"Of course we can,but I don't know if you should go there. It might be a better idea to call theRSPCA and leave it at that. Let them do what they do best." She looked athim, a frown on her face.
"Well, I think itwould be a good idea if I went in and had a look. Who knows how long it willtake them and if they have more than one complaint, maybe they will escalatethe case." He smiled and chuckled. "I can take photos too. He'llnever know what hit him."
"You are hardly ina position to do much, Cade. I think you should leave it to theauthorities."
"He won't suspecta thing with me looking like this. I'll have to take your car though. If I rockup in the Ferrari, he'll probably double the price."
"I can't drivethat thing. I've gotten so used to my old automatic. Don't make me drive it,Cade, please." The horrified look on her face amused him. At least shewasn't crying over helpless puppies.
He laughed and ruffledher hair. "Settle down, Rooney. It's the 400A, meaning it's an auto too.The easiest car to drive, believe me. I manage with this damned support frameon my leg. I'll go and see him in the morning and then call over to your placeand get you to check over whatever I end up with."
"Fine then, but Ihope the beast is insured."
He rummaged in hispocket and held out the keys for her to take, amazed at letting someone elsedrive his precious car. "Fully, so stop worrying."
When he went up to bedthat night, he gave little thought to what had happened at the hospital earlierin the day. What was done was done and there was no going back. He just neededto keep himself busy until the day of his final medical and not let it worryhim too much. Cade knew he wasn't going to go back to playing football. Hiscareer was over the moment he went to Kate's rescue.
He leaned his crutchesagainst the wall and hopped to the centre of the room, glancing out the windowat the moon shimmering in the evening sky. Cade pulled his shirt over his headand threw it on the chair in the corner of his room. Why the hell had he gotteninvolved with his sister’s problems? It wasn't as though he really wanted adog, they tied you down. No, it was because he'd always had her back. Exceptthe last time when she really needed him and there was no way history was goingto repeat itself.
Tomorrow he woulddo his bit and try to make up for not realising his little sister had neededhis help when she ran away from home. In the scheme of things, what he wouldwalk into tomorrow wouldn't be much but it was a small step toward proving hewas good for more than playing football and drinking his life away.
Cade hopped to the bedand sat down, planning what he was going to say and do when he came face toface with Stubbs. The first thing he had to do though, was find enough money topay for whatever he ended up with. He opened his bedside cabinet and took outthe old cigar box his father had left lying around one day. There had been onecigar in it and Cade had stolen it, pleading ignorance when the old man camelooking for it.
He had smoked the cigarbehind the barn with a couple of mates, making themselves horribly ill in theprocess. Now he kept his spare cash in it. Spare cash that was fast becominghis only cash. He sorted through the notes and laid out two hundred dollars byhis phone. If the guy he was going to see didn't like the lure of cash underhis nose, Cade was going to be in trouble.
***
Cade drove sedatelydown the rutted driveway and parked beside the barn Rooney had described. Hepushed the record button on his phone and clipped it into his front pocketcareful to make sure the camera eye was pointing out.
Before he could getout, a rough voice called out. "What do you want?"
Cade opened the doorand put on his best star quality smile. "Mr Stubbs, my name is CadeWilliams." He struggled to stand and reached in for his crutches. "Mysister got a pup off you yesterday, you know Rooney, the vet. Well, it seems tome you are the man to come to for animals and, since we are both local, itmakes sense to come here before I do the rounds of the pet shops." He heldout his hand, keeping the smile on his face from slipping as the dirty fistheaded his way.
Mr Stubbs grabbed hishand and shook it. "No point going to the shops, they get all theiranimals from me anyway." He looked Cade up and down, frowning. "Whatdo you want a dog for anyway? I thought you were some big football star orsomething." With his hands jammed into his dirty overalls, he stood backand eyed Cade off, waiting for an answer.
"Yeah, well it'slike this. As you can see, I've had a pretty major injury. Fact is, I doubtI’ll ever play again. So I'm looking for a little companionship and Rooneyseems to think you might have something to suit me."
"Perhaps I do.Don't normally do business this way though." He squinted against themorning sun and shrugged his shoulders. "You won't be wanting a receiptfor this dog, would you?"
"No, not all. I'msure we can come up with a cash price that will suit the both of us."
"Follow methen."
Mr Stubbs walked pastthe barn with Cade following him.
The stench made Cade'seyes water and he almost gagged. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness of theshed, he looked around. Cages lined every wall, and in each of those cages weredogs with puppies of all ages and breeds. No wonder Rooney lost it
