Free The Right One by R.M. Alexander

out of the room, then circled the chair around with her feet and stared at the screen.
     
    SHUT DOWN NOW OR I WILL KILL YOU.
     
    Clicking on the message, she archived the threat and closed the Internet. Idle threats. Overreacting. She shook her head and stood. “Too much drama people. And you’re not going to scare me off. Not any of you.”
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Eleven
     
     
    Sun beamed high as a weathered truck pulled into the drive, two cages fastened hard within a large enclosed trailer. The white vehicle cleared the gate, and Cami jumped to her feet, pointing at Sadie. “Stay.” She jogged down the steps to the middle of the driveway, waving at two men from a sanctuary in Ohio. The first of the tigers arrived.
    Mr. George Lasseter stepped out of the passenger side first. She recognized him from the pictures on the sanctuary’s website: receding hairline, physique unaffected by middle age. He was the patriarch of a sanctuary respected throughout the country, one of the first to begin a home for wayward animals. Admiration swelled in her gut.
    He walked along the front of the truck, smile friendly, eyes not as much. Reserved, they spoke of the concern and love for the first two cats Cami was taking in.
    “Ms. Lockhart?”
    She nodded and offered a hand. “You must be Mr. Lasseter.”
    “Yes.” His grasp was firm. “And this is Tyler.” He motioned to the younger man, not as muscular as Alex, but still well-weathered from manual labor.
    “Yes, of course. I think I’ve spoken to you a few times as well, Tyler.”
    The younger Lasseter nodded, but didn’t speak. Cami understood. A life’s work shut down due to a change of laws in Ohio. All of the cats were being relocated, despite years of excellent care. More of the bureaucratic red tape.
    She turned to Mr. Lasseter. “I’m so sorry for what’s happened to your work. There’s not enough hope for the cats like these as it is. It’s unbelievable laws are being enforced to shut down more.”
    The former owner nodded. “Yes, it breaks all our hearts. What hope can there be if there is nowhere to go and no changes to the laws prohibiting circumstances like these from happening in the first place?” Mr. Lasseter shook his head with a frown. “Anyway, I’m glad you’ve opened. It’s not easy finding homes for these guys.”
    She nodded, he didn’t need to say more. “I’m glad we were ready in time to help. Can I give you a tour?”
    “No, no. We have to get back. There’s still a good half dozen animals to be relocated, we have a lot of traveling to do. Do you have anyone who can help you with getting these guys to their new home?”
    “Absolutely.” Dialing Tank’s number, then Alex’s, she tucked the cell phone back in her pocket. “They should be here in a moment. Is it okay to meet the cats?”
    Mr. Lasseter shrugged. “They’re your responsibility now.”
    She walked around Tyler, who remained outside the driver’s door, and followed Lasseter to the trailer. He opened the side doors, revealing a large Siberian, still sleeping, and another, a Bengal, that curled his nose as she neared.
    “The big boy there is as kind as a pussy cat. And the other, well, you don’t want to get too close to him.”
    She nodded and chuckled. “I can see that. Their names?”
    “The big one, we haven’t had him long enough to name him, he’s been relocated a couple times now. Once from a very good home that could no longer take care of him, and a second time from a sanctuary that was nearly as ill-prepared as the home. Either way, he’s been lucky enough to have never been mistreated. That one,” he pointed to the growling cat, “is Cato. He’s had a bad time of it. He was found malnourished and beaten – how anyone manages to beat a tiger without getting themselves killed - seemed like whips and baseball bats, not really sure. In any case, he’s been safe for about a year now, but his temperament hasn’t changed. He’s all