Blinded by Beauty (Doms of Destiny, Colorado 8)

“Not for at least a week it isn’t.”

“That’s impossible. I have things I must do. Sammie is about to deliver pups. I have dogs halfway through their training that need to continue. And I still must find my other four dogs.”

Chance could hear the anxiety in her tone. “Sweetheart, Lyle is taking care of Annie and the other dogs. Jason hasn’t stopped looking for Rex, Blue, King, and Rosie. He won’t stop until they are found. There’s nothing you need to do but listen to Doc.”

“Fine, but I don’t have to like what he has to say.”

Doc laughed. “No you don’t. If any of your dogs jumped on you and opened your wound, we’d be back to square one. About your performance tonight, as long as your band lets you sit onstage, I don’t see a problem with it.”

“Don’t worry about that, Doc,” Chance said, putting his arm around Kaylyn. “We’ll make sure she follows all your orders.”

“Tyrants.” Kaylyn laughed. “Fine. What about sex, Doc? How long do I have to wait before I have sex?”

Chance grinned but wanted to know, too. One thing about Kaylyn, she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.

“You’re free to have sex but just don’t put pressure on your leg.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.” Kaylyn’s excited tone made him happy.

He could feel his cock begin to stir. “Doc, I’ll make sure of that, too.”

* * * *

“None of this is adding up.” With Sugar at his feet, Jaris sat across from Jason Wolfe in his office. “The fucker shot Kaylyn, Sheriff.”

“Yes, he did.” Wolfe was a good lawman. He’d found the shooter and had him and his buddies in custody. The bastard, a Dr. Leland Potter from Salt Lake City, was just down the hall in a cell, not thirty feet from where he and Jason were now. “Potter acted shocked during the interrogation, though I’m not buying it. All five of them said they didn’t realize they were on private property.”

“Bullshit. I know that the Stones have their property clearly posted everywhere.”

“There are a lot of roads into their land, Jaris. It’s one of the largest ranches in Swanson County. Nicole checked out the cattle guard the doctors claimed to have driven through. The sign was missing.”

“Did you check their trucks for the sign?”

“We did. Nothing. Each of them passed the breathalyzer test, too.”

“So they want us to believe that five doctors went on a coyote hunting trip together to bond with each other, and just accidently ended up on Stone Ranch, and somehow got lost, and Potter’s gun accidently went off, and Kaylyn got shot, and none of them saw her, or us, or our missing dogs? Bullshit. I’m the one who’s blind, not those fuckers, right?”

“All good points, Jaris. I don’t believe Potter and his buddies were hunting coyote, but I don’t have any proof. Being physicians, they have a team of high-paid lawyers who have already contacted me. The slimeballs are already on their way to Destiny to make sure their clients get released ASAP. Even though they were trespassing, I don’t have enough to hold Potter’s buddies, but I can keep hi

m in the tank until his attorney arrives. After that, I will have to release him, too. All five will have to go to court, but Ethel has set Potter’s court date for next week, so he will have to remain in town even if he makes bail. A small consolation, but it’s all we have at the moment.”

Jaris heard the door open.

“Hey, Kaylyn,” the sheriff said. “How are you doing?”

“I’m much better, Jason. Do you know anything about my four dogs?”

The sound of her voice warmed Jaris all over. Listening, Jaris heard the squeak from Kaylyn’s wheelchair and the footsteps of Chance with Annie. He’d left them alone again this morning. It was the right thing to do, though it had felt like a punch in the gut.

They belong together, Jaris. Don’t fuck things up. You care about both of them.

He took a deep breath, trying to push down his pain.

“Still no sign of them, I’m sorry to say.”

“Honey, it’s going to be okay.” Chance placed Kaylyn’s wheelchair between Jaris and the empty chair. Chance took the seat, keeping her between them. “What about the shooter?”

“I was just filling in Jaris about what we know so far. We have the man who shot you in custody. Him and his friends.”