Page 28 of 72 Hours

“Tanner!” There was a shaky tone to Niall’s voice that may have been because he was trying to get closer to me, but Junk’s large bulk blocked the way. “Don’t try to get up. You’ve been shot.”

“I know.” I enunciated each word very carefully. “I guessed. The gunshot was a real giveaway.”

“Fuck you, too,” he muttered, but he didn’t seem to put much heart into it.

“Junk?”

“Here, buddy,” the other man said, and now he swam further into focus. Broad, square face, with deeply creased, tanned skin and topped with a buzz cut of iron-grey hair. Bright, fierce eyes and some interesting scars on his neck and shoulders that I’d never really had the nerve to ask about. “You lost a mess o’ blood, and all over my fuckin’ shirt too. Now this other guy’s got some kind of death wish, sayin’ I had somethin’ to do with it. You’re in crap here up to your knees, Mac.”

Niall wriggled finally in front of Junk, and now I could see him far more clearly as well. His eyes were steely. “Mac?” said his decidedly cool voice.

I stared at his scowl and grimaced. “That’s me.” That’s what they called me here on the park. I mean, I didn’t deliberately create some new persona for myself, but that was what Junk had called me after I told him my name, and that’s what I became.

I shifted painfully. Something creaked ominously underneath me, like a spring snapped. Yeah, that definitely sounded like my couch. I had a few questions I knew I needed the answers to, but I wasn’t sure what I should say in front of Junk. Amazing how the training is instinctive even in the face of agony, eh?

But Niall seemed to pick up on my caution. He leaned a little closer to me and his voice was low and clear, cutting right across Junk’s complaints. “You’re in your own trailer, Tanner. I wouldn’t leave you outside, but we didn’t move you further than the couch. The bullet passed through the flesh of your upper left arm. There’s been some bleeding, but no major arteries were cut, nor is there any serious muscle damage. It needs a few stitches, but it’ll heal well with rest and the proper care. You must have twisted at the last minute to avoid the bullet, or else he was a poor shot.”

Junk gave a loud, dry laugh behind him. “Dylan had his teeth in the guy’s arse. That’s kind of distractin’ for anyone’s aim!”

I could see Niall’s face screwed up with irritation, and if I hadn’t been so racked with pain, I’d have laughed at the sight. Nice to see it in the context of some other poor bastard’s behaviour, not mine.

“Dylan’s the best, eh, Junk?”

“Yeah.” Junk growled. Put him beside the large Rottweiler and sometimes you’d be hard pressed to see the difference. Same sharp, black eyes; same frown of suspicion towards strangers; same grim set to the mouth. But I’d never seen Junk’s teeth in anyone’s arse. Yet.

“Is he okay?”

Junk nodded. “Been drugged, I reckon. He’s still groggy. It’d take a fuck of a lot to keep him down. When I found him, he was comin’ around and fuckin’ angry. Rarin’ for revenge on someone.”

“Found him? Where’s he been?”

Now it was Junk’s turn to scowl. “Taken from the park, Mac. Fuckin’ dognapped. I’ve been lookin’ for him since early mornin’, so it must’ve happened damned early. The bastards who did it would’ve needed a van or somethin’. They’d’ve needed to know about dogs, too, because my Dylan don’t go with just anyone.”

“Maybe with drugged food....” Niall caught the full blast of Junk’s look of utter contempt. He frowned, but he wisely shut his mouth again.

“He takes nothin’ from anyone’s hand, ’cept mine.”

“Or one of your family,” I said quietly, and they both turned to stare at me. “Or from me. Dylan responds to those he knows the smell of. I fed him last month, remember? When you had an... appointment... in town.”

Junk’s mouth twisted grimly. Only he and I knew he’d been to meet a court date, and I wasn’t breaking his confidence. It had nothing to do with today’s little drama. “Okay. So maybe he was tricked. It’s possible. But he’s sharp, y’know? Not like humans. He don’t usually make a mistake about trustin’ folks.”

“Where was he?” I was struggling to sit upright until Junk grabbed hold of my good arm and helped me up. He and Niall were standing either side of the couch, like guardian lions at the gates of my personal nightmare. Fuck, but every movement hurt! The pain zigzagged across my chest like a cheese wire through cheddar, and where my knees had taken the brunt of my fall, it felt like they’d been rubbed raw, right down to the bone.

“In one o’ the warehouses the other side o’ the junkyard. I’d have found him earlier if he hadn’t been muzzled too. He ain’t hurt, but he’ll be cranky for a while, I can fuckin’ tell you.” Junk looked both distressed and furious. Dylan was as cherished as one of his kids, even when he had about twenty of the human variety too. Thank God no one had killed the dog. I wouldn’t have wanted to be this side of the state line when Junk’s fury was unleashed.

Niall coughed. I didn’t remember him ever being that pale. Made me wonder if my eyes were still focusing properly. “The dog will be fine, you say. But Tanner needs stitches.” His words were fiercely bitten out, like he accused Junk of something. “And pain relief.”

Junk looked from me and then to Niall. Then back at me. “Reckon that’s a ‘no’ to a hospital, right?”

“No,” we both said, in unison.

Junk grinned. “I’ll call Hans. He’ll deal with it. He’s a fuckin’ good doctor, but just one stupid mistake and they threw him out, no respect for all that skill. Dammit, everyone reckoned the old lady had outlived her time anyway... well, whatever, he’s out with the others, been lookin’ for Dylan with me. The call’s gone out that we found him. The other guys’ll be back soon.”

“That’s where everyone is?” Niall sounded amazed. “Why the park was so empty? They’re looking for the dog?”

Junk looked at him like he’d come from some other planet and not bothered to invest in a guide book. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy watching it. Guess Niall never had pets, himself; I never heard him mention any. “Yeah. We’re a community here, tough guy. We would’ve called on Mac, too, but I ain’t sure about you. Whether you can be fuckin’ trusted.”

That looked like the final straw for Niall. “Back off!” He took a menacing step towards Junk. “If you’ve got any problem with me, you can bring it outside.”