Rory: Hope City, Book 7 by Maryann Jordan (uplifting books for women txt) 📕

The shelter was located on the corner of a large block of brick buildings. “You ever been here?”

Shania nodded. “We don’t get called here often. I think I’ve only been here twice in the last five years. They’ve got a good reputation. The alley behind the shelter is enclosed with a chain-link fence and there are a bunch of dog runs inside. They don’t take in just any animal, and they don’t overcrowd.”

Parking outside, he was glad to see a police cruiser and Animal Control vehicle already there. “Good, we can focus on whoever got bitten and not have to worry about fighting off a dog.”

Hustling inside, he was met with a cacophony of barking, and a young woman ran up, pointing them to the back.

“It’s our director, Glenna Parker. She was dealing with a new dog, and he suddenly turned on her and clamped down on her arm!”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Shania said. “Why don’t you stay here and keep everyone else out, and we’ll go on back.”

Entering one of the large rooms in the back, Rory saw Animal Control taking charge of a large, mixed-breed dog, still barking and snarling. One of the police officers was standing next to the door leading to the alley, talking to a blonde woman whose back was to them as she held the leash to a dog who was barking but appeared under control. In a smaller room to the side, another officer was with a middle-aged woman whose face was pinched with pain and what looked to be irritation, holding a towel onto her arm. He and Shania hustled over.

“I don’t want them putting that dog down,” the woman said, ignoring Rory and Shania as she strained to see what Animal Control was doing in the large room. “I think he was injured when I was checking him out, that’s why he snapped at me.”

“Ma’am, what’s your name?” Shania asked, her voice soothing.

“Glenna. Glenna Parker. I’m in charge of the shelter.”

“Well, Glenna, let’s get you into this chair over here, take a look at your arm, and get you fixed up.”

“I’ve got to give my report,” Glenna continued to protest while allowing Shania to lead her to a chair.

“The sooner we can check out your injury, the sooner you can get to the dogs,” Rory said, unwrapping the bloody towel. Once her arm was exposed and cleaned, he could see she was going to need stitches. “Ms. Parker, you’re going to need to go to the hospital. I’m assuming your rabies vaccine is up-to-date.”

His lips twitched at the perturbed expression she shot his way.

“I’d hardly be working here if it wasn’t,” she sighed heavily, lifting her uninjured hand to her forehead, rubbing gently. “I do apologize for snapping at you.” She snorted, lifting her gaze back to him and Shania. “Snapping. That’s exactly what the dog did to me. Injured and frightened, and it just reacted.”

“That’s all right, ma’am. You need to have your arm x-rayed because I can’t be sure that the bone was not injured as well. We’ll transport you to the hospital where they can get you checked out and fixed up.”

She nodded, sighing once again. “I understand, and you’re right.” Twisting her head toward the back, she called out, “Jack, the dog has had its shots, but I know you have to quarantine it for now. Plus, I need the vet to come in. Sandy? Can you take care of that?”

Rory’s head jerked around so quickly he felt a sharp pain in his neck. The blonde woman in the back talking to the police officer had turned around to look at Glenna. Sandy? Dressed in sneakers, jeans, and a long-sleeved t-shirt with her hair pulled up into a ponytail, she looked so different from the woman in the bar or wedding… and yet so familiar. And beautiful. She hadn’t looked at him yet but replied to Glenna.

“I’ll call the vet and make sure the animals are fine before I leave. Do you want me to pick you up from the hospital?”

“No, I’ll have my husband come. I want to come back here and make sure everything is taken care of before I go home, anyway.”

“I don’t mind staying,” Sandy said.

Rory watched as Sandy’s gaze moved from the shelter director past Shania before landing on him. Her eyes widened, and even from across the room with dogs barking loudly he could swear he heard her gasp before she jerked back toward the police officer.

Shocked that she was in an inner-city animal shelter warred with concern that she would be there with all the animals, especially since Animal Control was placing the dog in question into one of the kennels there and not taking it with them.

“Let’s go,” Shania ordered, pulling his attention back to their patient.

With no other choice, they walked Glenna out to the ambulance, assisting her into the back where she settled onto the gurney, allowing Bobby to take over the monitoring.

Once at the hospital Emergency Room, Bobby headed back to the ambulance and Shania completed the paperwork. Taking a moment, Rory turned to Glenna. “The woman that was in the shelter with you…”

For the first time since meeting her, Glenna smiled. “That’s Sandy. She’s the best volunteer I have. She’ll be fine with the animals. She’s a big chicken when it comes to blood but is amazing with the animals.”

More questions filled his mind, but Shania walked past and said, “Okay, Glenna, we’re turning you over to the hospital. Take care.”

With no other opportunity to speak to the shelter manager in private, he simply nodded and followed Shania out the door, his mind still struggling to comprehend a woman like Sandy volunteering in an inner-city animal shelter mucking out dog kennels. He lifted his hand and rubbed his chest, realizing how much she’d been right in her assessment of him—he’d misjudged her, and that didn’t sit well with him at all.

“Here I am sitting at the bar