Love's Taming(82)

Sucking her lips in, Annie averted her eyes. “Well, I think I will tell him that I am going shopping. There’s no reason to worry him.”

Carl and Suzanne shared another look over Annie’s head and Carl just shook his head as Suzanne rolled her eyes.

* * *

Shane left the next morning to go to the station and Annie was ready to leave as soon as he did. Thank goodness he didn’t think anything about me going shopping early on a Saturday morning. Feeling slightly guilty that she was doing some snooping without telling him, she knew that he would have had a fit if she had confessed her intent.

Within a half an hour she had picked up Carl and they were driving out of town.

“Where’s our first stop?” he asked yawning loudly.

“I’ve got three I want to check out based on the emails from my vet friends in the county. The first one is on the north side of town and is the closest. Then we will hit two on the west side of the city, toward Jefferstown.”

Arriving at the first market, they were greeted by a hive of activity. Colorful tents were set up, each filled with produce overflowing with locally grown vegetables, berries, and plants for sale. They started on one end of the market and wandered along the aisle. Carl couldn’t help but stop and buy some produce as they were looking.

“Come on, Annie. Don’t tell me you aren’t tempted by these berries.”

She had to admit that they looked scrumptious and found herself buying some as well. “You know I’m here for dogs and you are tempting me with food,” she jokingly accused. By the time they finished walking the entire market, they finally found one older gentleman sitting on the tailgate of his ancient, beat-up pickup truck. He had a large, clean crate with four bloodhound puppies in it, all clambering for attention.

Annie immediately went over to the truck to look at the dogs. The puppies were clean and healthy, their coats shining and eyes bright.

“They are gorgeous,” she exclaimed as the dogs immediately jumped and bayed for her attention. Carl had to laugh at the antics of the puppies as he examined them also.

“Did you breed them?” Annie asked.

The old farmer puffed up proudly as he answered, “Yep. My old gal, Sallie’s their momma. Thought she was beyond breedin’ years, but she went huntin’ with my son and his dogs. All hounds, just like her.” He chuckled in telling his story. “Didn’t know Sallie could still have any more puppies, but this here is her last. As soon as I could, I got her spayed.” Looking down in the crate, he gazed fondly at the last of his dog’s brood.

“They are beautiful animals. I can see they are well kept,” Annie said sincerely.

The old man’s clear gaze met hers as he announced, “Young woman, I love my farm, I love my family.” Smiling, he added, “I’ve loved one woman and she is still the light of my life. And I love my dog. I’m a lucky man.”

Carl came up behind Annie as she stood smiling back. “Then I think they are very lucky as well.”

Saying goodbye to the puppies and the old farmer, they made their way back to the car. Carl looked over to her as she was quietly pulling back onto the highway.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“I guess I had gotten it into my head that anyone who sold dogs out of a crate was some kind of a money-grubbing dog peddler.”

“Do you still want to check out some others?” he asked while popping fresh berries in his mouth.

“Absolutely! Why? Are you tired already?”

“Nope. Drive on, doc. I may need refilling my berry basket by the time we get to the next one.”

Smiling, she kept driving until they pulled into the next market. Their experience there was very similar to the first one they had visited. At this market, they found several dog owners with puppies for sale. The puppies looked healthy and she found nothing suspicious about the families that were selling.

Piling back into the car again, they drove to the next market, the one farthest from town. At the end of the produce section was a panel van with the sounds of barking coming from inside. Approaching cautiously, they walked toward the noise.

A young man stepped out of the first van, throwing open the back door to show a crate crowded with puppies. The puppies were skinny with runny eyes. The man eyed them as he said, “You interested in pure-bred dogs, lady?”

Annie could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rise as she realized that several other men got out of their van and had circled behind her and Carl as they looked at the dogs.

“Doc,” Carl said under his breath, trying not to move his lips as he whispered. “We need to get out of here.”

Annie felt his fear as strongly as she felt hers. Turning quickly, she smiled broadly as she said in a sing-song voice, “Awww, these puppies are darling! What kind are they?”