Free I Kissed a Dog by Carol Van Atta

question.
    “How about you being Little Red Riding Hood and I’ll be the big bad wolf,” he roared with laughter, sending Missy into a braying
     fit.
    “Is everything all right?” Luke pushed through the swinging doors. Worry etched across
     his face.
    “Our new vet seems to have an obsession with fairytales.” I stopped to glare in his
     direction. “And a desire to torment me and our poor zebra.”
    “Zane, I have to tell you, I heard you laughing like …”
    “A maniac,” I finished, pleased to have Luke on my side at last.
    “I was going to say, like he was having a good time. It was Missy’s discomfort I was
     worried about, not yours, Chloe.” Luke looked between us.
    Ignoring Luke’s mutiny, I faced the zebra. She’d waited long enough for our diagnosis.
    I rested one hand on her side and stroked her neck with the other, making sure to
     gain direct eye contact. The graphic images she released were disgusting, fitting
     with the horror-movie-theme from my previous day.
    A well-muscled man, hidden inside a hooded sweatshirt, tore across the zebra’s meadow,
     remaining crouched, low to the ground as he ran. It was nighttime, and I could feel
     the horror as the human-beast ambushed Missy, slamming her to the ground.
    The zebra screamed. Snarling, the thing sank his teeth into Missy’s leg, sucking and pulling blood from the thrashing zebra.
    Forcing myself to stay with the scene, I felt a stream of fiery bile flood my mouth
     as the man-beast raised his head, blood covering his face. He howled a deep guttural
     cry that caused me to fall back from the zebra, almost collapsing.
    Zane did his normal hero-rescue-thing and captured me in his arms, keeping me from
     hitting the floor.
    “We have to stop meeting like this,” he whispered for my ears alone.
    “Not a problem,” I stammered, wishing for more oomph behind my words.
    “What was it?” Luke helped Zane get me to a stool. “What did you see?”
    “Water?” I croaked, still dangerously close to losing my breakfast.
    Zane vanished and returned with a fresh water bottle. I let the water soothe my throat.
    “Let me check something.” I forced myself to stand and examine Missy’s right rear
     leg. Sure enough, I located a large bruised patch that resembled a human hickey. I
     motioned the men over.
    “I’ve never seen anything like this,” Luke said.
    I have. Zane thought, glancing at me. I’ll explain later.
    “Okay …” I forgot to mind message.
    “Okay, what?” Luke looked doubly confused.
    “Okay, here’s the deal.” I determined right then I couldn’t tell my boss everything
     I’d seen. He wouldn’t understand. Shoot! I didn’t understand. I did understand one
     thing though: Zane didn’t want me sharing all the gruesome details with Luke.
    “All I know for certain is some animal attacked Missy.” I paused, choosing my next
     words with care. “It was gnawing and sucking on her leg. She was so frightened I couldn’t
     get a clear picture. We should treat her for possible infection and pain.” I nodded
     at Zane who was already moving toward the large, glass, medicine cabinet.
    “Maybe it’s time I hire more than a sit-down security person,” Luke pondered. “With
     our animals at risk … well, it seems prudent.”
    We’d hired Henry, a retired San Francisco beat cop, to spend the nights in the front
     ticket booth. The booth was a small room with a cot that opened into a single bed.
     A TV and DVD player were added bonuses. Henry could access the gift shop area, restrooms,
     coffeemakers, and all the essentials, through a side entrance into the main building.
    There were also a number of video cameras placed strategically throughout the park,
     but not enough to film everything at once.
    If Henry suspected a major disturbance, he’d contact local police. Other than a few
     high school kids looking for trouble, nothing major had ever occurred, until now.
    “What are you thinking, a nighttime patrol?” I