One Day in Apple Grove(69)
Jack’s words went straight to her heart; she knew how hard this was for him.
***
Jack watched the way the woman who claimed to be Jamie’s owner frowned as Jamie jumped up on Cait. “Jamie, down,” he said.
The dog put his little rump on the floor and raised his front paw. “Good boy,” Cait said with a smile, shaking his paw.
“Do you mind if I see the adoption papers?” Jack knew he’d have to turn Jamie over to her, but he didn’t have to make it easy for her.
When she started to protest, Mitch added his two cents. “Seems only right, since Jack here was the one who found Jamie running wild out on Eden Church Road.”
“I was there that night too,” Cait said. “He had to catch him first. If he hadn’t Jamie wouldn’t be sitting here so healthy and happy right now.”
Ms. Blackwell finally acquiesced. “I adopted him from the Newark Animal Shelter.”
“But that’s forty-five minutes away by car,” Jack said, scanning the paperwork. The picture was definitely the dog who’d been spending his nights sleeping in Jack’s bed. “How do you think he got all the way over here?” he asked, handing the paperwork to Cait for her to look it over.
“I have no idea,” the woman said, but there was something in her eyes that he didn’t trust. She was lying; he was sure of it.
“Lucky for you, Jack was out by the McCormack farm last week,” Cait told her. Jack was grateful for the interruption; he needed to think about what to do. Did he have legal recourse? Wasn’t possession nine-tenths of the law? He’d have to ask Mitch.
Before he could ask, Cait did. “I thought possession was nine-tenths of the law.”
Mitch frowned. “Unless there is proof otherwise.”
Ms. Blackwell had obviously had enough. “I have an appointment. May I have my dog, please?”
Jack wanted to say no but knew he had to say yes. “We have all of his stuff in the Jeep.”
“He didn’t have anything when I…that is when he ran away.”
That one slip might be all the ammunition he’d need in order to get Jamie back. With a glance at Cait, he knew she’d heard it too. Their gazes met and held; they’d let Jamie go now, in order to get him back in a few days.
“Then you don’t need his bed, food, treats, and dog toys?” He watched her face go from determined to confused.
“I don’t have—” she began only to stop and start again. “Since you won’t be needing any of it, thank you. I’m sure it’ll make him more comfortable.”
“No problem.” But it would be for her, because Jack intended to find out all that he could about the woman. He’d made a mental note of her address; he’d be checking up on his dog.
Jack handed her Jamie’s leash, but Jamie was far less cooperative. He lay down and wouldn’t budge. “Come, Crackers,” she demanded.
Jamie didn’t even acknowledge her command. He closed his eyes.
She tugged on the leash. “Crackers.”
Jack had seen enough, unsure if the woman would raise a hand to the dog, he told her, “He answers to Jamie or Jameson.”
“I named him Crackers.”
Needing to prove his point to Ms. Blackwell, he walked over to stand beside her and said, “Jamie, come.” The dog got up and walked over to where Jack stood and promptly sat down, waiting for his next command.
“Fine,” the woman grumbled. “Jamie, come.” She tugged on his leash again.
Jack’s heart broke watching the way Jamie looked at him, but after the second tug, the dog must have sensed he had to go. Smart dog, Jack thought watching him go.
“I’ll help you get his stuff,” Cait said, tugging on Jack’s arm.
Grateful, he nodded. They transferred the bags to the trunk of the woman’s silver, four door, late model Mercedes. Figures, he thought.
While Ms. Blackwell tried to get Jamie into the backseat of her car, he said, “He gets motion sickness unless you keep the window open. He likes to ride shotgun.”
“Shotgun?”
Cait snickered, and said, “In the passenger seat.”
With a hand to her pearls, she said, “Oh.”
When everything was loaded up and Jamie was in the backseat, Jack had to dig deep to keep from going over to the car, ripping the door open, and grabbing Jamie.
The hand at his back stopped him; Cait’s touch centered him. With a heavy heart, he watched Jamie spin around and put his paws on the top of the back of the seat, watching them as the Benz drove away.
“Let me drive you home,” Cait offered.
“I’m OK,” he told her, holding the passenger door open for her. “Are you hungry?”