Glancing back, she saw that Maybelline was right where she’d left her.Tank was even behaving, sitting still beside the picnic table as he watched the drama.Reassured that the dogs were still safe, she continued her crossing.Why hadn’t she realized the creek was so wide?Or so deep!The water reached her upper thighs now.
Swiping sweat away from her eyes, she stared at the bag, saying as calmly as she could manage, “It’s okay now.I’ve almost got you.”
The bag was only a few feet out of reach.
The sound of her voice caused the creature to move more and she could swear she heard panting—and then a faint meow.A cat.
It was still alive, although someone had surely meant for it to drown.Fury pressed her forward the last few feet.It took her shaking hands a few seconds to free the bag, and as she got it loose, she realized it was heavier than she’d expected.
The poor animal had likely floated downstream and gotten stuck in the branches of the bush.With the heat of the day, Laylee was half afraid to open the bag until she got it on dry land.If the cat fell into the water, she doubted it’d have the strength to swim.
On her hurried trip back across the creek, she slipped once, almost going under and soaking her pretty romper all the way to her boobs.
To keep the bag out of the water, she straightened her arm, holding it as high as she could while she regained her footing.She was just crawling out of the creek when Knox rounded the bend, stalled at the sight of her, and then raced forward.
“What the hell, Laylee!”
She’d never been so happy to see him.
CHAPTER8
“Cat,” she said breathlessly, struggling to get out of the creek without losing her grip on the bag.“Oh, God, Knox.I think there’s a cat in here.”
His mind was slow to understand.“Cat?”He took the bag from her, grabbed her hand, and hauled her out of the creek.Her top, held above her breasts by a band of elastic, gave way.
“Ack!”Laylee made a grab for it, tucking herself away.“Maybelline, such a good girl.Knox is here now.”
He still couldn’t take it in.That flash of Laylee’s breasts only further muddled him.The problem was that Laylee was crying, shaking, and babbling all at the same time.
“She spotted it, Knox.I don’t know how long the poor thing was there, but Maybelline spotted it and went a little nuts.She broke her leash.I knew the cat was still alive because it’s moving so I had to get it.”
Yes, the bag was moving, and it all finally clicked into place for him.He drew a bracing breath.“Shh, baby, calm down.”He searched the area, trying to decide what to do.“We can’t open the bag here.The cat might bolt, and I don’t want that.”
“It can’t breathe!”
Her near hysteria was understandable.“I’ll make a few holes in the plastic, and then we’re going to get the cat in my truck before we open the bag.Okay?”
“Please, please check on it.”She could barely catch her breath, she was so distraught.“Who would do such an evil, wretched thing?My heart is literally breaking into little pieces.I wouldn’t treat an insect that way, much less an animal.”
“I know.I wouldn’t either.”He carefully set the bag on the picnic table.Laylee was right.Getting fresh air to the animal was a priority.
Anxiously, she hung near Knox’s shoulder while he poked a small hole in the bag, then another, and another.
A yellow eye appeared, peering out at them while the cat panted.
Laylee slumped against him.“Oh, honey, it’s okay now.We’re here.We’ll have you safe in no time.”
The cat was so limp, Knox changed his mind about waiting and peeled away the plastic.The cat had defecated in the bag, and barfed, and the pitiful thing smelled awful.
He lifted it, messy bag and all, into his arms anyway.“Laylee, can you get the broken leash and tie it through Maybelline’s collar?We’ll need to secure her while we head back to my truck.”
Galvanized by his request, she moved quickly.
He spoke as calmly as he could while he carefully moved the cat.“I’m going to step to the creek to cool this baby down, let it get a drink, and clean it off a little.”Laylee seemed so scattered that he asked, “Do you understand me?”
“I understand.”Going to her knees, she started working the leash through the dog’s collar.Seeing Laylee’s trembling hands, he gave thanks that Maybelline was cooperating.The dog’s attention stayed on the cat and her worried whines were heartbreaking.
“I won’t be long.We’ll need to get to a vet.”The sooner thebetter if the cat was going to make it.At the edge of the creek, he slowly went to his knees, saying, “Shh, shh, sweetie.It’s okay.”He laid the cat on the bank in soft clover.It shakily got to its feet, spotted the water, and stumbled forward to drink thirstily.
