He was quiet for a moment, then pushed off from the wall. "I’ll take them."
I looked up. "What?"
"Until you find placement. I’ve got the space."
"All six?"
"Five," he said, nodding toward the exam table.
The smallest puppy had climbed out of the box again. She was sitting at the edge, eyes on me. Her tail wagged once.
"Well, I suppose she can go in the kennel overnight," I said. "I’ve got an empty run in the back."
"That’s not what I meant."
"I know what you meant." I turned back to the supplies. "But I don't need a dog."
"Didn't say you did."
"I work twelve-hour days."
"Mm."
"I'm here six days a week."
"Okay."
The puppy made a small sound and pawed at my ankle. I sighed.
"Fine, she can stay with me. Just for tonight. That's it." I looked back at Caleb. "But you're sure about the five? It's a lot of work. Feeding every four hours, constant monitoring. If it's too much?—"
"Grew up with dogs. I'll manage."
"All right." I picked up the smallest puppy and held her against my chest. She settled against me immediately, trusting and still, and I didn't like how natural it felt. "I'll have Lucy get you set up with supplies. Formula, heating pad, the basics."
"Appreciate it."
He gathered the box with the other five puppies, handling it carefully. At the door, he paused.
"Dr. Whitaker."
"Yes?"
"That one climbed out twice before I even got to the truck. Kept trying to sit up front." He shrugged. "Knows what she wants, I guess."
Before I could respond, he was gone.
I looked down at the puppy. She looked back at me, perfectly calm, like she'd already known how this would end.
"This is temporary," I told her.
She wagged her tail.
CHAPTER 18: MATT
The suspect ran and I gave chase.
Down the alley behind the pawn shop, vaulting over a dumpster, boots hitting wet pavement. My partner, Detective Lopez, was somewhere behind me, shouting something I didn't catch over the sound of my own breathing.
