Chapter 193
[ 479 words ]
Chapter 193:
The accusation was precise, and it landed exactly where Caroline intended.
Beatrice’s composure shattered. She looked down at the whimpering dog in her arms, at the fresh blood staining her sleeve, and her face drained of color. For the first time, there was something
like fear beneath the fury.
“Take him,” Beatrice spat, her voice shaking with humiliation. “If he dies, that’s on you.”
Caroline stepped forward slowly, keeping both hands visible until Beatrice thrust the dog toward her. She gathered the trembling Cavapoo into her arms with careful, practiced gentleness,
supporting his chest and hips instead of pulling on his legs.
Doodles whimpered once, then pressed his shaking body against her.
Caroline’s hand immediately went to the torn bandage. She applied gentle, steady pressure to control the bleeding without compressing the surgical site.
“You’re okay,” she murmured, though her eyes stayed on Beatrice. “I’ve got you.”
Beatrice backed away, jabbing a shaking finger at Caroline. “You haven’t heard the last of this. My family’s lawyers will be in contact.”
“Good,” Caroline said. “Tell them to request the police report and the vet records.”
с𝘩i𝘯еѕ𝘦 n𝘰𝗏𝖾𝗅𝘀 𝘵𝘳аո𝗌l𝘢𝘵е𝘥 𝘰n 𝗴𝗮𝗹ո𝘰𝘷𝖾𝗹𝘴.со𝗆
The crowd reacted with another ripple of murmurs.
Beatrice’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. Her humiliation had become visible now, spreading red along her throat and under the sharp line of her jaw.
She turned and stormed toward the exit, her stilettos cracking against the concrete like gunshots.
A store employee in a blue polo hurried after her. “Ma’am, you need to stay until—”
Beatrice cut him a look so vicious he stopped mid-step.
The automatic doors slid open, and she disappeared into the sunlight.
The crowd lingered for a moment, uncertain, phones still raised.
Caroline looked up at them, her face softening by force. The lethal stillness drained away, replaced by the exhausted, frightened civilian she needed them to see.
_ The shows over, she said quietly. Someone please call the emergency vet on Wisconsin Avenue. Tell them Im bringing Doodles back In.
The woman in the green fleece was already dialing. “I have them.”
“Thank you.” Caroline turned to the store employee. “I need clean towels, if you have them. And please preserve the security footage. The police will need it.”
The employee swallowed, staring at the blood on the dog and then at the scattered cat-food cans from the earlier impact. “Yes. Of course.”
Caroline sank carefully to one knee beside the cart, keeping Doodles against her chest. Her back screamed where it had struck the metal shelving, but she ignored it. Pain could wait. Bleeding
could not.
Doodles shivered in her arms, small and hot and terrified.
“Stay with me,” she whispered.
Her phone buzzed once in her hand.
For a terrible second, she thought it was Bell.
Or Jarrod.
Or the beginning of the chain reaction she had fought so hard to avoid.
But the screen only showed the veterinary clinic’s number lighting up as the woman in green connected the call.
Caroline exhaled slowly.
Not safe.
Not even close.
But contained.
For now, that would have to be enough.
.
.
.
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