeper, she found sand and grime worked in to skin level. "Poor guy. It's been a long time since anyone cared about you, hasn't it?"
     
    Sam's knees and back ached from the cramped position. She scrubbed his back and neck for another moment. While she worked, she told him about his new life, using a quiet calm voice. She didn't know if it helped or not, yet knew it was what she'd like done if she were in the similar situation.
     
    Stupid. It's not as if she'd ever be huddling in a cage. She stopped, her fingers deep in his thick fur, stunned by the correlation. She might not have been in a cage, yet she'd been living as if she were an injured animal anyway. Wary, hiding from the next blow that life would deal her.
     
    She laughed. "Enough for both of us, huh?"
     
    The cage door clipped her as she backed out, making her curse. Moses whined. Soldier even lifted his head. With both dogs' gazes on her, Sam managed to extricate herself from the wire. She stayed on her knees for a long moment, considering the door. If