Had Richard done this? Had he hurt Sarah? Made it look like an accident?
Max’s hands fisted at his sides.
He looked at Sarah’s motionless body again.
He should have stayed, should have trusted what his gut had been telling him from the start.
Instead, he’d driven away.
Whatever had happened here . . . felt like his fault.
CHAPTER 1
TODAY
Max stoodnear the whelping box, his arms braced on the edge of the kennel as he watched the chocolate lab circle the area for the third time in as many minutes.
“Easy, girl,” he murmured. “Everything’s going to be just fine.”
Juno glanced at him, her eyes wide and searching. She finally lowered herself to the ground again, only to rise another second later. The poor girl . . .
Veterinarian Hadley Chase crouched on the other side of the pen, one hand resting lightly on the dog’s belly. She still wore her scrubs from the office—she’d come straight here when they’d called her two hours ago after Juno had started showing signs of distress.
Someone had abandoned the very pregnant dog at a private shelter the next county over. That facility didn’t have the resources to help, so they’d called Refuge Cove to see if they had room. Thankfully, they did.
Juno had arrived two days ago—on Valentine’s Day—and the staff at Refuge Cove had been monitoring her ever since. Max himself had even built the whelping box in anticipation of this moment. New life was a beautiful thing.
“She’s close,” Hadley murmured.
Max was so glad Hadley had been available. Hedefinitelydidn’t want to do this by himself. Kendra Williams, who assisted at the kennel, probably would have volunteered to help. But things between her and Max were still awkward after their breakup a few weeks ago.
The kennel could house up to twenty dogs. Each had their own run, with an interior area, as well as an outdoor run accessible via a doggie door that was locked every night. At the back of the building was a large work area, where supplies were kept and food was prepared, as well as a small office.
Max straightened as a noise caught his ear.
Hadley glanced up at him, her forehead wrinkling as she studied him. “What is it?”
“I thought I heard something outside.”
She listened before shaking her head. “The wind’s picking up. Could have been that.”
“Maybe.” But something about the sound seemed off.
Their closest neighbors, the Hendersons, had been determined to make everyone here at Refuge Cove miserable. They illegally hunted on the property, threatened the Kings, and made no secret of the fact they were watching everyone who came and went.
The county seemed interested in what they were doing here also, and Dale Harding, Richard’s brother, seemed determined to make the Kings pay for putting his brother in jail.
On top of that, the women staying in the house had fled from dangerous domestic situations. When they came here, they were promised safety.
Max couldn’t take any chances with their welfare.
Everyone who lived and worked at Refuge Cove kept an eye on the place, but Max felt especially compelled to do so. If he’dbeen keeping a better eye on things back when Sarah lived here, she wouldn’t be dead . . .
Guilt had formed an atomic bomb in his gut, and he could still feel the aftereffects.
Max pushed away from the pen. “I’ll feel better if I check out the noise.”
“Don’t be long.” Hadley glanced up, her long, dark hair escaping from her sloppy bun and falling into her warm gaze. “These babies could come at any minute. I’d hate for you to miss it.”
