“Be careful. I’ve been praying that Lyndee will be found and that she’s okay.”
“Me too.” Max gave her one last look before turning toward his truck.
He knew the more time that passed, the more danger Lyndee could be in.
That was why they needed to find her soon.
After leaving Refuge Cove, Hadley paused inside the clinic and scanned the waiting area.
A woman sat near the front window with a basset hound, gently stroking its head while flipping through a magazine. A man stood at the counter speaking with Susie, a small carrier at his feet.
For the first time since yesterday, things felt . . . normal.
She let out a quiet breath. Maybe her run of bad luck was over.
“Morning.” Susie glanced up with a small smile. “We’ve already got two checked in, and Mrs. Talbot just called to confirm she’s still coming.”
“That’s good. That’s really good.”
After yesterday, Hadley would take any sign of recovery she could get.
She went through the morning without much pause, one appointment leading into the next. Working with animals grounded her and reminded her why she’d chosen this profession. Animals were so pure and without pretense. Life made more sense when they were around.
For a few hours, things felt steady again.
By the time she stepped into her office for a quick break between clients, the tension in her shoulders had eased. She set her coffee on her desk and lowered herself into her chair, closing her eyes.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, expecting to see Naomi’s name—or maybe Max’s.
Instead, her breath caught.
Her ex-husband’s name stared back at her from the screen.
Ethan.
For a moment, she didn’t move. She was long since over Ethan and their broken relationship. That part of her life was behind her, and he’d moved on as well. But seeing his name still stirred something deeper. The feelings weren’t necessarily about him, but about everything that had come with that life.
The future they’d planned. The baby they’d lost. The heartache all of it had brought.
She swallowed before answering. “Hey, Ethan.”
“Hadley.” Ethan sounded cautious, as if he wasn’t sure how this conversation would go. “I wasn’t sure if you’d pick up.”
“I almost didn’t.” Talking to Ethan always took an emotional toll on her. “What’s going on?”
“Listen, I wanted to let you know that I just got a call from the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine. It was about you.”
Hadley straightened in her chair. “Really? Why would they call you about me?”
“Because they’re investigating your license.”
Her stomach squeezed tighter. “What? That doesn’t make any sense. I’m licensed here in Virginia now, and I have been for the past three months.”
“Since I was officially your supervisor here in Georgia, they wanted to talk to me. They said they’re investigating a complaint. Said one of your former clients here claims you overcharged them and did unnecessary tests just so you could pad your pocketbook.”
“That’s ridiculous! I’d never do that!” Hadley tightened her grip on the phone. “I haven’t heard anything about this. No one’s contacted me, and I have no idea what this is about.”
She went still as her mind raced through everything.
