Pamela Tracy - Katie's Rescue

“Family?” Things were happening too quickly and Katie felt as if she was losing ground she couldn’t regain. Worse, people she didn’t even know were offering help she hadn’t asked for.

Because when people offered to help, they expected something in return. Usually at a cost Katie couldn’t afford. She looked Jasper in the eye and said, “Family? You’ve got to be kidding?”

Jasper flinched, just barely, enough for Katie to see but not the others.

“No,” Meredith said, “we’re not kidding. You’re here to help Aquila. We’ll do anything we can to assist you. Ruth only lives a mile away.”

“It’s the best choice, Katie.” Jasper’s words were soft, humble.

Katie didn’t like being pushed into making a decision. She’d learned the hard way to make her own choices, and not to rely on anyone else—including those she considered family. And here Jasper was, trying to send her away.

Just as he’d done before.

She closed her eyes, remembering Jasper driving her and Janie to the bus terminal, carrying their suitcases to the cashier dock, leading them to a long line of strangers all looking as though wherever they were heading was worse than where they were at. In all fairness, he hadn’t known that Aunt Betsy was an alcoholic who would take the money Bob sent her each month and spend it on everything but the two girls.

Like her, he’d assumed the change would be temporary until Bob came to his senses.

But when the weeks turned into months and then a year...

He wasn’t one to cozy up to a cell phone or an email account, at least all those years ago. Of course, she’d not had one, either. And he’d not responded to any of the letters she’d written.

“You’ll like Ruth,” Jasper said.

“And if you don’t like me, you can bunk with Jasper. But I guarantee I smell better.” Ruth Moore walked into the office as if she owned it. Everyone visibly relaxed. The vet seemed to take her presence as some sort of permission to leave. As for Jasper, he looked at her with an expression on his face that he usually reserved for his favorite animals.

Katie used to receive that look. Not this trip.

She didn’t deserve it, anyway. She wasn’t going to be able to do what he asked and help Aquila.

In a matter of minutes, Ruth had Katie up and out the door and into a Lincoln Town Car. The fancy car looked as if it should drive presidents, but instead it had a blanket spread across the backseat, cat hair on the floorboards and smelled of cat, big cat.

The green Christmas tree freshener hanging from the rearview mirror was wasted.

Katie shifted uncomfortably. “You know, I’d be just fine at a motel.”

“Probably, but my place is closer.”

“I could follow you in my car, at least.”

“The fainting worries me. Better safe than sorry. We can fetch your car later.”

In the animal world, there were two kinds of caretakers: those who got along better with animals than people, and those who could do both. Ruth must be the first kind.

“I appreciate you letting me stay at your place.”

Ruth pushed her glasses up higher on her nose and said, “I’ll do anything I can to help Aquila. He’s a good cat and deserves a chance.”

Katie could only nod. She’d pegged Ruth correctly.

And Katie was getting one message loud and clear. These people wanted Aquila better and they expected her to accomplish it.

A moment later, Katie and Ruth pulled into a circular driveway meant for a dozen cars. Ruth lived just a five-minute drive from the zoo in an adobe home built on enough acres to start her own zoo.

“I used to have Terrance here,” Ruth confided. “If I had my way, I’d still have him and maybe more.”

“I understand,” Katie murmured, trying not to sound disapproving.

Ruth probably didn’t have a clue how much Katie understood. Katie’s childhood had revolved around how the land would best house the animals and how the paychecks would best feed and care for them. Any extra money was earmarked for the next animal. Not that Katie would have asked for it, but there’d never been talk of putting something aside for her and Janie’s college expenses.

Which was another reason why the sale of Bob’s estate had been so necessary. Katie had her own bills to pay and had been worried about Janie’s college expenses. And for a brief but blessed period, before Luke Rittenhouse’s phone call, Katie hadn’t worried.

Her father’s death had provided a stability the man himself had never offered.

“This place is really too big for me,” Ruth went on. “My husband liked to entertain. He purchased Terrance for that reason. He thought Terrance would be a great showpiece. He was surprised when I fell in love with the beast.”

“A lion’s a pretty expensive showpiece,” Katie commented.

“Grant didn’t care.”

Judging by the size of their house, Katie believed her.

“Is it all right with your husband that I’m staying in your guesthouse? I mean, you don’t really know me.”

“Jasper knows you. That’s good enough for me. Plus, you’ll be helping with Aquila. As for my husband, he’s been dead for seven years, and I don’t miss him a bit. Turned out he got me for the same reason he got Terrance. He thought I was a good showpiece.”

“How long were you married?”

“Thirty-two years.”

“That’s a long time to keep a showpiece.”

“He didn’t dare get rid of me. After just ten years of marriage, I knew where his bodies were buried.”

Looking at the expanse of desert that made up Ruth’s front yard, Katie figured the bodies could all be buried right here and no one would ever find them.

“Until we find out why you’ve been fainting, I don’t want you in the guesthouse. You can have one of the guest rooms upstairs and to the right. Take a shower, get something to eat and enjoy a nap.”

She led Katie to a room bigger than Katie’s apartment back in Dallas. She disappeared for a moment, returning with a clean, albeit too big, T-shirt and robe.

“I’ll be heading back to Bridget’s. I have a tour to guide this afternoon,” Ruth said. “I’m leaving my cell number here by the phone. If you need anything, just call. Now take a shower and get some sleep. You’ll feel better in no time.”

Then she patted Katie on the shoulder and was gone, leaving Katie feeling very much alone.

“Luke Rittenhouse,” Katie whispered, “I hope you’re already considering plan B, because if I’m plan A, it’s already failed.”

* * *

THE DAY HAD started atypically with a crisis of the human kind instead of the animal kind. Even so, as Luke finally made it through his morning routine, he took satisfaction in noting that the keepers and other employees were doing their jobs, the gift shop and concessions had their doors open, the front gate was manned and had a line and the animals were being cared for.

At two, Luke stood in line—always a good sign—and purchased a hot dog from one of the venders and made his way to Aquila’s enclosure.

“You need to eat better,” Ruth admonished Luke as he finished the last bite. He wasn’t surprised to see her there, sitting on the bench just watching. She loved all the animals, except possibly the snakes, but the cats were her favorites.

“You get Katie settled in?”

“Dropped her off, showed her the guest room, came back here. I was only gone about ten minutes.”

“You could have taken some time off and helped her out a bit.” For some reason, he had to know Katie was taken care of. She was so feminine, so sensitive.

“I’m pretty sure she just needs sleep and maybe someone to watch out for her.”

Luke hoped sleep would do the trick. As for needing someone to look out for her, he was a little worried about how many times he’d wanted to do just that.