Chapter 22
Rooney drove into the car park and smiled at the sign hanging outside near the letterbox. Her own business at last. She hurried over and unlocked the front door, pausing to look at the way she had set it out with Rhian yesterday. Everything had arrived except a few supplies she could do without for the time being.
A battered old ute drove in and pulled up right at the door. Rooney glanced over and waited to see if it was a patient or something else. The door opened and a man in grubby overalls climbed out and slammed the door. "You the new vet?" He glowered at Rooney.
"Yes, I am. How can I help you?" She came forward and looked into the back of the vehicle, spotting an old wire cage. Inside a small dog cringed in a corner, its rusty brown fur matted with dirt and blood from what looked like a badly torn leg.
"This here pup is worth money to me. If you can save it without costing a bloody fortune fine, otherwise I'll take it home and shoot it. Don't have no time for things not going to pay me back."
"Bring it in and I'll have a look." Rooney's heart went out to the small dog. It looked as though it didn't get much love from the owner.
He opened the door, thrust his meaty hand in and grabbed the animal by the scruff of the neck. It howled in pain as he pulled it out and carried it inside.
"Let's get the poor thing up on the table and I can have a look." Rooney tried to keep her face neutral while she inspected the pup. "Can you tell me what happened?"
"Damn stupid thing tried to get out of its cage and got its leg caught on some rusty wire." He looked at her and she dropped her gaze back to the pup.
Another car door slammed and Rhian walked in, calling out a cheery hello. "Morning." She looked into the surgery and stopped short. "Oh hello, Mr Stubbs."
He grunted in response.
"Can you start a file for me please, Rhian. Get Mr Stubbs’s details while I work out what this little patient needs."
"Don't do anything without asking me first. You city people like to spend my hard earned money."
"I can assure you I won't do that. My first concern is always for the patient and this little guy has done some serious damage." She stroked the pups head and looked at its owner. "For a start, it will need an x-ray because I don't like the look of this injury. I have a feeling there is a fracture in there from the way its leg is hanging. Plus he is going to have to be stitched up and he will need a round of antibiotics."
Mr Stubbs rubbed a dirty hand over his unshaven chin and muttered to himself.
"Can you work out a quote for me please, Rhian?" She turned back to her client. "So, what do you plan on doing to earn money from this puppy Mr Stubbs?"
He glanced at her with his eyes squinted. "He's a purebred cocker spaniel. I was planning on selling him next week. Got people already wanting to see him and his litter."
"What do you charge? I was looking at getting a dog for my daughter, she would love a little guy like this."
"With papers this one is $350."
Rhian walked in with a print out and handed it to Mr Stubbs. He looked at it and turned to Rooney, horror on his face. "You can't be serious? This is too much for a little mutt like that."
"My prices are reasonable, Mr Stubbs. I don't charge any more than the other vets in town. If you need time to pay I'm sure we can work something out."
"Nah, not going to happen. Thought you might be different since you were a local so to speak. A bullet will fix this and cost me nothing." He reached out and grabbed the pup, making it scream out in pain.
"Mr Stubbs, wait. Let me have the pup. I'll fix it and pay for everything myself." Rooney put her hand on the dirty fur and gave him what she hoped was a winning smile. "My daughter would love this pup and it wouldn't cost you."
"But what do I get out of it, nothing. I have costs to cover you know."
"I'll give you a hundred dollars then and that's it. At least that way you make something. What do you say?"
"Show me the money then, I don't give dogs on credit."
"Here, Rooney," Rhian ran to grab her purse and held out a handful of notes, a distasteful look on her face.
"Thanks." She took the money and handed it to Mr Stubbs before taking the pup back from him. "I'll take him now. The sooner I give him some pain relief the happier he’ll be."
Mr Stubbs counted the notes before jamming them in the pocket of his overalls. He nodded at Rooney and walked out.
She waited until she heard the ute drive out and breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't believe that man."
"You may as well know, he has a puppy farm. Most of the people around town know about it but don't want to get involved because of his temper. He's a pretty shady character too. I wouldn't trust him as far as I can spit." She walked over and stroked the pup on the head. "Aw, you poor little guy. Let me help you with him, Rooney."
"Thanks." Rooney prepared a sedative and administered it, talking in her soothing voice until it relaxed and lay back. "I'm going to have to clean this up before I x-ray and suture that leg." She worked on the pup, using the x-ray machine first before cleaning up the wound. Finished, she put
