CHAPTER 3
Two hours later, Chris was showered and dressed in surgical scrubs, courtesy of the doctor's receptionist. He was in the waiting room along with the rest of the team, except Vin. The sharpshooter was still in the hospital himself and would be for several days. His doctor had sedated him, again, to keep him from following the others after he'd heard what had happened to his canine friend.
The door opened and the vet joined the men in the room. He smiled tiredly.
"Gentlemen, I'm Doctor Nick Barker. Sorry we didn't get to introductions earlier. Is this your dog?" he asked Chris.
"No, she's a friend of a friend. But she took that bullet for me. And she helped bring in an escaped murderer."
"I see. Well then, I'm very happy to report that neither the bullet nor the knife struck anything vital. She did lose quite a bit of blood, which will keep her condition critical until she regains some strength. We'll keep a close eye on her for the next few days."
"Anything she needs, Doc, I'll cover all the expenses," Chris insisted.
"We'll help," Buck added. The others nodded their agreement. "And I'm sure Vin will want to kick in some too."
"Well, I'm glad to see so many people concerned about her. By the way, does she have a name?" the doctor asked.
"No," Buck explained. "She's not really a pet. Vin said she started hanging around the forest near his cabin after he freed her from a trap. He just calls her wolf."
"So Vin Tanner is involved with this animal, huh? I should have known." Barker smiled.
"You know Vin?" Chris asked.
"There's not many people in my office that haven't met Vin. He's rather a champion for the sick and injured of the animal kingdom. If Vin is a friend of this wolf, my staff will be sure to take extra good care of her. Mr. Tanner is well-respected and well-liked here. He purchased our surgical equipment." This bit of information surprised the men of the team. But then again, it was just like Tanner.
"Well, I guess he had to do something with all the money he made," Buck muttered.
"Speaking of Vin I'd really like to get to the hospital to see him," Chris said. "Doc, any chance I can get to see the wolf before I leave? Vin will want some reassurance that she's okay."
"Vin was hurt?" the doctor asked, concerned for his friend.
"Yeah, the bastard we were chasing when the wolf got hurt blew up Vin's cabin." At the doctor's expression, Chris continued. "He's okay. Some bumps and bruises, and a broken arm. The doctors wanted to keep him overnight for observation."
"Good. I think it would be okay for you to see the wolf. But just a short visit. She needs her rest."
Chris followed the doctor back to the room where the wolf lay on an examination table, her black fur a startling contrast to the white bandages wrapped around her body. Chris reached out his hand and scratched behind her ear, leaning over the unconscious animal.
"You did good, girl. I owe you a steak dinner. You kept watch over Vin until we got there and you saved my life. You truly are man's best friend. Thank you." He turned and saw the doctor standing in the doorway. "Your receptionist has my number. I'd appreciate a call when she starts to wake up."
"I think we can do that. Tell Vin hello for me. And assure him that his friend is in good hands"
The two men shook hands, then Chris and the others headed to the hospital.
/
The next afternoon
Vin Tanner opened his eyes slowly, listening to the soft voices around him.
"Hey, Cowboy. How ya feelin'?" Vin looked up into Chris' concerned face.
"Chris," he muttered, blinking his eyes and trying to clear the fuzz from his brain.
"Take it slow, Vin. The medication's still got ya groggy. You slept all night and most of today," Nathan said from the other side of the bed.
"Sit up?"
Larabee reached for the controls and raised the bed. Vin looked around and found the rest of the team sitting on the floor and in chairs around the room. He smiled when he realized everyone was there. He was glad they were all okay.
He'd been too out of it the night before to grasp too much of what they'd told him had happened. And the men had spent the morning at Vin's cabin, salvaging what they could, so this was the first chance they'd had to really talk to him about the incident.
"Grissom?"
"In custody, thanks to a well-placed bullet from Buck and an equally well-placed knee from JD." Chris smiled and glanced at the two men.
At Vin's confused look, Chris explained what had happened. After Nathan embellished JD's part in the apprehension, Vin started to chuckle softly, which turned into full-blown laughter, only stopped when he grimaced in pain from his sore ribs.
"Oh, JD, thank you. Buck great shot! It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy." He turned to Chris, his smile gone. "The wolf? I remember something about the wolf being hurt."
"She's gonna be okay. She lost a lot of blood, but Doc Barker was able to repair the damage. They'll keep a real close eye on her the next couple of days, make sure she's healing well."
"Nick's a good man. Best animal doctor I've ever seen. Thanks for bringing her in, Chris."
"That damn wolf saved my life, Vin," Chris told his friend. "She took a bullet meant for me. Not to mention she helped us find you. I figured I owed her."
"Once she's better, I'll take her back to my place, help her get better." The others exchanged looks. Chris averted his eyes, looking out the window. "What? What is it?"
Larabee glanced at the others, than turned back to Tanner. He cleared his throat and looked away again. "Chris?" When the older man wouldn't meet his eyes, Vin lightly tapped his arm, forcing him to look at his injured friend.
"Vin, I'm sorry. There, ah, there ain't nothing left of your place, except the barn and the corral."
Vin slumped against the pillow. He'd assumed there was some damage, but hadn't known the extent.
"Nothing?" he asked in disbelief.
Chris shook his head. "The cabin's gone, Vin. Grissom totally destroyed it. We were able to salvage a few pieces of furniture and some books, a couple photos, a few other items, but the house is a total loss." When Vin didn't respond, Chris continued. "We took what we found to my place. And your horse and jeep are there, too. You can stay with me until you decide what to do."
"Damn. I guess I'm lucky I got out of there," he said softly.
"Yeah! Real lucky, Cowboy."
Vin stared at the ceiling. Suddenly he sat up and grimaced in pain at the sharp movement.
"Easy, Vin." Larabee put a hand on his shoulder to keep him from moving too fast.
"Chris! My picture!"
"The one of your ma? We found it. It'll need a new frame, but the photo is intact. It must have been blown clear." Chris knew that the photo was the only one Vin had of his mother and had been sure to look for it when he and the others had gone to the site to salvage what they could. "Ezra found it underneath some debris." He patted Vin on the shoulder to let him know everything was okay.
A sigh of relief escaped Vin's lips. "And Elmer?"
"Doing fine. Seems happy to have some company. I cleaned out that end stall for him. He's in heaven."
"Are you spoiling my horse?" Vin asked with a frown. "He'll never wanna go back to that drafty old barn."
"He can always stay. Hell, most of the time you bring him over to my place to ride anyway. It'll take a while to re-build your place, so I thought you could stay with me in the meantime. You're welcome there for as long as you want."
"I don't want to put you out."
"I'll be happy for the company," Chris assured him.
"Alright then. But just until I get my place re-built." The two men exchanged smiles. Vin looked around at his friends and gave a smile nod. They were all okay; Grissom was back in jail where he belonged. And he would be out of the hospital in a couple of days. Things were good.
/
One Week Later
Chris and Vin walked through the door of the Vet's office. Tanner was awkwardly using a cane, and had a thick brace around his knee and a cast on his arm. The bruises were beginning to fade and the cuts and burns were healing, but he still looked like he met head-on with semi.
"Vin! My lord, you are a sight! Are you okay?" The middle-aged woman behind the desk came through the half-door and gave the young man a gentle hug.
"I'm fine, Sandy. Is Doc Barker in?"
"He's doing a check-up on your wolf. Go on back." Vin led Chris into the back room and saw Barker and a young woman with blue hair crouched near a large cage on the floor. They could hear the pair talking as they walked in.
"Damn," the doctor said. "I really don't want to sedate her just to take vitals. We won't get an accurate reading."
"Problem, Doc?" Barker turned and smiled at the two men behind him.
"Vin! Glad to see you up and around. Your friend here is a little frightened."
Vin limped closer and saw the ebony animal tucked up against the rear of the cage, trying to get as far away from humans as possible. The young woman stared at Vin as he stopped next to her. "Hi Steph," he said. She smiled shyly at him but didn't say a word. She'd developed a crush on Vin the first time she'd met him and always got tongue-tied around him.
"Chris, give me hand," Vin said, setting his cane aside and grabbing the edge of a nearby counter. He started to lower himself to the floor.
"Tanner, what the hell are you doing?" Chris took hold of his arm.
"Just help me down. I need to be able to look her in the eyes."
"Let me do that. You'll never get up off the floor."
"Ain't that what you're here for?" Tanner asked with a smirk.
"Stubborn ass cowboy." But Chris helped his friend settle in on the floor. For a minute, Vin just sat there with his hand on his leg. Slowly he began moving it closer to the wolf, letting her get used to Vin sitting there. As the canine got a good sniff of Vin's scent, she moved closer, recognizing her friend. Still in pain, she moved slowly, and after several minutes, she lay her head down on Vin's thigh and closed her eyes.
Vin talked to her and rubbed a reassuring hand on her head as the doctor finished his exam. "When can I take her home, Doc?"
"She's going to need a lot of follow up care, Vin." The doctor eyed the cast and brace on Vin's body. "I'm not sure you'd be able to handle it all in your condition."
"He'll have help, Doc," Chris said, smiling at Vin's surprised look. "We can set something up on the back deck."
"Chris, you don't need to…" Larabee raised his hand to halt Vin's protest.
"Tanner, I told you, that you were welcome there. That goes for the wolf too. I owe that animal my life Vin. The least I can do is give her a safe place to recuperate."
Vin smiled in gratitude and looked down at the wolf, still lying in his lap. "What do you say, girl? Think Chris can put up with both of us, as stubborn as we are?"
Chris snorted. "You forget, I've put up with Buck for over a decade. You two will be a piece of cake. At least I won't have to clean up after you."
A soft bark punctuated his remarks, causing both men to laugh. The wolf's tail softly bounced on the bottom of the cage, her contentment obvious.
"Well, I guess that's a consensus then."
"Well, gentlemen? Is everything okay?" the doctor asked, looking up from his chart.
"Yeah, Doc, everything's fine," Chris said. "Both of the wounded will be staying with me. When can we take her home?"
"Anytime. I'll have Stephanie type up a list of instructions for our patient's care…the wolf's, not Vin's." Chris and Barker shared a laugh at Vin's scowl.
"They're picking on us, girl," he told the wolf and received a soft growled in reply.
"I'll pull the truck around." Chris left as the doctor started talking to Vin about the animal's care.
/
Three Weeks Later
"Chris, we can't keep her confined any longer. She's basically a wild animal. She can't stay caged up like this."
"Vin, the doctor said he needs to check her one last time. Now, I've put a call into him to see when he can make it up here. You don't want her to be released before she's completely healthy, do you? She has to be able to survive out there."
The two men watched the wolf pace around the enclosure they'd made on the back deck. "If the Doc can't make it out here today, I'm letting her loose."
"Fine! I'll try to call again." Exasperated, Chris picked up the phone.
Vin opened the door and limped out onto the deck. He now wore a smaller brace on his knee and would for another couple of weeks while he continued physical therapy. But he wasn't so stiff and was able to sit in the chair with relative ease. The wolf continued to pace for several minutes, while Tanner watched her. Then she came over and sat next to him. He reached out and scratched her ear.
"I'm sorry, girl, it won't be much longer. I'm sure Chris never bargained for this. I'll bet he's regretting his decision to let us stay."
"Not on your life, Cowboy," Larabee said from where he leaned against the doorjamb, his arms crossed against his chest. "I don't regret it for a second. And Doc Barker is on his way up. Should be here in about thirty minutes."
Vin smiled. "Hear that, girl? Won't be long now and we can let you go. Get you back out there running around in the woods." The wolf stared at Chris for a long minute, then placed her head on Vin's thigh. The animal seemed more like a pet every day, Chris thought. More dog now than wolf. He wondered if she it would still be able to fend for herself back in the wilderness.
/
Later that night, Chris was finishing up some paperwork in his home office. The doctor had given them the go ahead to release the wolf, and they'd decided to drive her up to Vin's place the next day, so she could be back in familiar territory. Vin had gone to bed about an hour earlier.
Larabee finished up his report and turned off the computer. He walked through the house turning off lights and locking doors. He glanced out to be sure the wolf was okay and shook his head when he noticed Vin lying on the deck, asleep. The wolf lay next to him, her head resting on Vin's chest.
Chris grabbed a blanket from the back of the sofa and walked outside. The wolf lifted her head watching Chris move closer. She sat up, lifting her head off Vin's chest, but placing a paw there, as if staking her claim.
"It's okay, girl," Chris said quietly. "Just don't want him to get sick laying out here in the cold." Larabee unfolded the blanket and covered up Vin's legs, then holding up one end until the wolf moved its paw. He covered up Vin's chest and started to move away.
The wolf stood and walked over to him. Chris crouched back down and stroked the animal's head, rubbing his hand down the wolf's side, lightly touching the scar from the knife wound. The wolf nudged his head, licking his face, then turned and settled back down on her human pillow.
Chris went back inside, closing the door behind him.
/
The truck pulled up to Vin's cabin site. The sharpshooter had been here earlier during his convalescence, but it still hit him hard when he realized how close he'd come to being in the cabin when it was destroyed. Grissom was back in Texas for now. He wouldn't be tried in Nevada for several months and the Texas correctional facility still had escape charges pending against him.
The two men got out of the cab and Chris lowered the tailgate and reached in to open the carrier that they'd transported the wolf in. As soon as the door was opened, a black flash of fur flew out of the cage and onto the ground. The animal gleefully ran around the property, into the woods and around the barn and corral.
Chris heard Vin's laughter as he watched the animal's obvious glee in being returned home. Chris smiled at the canine's antics. After several minutes, Vin walked toward the ruins of his house, his laughter gone now. Larabee followed him. They'd salvaged everything they could, including wood and stones. Vin planned to recycle what he could when he rebuilt.
"Winter's coming," Vin said. "Too late to start building now. Have to wait 'til spring."
"I reckon," Chris said, knowing where the conversation was heading.
"I've already been at your place a month, Chris."
"Yep. And I imagine you'll be there a few more."
Tanner shook his head. "I've imposed too long. Maybe I should…"
"It's not an imposition," Chris interrupted, shaking his head. They'd been over this before. Chris sometimes had a hard time expressing his feelings, but was determined to make his friend understand. "Vin, I've lived alone for over three years now, ever since Sarah and Adam died. I've enjoyed that solitude. But in the last month…I've come to discover that I like having someone around. I like having you around. I'm not sure I could tolerate somebody like Buck or JD for an extended period. But you don't crowd me. You give me my space when I need it."
Chris walked up beside his friend. He watched him for a couple of minutes before something occurred to him. "Vin, are you uncomfortable staying with me? You've probably lived on your own most of your adult life. I didn't even think how hard it would be for you to share living space with someone. I'm sorry, it just…"
"No, Chris, it ain't that." Vin insisted. He hung his head, but Larabee could see a small smile on his face. "I…It's just new for me. The first week I kept waking up, wondering where I was." He chuckled. "But I…I kinda like it now."
"So what's the problem?" Chris replied with a smile of his own.
"I don't wanna start liking it too much," Vin's voice grew quieter as he made this confession to his friend. "I don't want to screw it up."
Chris had never seen this side of Vin before. He knew very little about the man's past, but did know he'd lost his mother young and spent most of his childhood in foster care. He imagined that as a foster kid, you could never depend on any permanence in your life.
"Vin…" Chris wasn't sure what he wanted to say. Finally, he just decided to be frank. "I don't want you to move. Stay with me this winter. Come spring, if it ain't working out for some reason, then we can see about rebuilding up here. But I think you and I will be fine."
Vin glanced up to see Chris smiling at him. He returned the smile. "Yeah. But you'll tell me if I get on your nerves? If you want me out?"
"Trust me, you'll know. What say we head home?"
"Sounds good. I could use a beer."
"Yeah."
As they walked back to the truck, the wolf trotted toward them. She stopped a couple of feet in front of them and sat on her haunches.
"You be good, now," Vin told the wolf. "I won't be here to keep an eye on you, so be careful." Tanner walked closer, but the animal darted into the woods. "Damn stubborn cuss." Chris laughed as the two men climbed into the truck and drove away.
As the truck headed down the dirt path, the wolf walked slowly out of the trees. She watched the truck until it was lost from sight. Then she lifted her head to the sky and howled, the mournful call crying out her loneliness.
/ THE END /