And Caitlyn.
Oh, God! Poor Caitlyn! Please let her be all right! But the nearer she got to the child, the more evident it became that she wouldnt get the answer she hoped for with her prayer. The girl lay deathly still. Bright red tears on her fragile arm seeped blood into the grass.
Jack snatched up a plastic baseball bat littering his yard amongst other lawn toys and tried to ward off the dog. Get away from her, you vicious beast!
Sam snarled and snapped at the bat, but he remained poised over the girls body. Jack tried to move in closer to reach his daughter, only to be chased back by Sams angry bark.
Sams fur bristled, and he squared off with Jack, a low, menacing growl rumbling from his chest.
Sam! A sob wrenched from Megans throat. She gulped for air as she stumbled up to the grassy lawn. Her stomach knotted when she saw the childs mauled arm and scratched neck and face. Oh, no!
Do you see what that animal of yours did? Jack screamed at her, his face dark with rage. So hed never hurt a child, huh?
Her chest squeezed painfully as she heard her assertion tossed back at her in a scathing tone, and she stared at the proof of her apparent misjudgment.
IIm sorry. I never imagined Hot tears streamed down her cheeks, and without waiting for a reply, she raced up the steps of Jacks porch and into his house.
She found his cordless phone on the kitchen counter and punched in 911. Even before the emergency operator came on the line, she grabbed a kitchen towel and was rushing back outside.
Get your devil dog away from my daughter! Jack shouted when he saw her return to the yard.
Megans throat closed when she tried to call Sam off. Gripping Jacks phone with a trembling hand, she stepped closer to the dog and child, sucked in a deep breath. S-Sam, n-no! Down!
While Megan hurriedly gave the operator Jacks address and asked for an ambulance, Jack nudged the bat toward the German shepherd again. Sam barked and snapped at the bat.
Stop poking him! He thinks youre the enemy!
Damn right, Im his enemy! I could kill the monster for this! Jacks face contorted with anguish, and Megans heart thundered.
Please, put down the bat and step back! I have to calm him down!
He hesitated and cast her a wary, angry glance.
Tears stung her eyes, and his image blurred. Please.
Stepping back with a venomous glare riveted on Sam, Jack set the bat on the ground. There. Now get rid of him!
Megan shoved the phone into Jacks hand. A muscle in his jaw ticked, and his hard stare shifted to drill into her. Any trace of warmth shed seen earlier in the week at the police station had disappeared. Anger radiated from him like the waves of heat rising from the pavement. Pressing the phone to his ear, he said, No, we havent moved her.
Inching closer to Sam, Megan clucked her tongue. Easy, boy. Its okay now. Hes a friend. She saw Jacks brow furrow in disagreement with her last statement. Wetting her lips, she focused her attention on the task at hand. Down, Sam. Come here, boy. Come here.
Sam turned his head to look at her and wagged his tail. With a whimper, he licked Caitlyns face then trotted over to Megans side.
Immediately, Jack flew to Caitlyn, falling to his knees. Caitlyn? Sweetie, its Daddy. His voice broke, and the love and concern in his tone twisted Megans heart.
Down! Stay! she told Sam fiercely. The dog settled on his stomach and laid his chin on his outstretched paws. The black eyes that peered up at her reflected the same sweet eagerness to please that characterized the Sam she knew and loved. The Sam that could attack a little girl puzzled and horrified her.
Megan hurried back across the yard, crouching beside Jack as he stroked the hair back from Caitlyns face. She used the towel still clutched in her hand to staunch the bleeding on Caitlyns arm. Caitlyn, sweetie. Can you hear me? she crooned.
Four years old. Almost five, Jack said into the phone then glanced around at Megan. A dog attacked her. No, shes unconscious.
When Jack fell silent, Megan met his worried gaze. Let me drive you two to the hospital. I want to do something to help.
An ambulance is on its way. A muscle twitched in his jaw, and he hitched his head
Im not a baby, Caitlyn grumbled in a sleepy voice. My arm hurts. Her bottom lip poked out in a familiar pout.
I know, munchkin. Im sorry.
Stroking her hand with his thumb, he thought how small and fragile her little hand looked, and his chest constricted. She was so tiny, so dependent on him. He had no room to mess up. He had to do a better job taking care of Caitlyn because she had no one else.
Jack picked up the cup beside the bed. You want a sip of water?
She shook her head, her eyes heavy-lidded. Daddy, do they give awards to doggies if theyre heroes?
Knitting his brow, he fumbled to answer her out-of-left-field question. Hed become accustomed to her fastball questions catching him off guard, and hed learned to anticipate, with some success, where the questions might lead.
I suppose if a doggie did something very brave, they might give him some kind of award.