Free The Silence of the Llamas by Anne Canadeo Page B

awful . . .” Lucy’s mind spun with inferences. More violence at the Krueger farm. Who was doing this? Why? How cruel to target these poor animals . . .
    She couldn’t stay home alone, waiting hours for Matt to come back and tell her what had happened. She wouldn’t be able to stand it.
    “Can I come with you? Maybe I can help.”
    Lucy had never asked to go on one of his calls before. But Ellie was a friend. And she did think she could help him. If only to carry the heavy instruments he might need to examine the injured animal.
    He glanced up as he tugged on his other shoe. “You can come if you want to. But it sounds bad. A lot of blood,” he warned. “It won’t be pretty.”
    Lucy jumped up and grabbed her jacket and house keys. “Don’t worry, I can take it.”
    Lucy knew that she sounded very calm. But secretly, she only hoped that was true.
    •   •   •
    As they drove out to the farm in Matt’s truck, he stared straight ahead with complete concentration on the road.
    Lucy felt her anxiety building the closer they got. “This is so strange . . . and horrible. They have to call the police now, don’t you think?”
    Matt nodded. “I gave them a chance, but it looks like Ihave to contact the police this time. I don’t know what’s going on over there between them and their neighbors. But I’m not going to see any more animals hurt. Not if I can help it.”
    Lucy nodded but didn’t answer aloud. She reached across the seat and held his hand.
    Once they were out in the countryside, Matt’s foot was heavy on the pedal and they flew along the empty roads. Lucy hoped they wouldn’t meet up with a trooper and a radar gun, hiding in a cruiser behind the trees somewhere. Maybe the police gave a pass to veterinarians on emergency calls?
    They arrived at the Laughing Llama Farm about forty minutes later, and Matt only slowed down a little as he drove the truck through the gate and straight out to the meadow where the llamas were corralled.
    Darkness had settled across the landscape, but out in the field they saw a cluster of flashlights and a large camping lamp. Lucy could make out the shadowy figures of Dot, Ellie, and Ben gathered around a llama stretched out on the ground. Dot knelt beside the animal, wearing yellow rubber gloves and pressing a folded towel to the llama’s shoulder. A blood-soaked towel, Lucy realized as they drew closer.
    In the darkness she could see a dark pool beside the animal and Dot’s gloved hands covered in blood, as well.
    Matt ran straight to the llama, clutching his medical bag. Lucy followed.
    “Matt . . . thank God you’re here. She’s fading. We can hardly hear her breathing anymore . . .” Ellie sounded nearly hysterical. Ben stood beside her and touched her shoulder.
    The animal seemed in distress, breathing heavily. Dotwas near the llama’s head, petting her body and making soft sounds. She looked distressed, too, her face tear-stained.
    Matt knelt down and quickly examined the llama. He lifted the towel to check the wound, which was in the animal’s shoulder, just below its long neck. Then he put it back again. “You need to put more pressure on this wound, Dot. It’s in a tough spot. We can’t make a tourniquet.”
    Dot nodded, her expression bleak. Lucy watched her lean forward and press down with both hands on the blood-soaked towel.
    Matt quickly peered into the llama’s eyes, which were almost closed, and then listened to its heartbeat with his stethoscope. He already had gloves on, somehow, though Lucy had not noticed when he’d managed to do that.
    He flipped open his bag and pulled out instruments. “We have to stop the bleeding. She’s lost a lot of blood and there’s no time and no way to give her a transfusion. I can’t give her any tranquilizer—her heartbeat is too slow. We have to hold her down while I close this up. . . . Someone hold that light up for me. Right here, above her head . . .”
    Ellie grabbed the