"Damn stupid thingtried 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 doorslammed 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 afile for me please, Rhian. Get Mr Stubbs’s details while I work out what thislittle patient needs."
"Don't do anythingwithout asking me first. You city people like to spend my hard earnedmoney."
"I can assure youI won't do that. My first concern is always for the patient and this little guyhas done some serious damage." She stroked the pups head and looked at itsowner. "For a start, it will need an x-ray because I don't like the lookof this injury. I have a feeling there is a fracture in there from the way itsleg is hanging. Plus he is going to have to be stitched up and he will need around of antibiotics."
Mr Stubbs rubbed adirty hand over his unshaven chin and muttered to himself.
"Can you work out aquote for me please, Rhian?" She turned back to her client. "So, whatdo you plan on doing to earn money from this puppy Mr Stubbs?"
He glanced at her withhis eyes squinted. "He's a purebred cocker spaniel. I was planning onselling him next week. Got people already wanting to see him and hislitter."
"What do youcharge? I was looking at getting a dog for my daughter, she would love a littleguy like this."
"With papers thisone is $350."
Rhian walked in with aprint 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 littlemutt like that."
"My prices arereasonable, Mr Stubbs. I don't charge any more than the other vets in town. If youneed time to pay I'm sure we can work something out."
"Nah, not going tohappen. Thought you might be different since you were a local so to speak. Abullet will fix this and cost me nothing." He reached out and grabbed thepup, making it scream out in pain.
"Mr Stubbs, wait.Let me have the pup. I'll fix it and pay for everything myself." Rooneyput 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 getout of it, nothing. I have costs to cover you know."
"I'll give you ahundred dollars then and that's it. At least that way you make something. Whatdo you say?"
"Show me the moneythen, I don't give dogs on credit."
"Here,Rooney," Rhian ran to grab her purse and held out a handful of notes, adistasteful look on her face.
"Thanks." Shetook 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 happierhe’ll be."
Mr Stubbs counted thenotes before jamming them in the pocket of his overalls. He nodded at Rooneyand walked out.
She waited until sheheard the ute drive out and breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't believethat man."
"You may as wellknow, he has a puppy farm. Most of the people around town know about it butdon't want to get involved because of his temper. He's a pretty shady charactertoo. I wouldn't trust him as far as I can spit." She walked over andstroked the pup on the head. "Aw, you poor little guy. Let me help youwith him, Rooney."
"Thanks."Rooney prepared a sedative and administered it, talking in her soothing voiceuntil it relaxed and lay back. "I'm going to have to clean this up beforeI x-ray and suture that leg." She worked on the pup, using the x-raymachine first before cleaning up the wound. Finished, she put it in a cage torest, snuggled on clean towels.
"Poor little miteis filthy." Rhian poked her finger through the wires and stroked it downthe dirty fur. "Are you going to give him to Tam?"
"I think so,she'll love it. We've never had a pet of our own. It just wasn't possible withmy work." She rubbed her hand over the back of her neck, something diggingat her. "If everyone knows about the puppy farm, how come he's never beenturned in and closed down?"
"Typical reasons.Nobody wants to get involved, you know. He's a mongrel really and needs to endup in front of the courts for the way he treats animals." Rhian walkedinto the kitchen and filled the kettle before turning it on. "You couldring the RSPCA since you've had cause to do business with him."
"I might do that.Any idea where he lives? I could call in and let him know what I found with thex-rays and check out his place."
"Do you think thatwould be a good idea? I mean, he is kind of crazy. People who know him tend togive him a wide berth. I would hate him to do anything." Rhian pouredwater into two mugs and stirred them before handing one to Rooney.
"I'll be fine. Ican talk my way around most things given a chance."
The rest of the daypassed fairly slowly for Rooney. There was one more new customer looking forvaccinations for her cats and a couple of phone calls from the advertisementshe’d placed in the local paper to set up appointments for the following day.When she closed up that afternoon, she headed to Mr Stubbs’s place to check outhis animals.
Rooney found the farmeasily enough. When she glanced over the rickety fences, it was a hive ofneglect and she wavered about driving into a place with so much rubbish andramshackle buildings. A bad feeling crept down her back but she ignored it andturned the car into the rutted driveway. Scrawny chickens scratched in the dirtbordering the paddocks, home to under-nourished cows.
Rooney pulled up besidea barn and got out of her car. "Hello. Anybody here?" When there wasno answer, she walked in front of
