Dallas Texas

We don't have to do this." Jayden suggested as they stepped out of the car.

Mandy Calloway bit her lip as she stared up at the building in front of them. "I have to at least try."

Jayden laid a hand on her friends arm. "You do remember what I told you about these events right?" She asked earnestly.

"That no matter what we say in there he's probably going to get out anyway." She nodded. "But as long as there's a chance, however slim."

The older girl sighed as she looked up at the sky. "I set up the rape support group four years ago and in that time I've probably gone to ten of these things and it's all been the same."

"They don't go through what we did so they don't understand." Mandy mused pushing through the front door. She grimaced at the sight of the metal detectors. "But you know." She continued once they had recollected their belongings. "I think I'm going to get something out of this experience."

Jayden smiled at the stubborn tilt of her friend's chin. "What's that?"

"I'm going to get to face the bastard and realize that I'm not as afraid of him as I think I am." She answered confidently.

"Just remember not to listen to anything he says to you." Jayden advised.

Three hours later Mandy kept her eyes fixed on the door at the far end of the room. Her back ached from sitting in one position for too long with her muscles tense. She pushed the thought from her mind determinedly and concentrated on regulating her breathing.

She could feel Jayden studying her worriedly but couldn't risk looking over to assure her she was fine.

"Parole hearing for Zawal, Patrick." A monotone voice droned out.

Gut tightening Mandy clamped her hands together in her lap, causing her knuckles to whiten. She began having pressure in her chest from the over hard pounding of her heart. Still she kept her gaze pointed in one direction.

Finally the doors opened and a dark skinned man in a bright orange jumpsuit walked in. Spotting her he stopped and nodded his head in a pretense of respect. Raising her own head she attempted to stare him down, pressing her lips together to keep them from trembling.

"Mr. Zawal, you have been brought before the board at your request for parole. You were sentenced to twenty years in prison for sexual assault and rape." Mr. Palmer stated from his seat at the end of the head table. "The board would like to know why you feel you deserve to be given parole after serving six years of your sentence and what you have done to deserve this."

"Ladies and gentlemen." Zawal nodded his head in greeting. "I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity." He started in his heavily accented English. "I committed a crime. This I admit. I have never denied this. I turned myself in and confessed to my crimes."

He paused as he looked into each of the board members' eyes. "While incarcerated I have received counseling, studied on my disease, and have agreed to be chemically castrated."

Mr. Palmer nodded as he lifted a sheet of paper. "We have here your conduct record while during your residence at the Irving correctional facility. All personnel state you were a model prisoner and have written letters of recommendation." He glanced up. "Is there any objections to granting parole?" He asked.

"Yes sir." Mandy called out shakily as she stood up. Jayden squeezed her hand in support. "My name is Amanda Calloway. I am the one that was assaulted and raped by this man."

Mr. Palmer motioned for her to continue.

She swallowed hard as she recited what had occurred six years ago. "I was a nurse Baylor University hospital, working in the ER. On the night of the assault I treated Mr. Zawal for chest pain in concurrence of his cocaine use. During the time he was in the ER he made several lewd remarks and advances. To the point that I had security stand by anytime that I had to be in the room with him."

She paused as she closed her eyes to the images in her head. "There was a commotion on the other side of the ER and the security officer was forced to leave. At that time Mr. Zawal attacked me, knocking me down to the floor. He beat me until I stopped fighting him and then he raped me. In the middle of an ER full of people."

Her breath caught on a sob and she motioned for Jayden to continue for her. "This man was bold enough, and hyped up on drugs enough to attack my friend in a public place. If he could do it once he could do it again." The redhead said standing up.

"I am sure this is very hard for you and we appreciate you both being here for this." Mr. Palmer said as he turned to the other members of the board. After a discussion lasting five minutes he turned to face the crowded room.

"Mr. Patrick Zawal, we find that you have been rehabilated sufficiently and hereby grant your parole."

Rising quickly despite the buzzing in her ears Mandy rushed from the room and down the hallway. Upset herself at the unfairness of it all Jayden followed, gathering the sobbing girl in her arms as she led her out the building.

San Antonio Texas

Mark shrugged at the itch between his shoulders as he knelt down to scrub the fender of his truck. He couldn't shake the feeling that eyes were staring a hole in his back. Slowly he glanced over his shoulder, standing up in surprise at the sight of the big dog.

He turned around and studied it's too thin ribs and blood stained coat. Sighing in pity at its condition he started forward. "Here boy." He called softly, extending his hand.

The dog gave a low whimper as he licked the hand in greeting. Mark smiled as the dog gained courage and inched its way forward.

"What happened to you?" He asked running his hands over the soiled coat. He found several long cuts in the skin around the hip area. He murmured softly to the animal when it bumped its head against his thigh in pain. Mark worked his way down the legs, pausing when the animal gave a sharp yelp of pain.

"That's looks like it hurts." Mark murmured sympathically as he studied the swollen leg.

He looked into the dog's sad eyes. "You're so dirty you've even got dust in your eyes. Maybe that's what I'll call you. Dusty."

He smiled when the dog gave a happy bark. "Like that do you?"

Filling a bowl of water he offered it to the animal before he turned back to his truck. "Have to get this soap off here before it dries and I have to start all over." He called over his shoulder, not at all embarrassed to be talking to a dog.

Ten minutes later

"Hey buddy, do you think you can make it inside?" Mark asked bending down to rub his hand over the dog's ears. He stood up and walked towards the house, looking back to see the dog following carefully behind.

"Come on boy." He called holding open the screen door. The dog eyed him as it bellied over the entry to flop down on the cool floor.

"First things first." Mark said walking to the phone. Pulling the phone book out of the cupboard he looked up the number to a local vet.

"Good news boy." He said a couple minutes later after finishing the call. "The vet is in the area and she'll be here in a couple minutes." He walked to the refrigerator. "Let's see, we have some left over roast beef." He looked down at the dog. "There's a lot of it. My daughter wouldn't eat it. She said I couldn't cook." He put the remaining meat in a bowl and placed it in front of the animal.

"Who are you talking to?" Laney asked as she walked through the door.

Mark flashed a smile at his daughter. "Meet Dusty" He said indicating the dog. "Be careful." He cautioned when she bent down to pet the animal. "He's injured and skittish."

"Poor thing. Where did you find him?" She asked as she carefully stroked her hand over his fur.

"He found me." Mark explained. "I thought you were going shopping with Mandy?"

Laney shrugged. "She wasn't there. Shawn said she left early this morning."

"Did he say where she went?" He asked sitting down at the table. "You two had plans for a week now."

"No. I waited around for a while but she didn't show." She frowned. "The wedding is two weeks away. We were supposed to find my bridesmaid dress today."

"You've had fourteen months to plan this wedding and you two wait until the last minute to find this dress." He pointed out exasperated.

Laney shrugged as the doorbell rang.

"That's probably the vet." Mark got up to answer the door.

"Hi, I'm Sammie Hagan. I'm the new vet at Pet's First." She introduced herself, smiling widely, her lively green eyes twinkling.

Mark smiled in return. "Nice to meet you." He said inviting her inside. "I'm Mark Calloway and this is my daughter Laney."

"So I heard you have an injured dog?" She asked bundling her shoulder length brown hair on top of her head.

"Yeah, he's in here." Mark led her into the kitchen.

She gasped as she spotted the dog on the floor. "What the hell did you do to him?" She yelled turning to glare at him. "You can't treat animals like this. I'm calling the police. I'll have you charged with animal cruelty and make sure you never own another animal again." She ranted.

Mark held his hands up as she advanced on him. "Just calm down."

"She's not taking my horses." Laney spoke up from the doorway. She grinned at the look on her father's face.

"Go away." He growled at his daughter. He rose to his full height as he turned back to the vet. "He showed up here a little while ago. In this condition."

She put her arms on her hips. "You don't scare me. How do I know you're telling the truth?"

Mark growled low in his throat as he walked away to get control of his anger. "Why would I bring him in here and feed him if I was so cruel? Why would I invite you here to treat him if I had done this?" He ended in a shout. The dog whimpered and attempted to crawl under the table.

Mark let out his breath in a rush. "Hey boy. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I might hurt her." He said as he knelt down. He ran his hand down the matted coat, smiling as the dog a soft woof.

Sammie shoved her hands in her pockets. "I guess I owe you an apology. I tend to get a little obsessive about animal cruelty."

He glanced up at her. "I didn't beat him but somebody did."

She nodded soberly as she bent down to study the animal. "He's got dirt crusted into those cuts. They'll need to be washed out thoroughly. That leg will need to be x-rayed. Will probably need to be put in a cast."

She looked up at him thoughtfully. "Are you planning on keeping him?"

Mark sighed as he stood up. "I don't know. I'm not home that much."

"That's too bad." She said as she rubbed the dog's ears. "Golden retriever like this makes a really good pet. Unless someone claims him in the next couple days we'll have to put him down."

"Put him down? Kill him?" Mark asked in shock.

She nodded. "Unfortunately without someone to care for him we would have to let him go."

"You know dad, Pete wouldn't have a problem talking care of him when we're gone." Laney called from the doorway. "Pete's our stable hand. He lives in a little cottage behind the stables." She explained to the vet.

Mark bit his lip. "So you think we should keep him?" He asked his daughter.

She laughed. "I think we have to. He's the only one that will eat your cooking. Besides you're already in love with him."

He gave an embarrassed laugh as Sammie looked up at him speculatively. "I guess that settles that."

She nodded as she tried not to smile. "I'll have to take him in. We have to quarantine him for ten days to rule out rabies." She looked up at him with her eyes twinkling. "You can visit."

Laney waited until they had settled the dog in the car and the vet had driven off before she approached her father.

"She's cute." She teased.

Mark turned around to glare at her. He narrowed his eyes at the big grin on her face.

"You still need a date for the wedding." She called as she danced out of his reach.

Dallas/Fort Worth

"Are you feeling better?" Jayden asked glancing over the top of the menu. She studied her friend's pale face.

Mandy shrugged. "I'm fine. I guess I just didn't realize how shook up I would get."

"I would be worried about you if it hadn't affected you." The other girl admonished. "We don't have to stay." She offered. "I'm sure you don't feel like eating right now. We could go home and you could lie down."

"No." Mandy said shaking her head. "I need some time to calm down before I see Shawn." She held up the desert menu. "Besides this triple chocolate cake looks pretty tempting."

"Well I guess chocolate is better than alcohol." Jayden mused smiling. "Better tasting too." She waited until they had ordered before continuing. "You're going to have to tell him something."

"Who Shawn?" Mandy asked pretending innocence.

"That is the man you're marring in two weeks." The red head pointed out.

"But that's why I can't tell him." The other girl protested.

Jayden looked confused. "I think you lost me there."

'How would you feel if you were going to get married next week and Dave comes to you with this big secret?" Mandy suggested.

"How do you think I would feel if he waited until after the wedding to tell me?"