Alone in the Dark Read Free Page A

am also an incredible listener."

    He knew where she was going with this. Once or twice before she'd tried to nudge him
    toward a conversation that involved something more private than how King was doing. He'd
    steered clear of it then, as well. He had no desire to share any of himself. He was what he
    was and had no need for human contact of any kind.

    Inclining his head, he slipped King's leash around his neck. Brady had witnessed enough
    routineexams to know that this one was over. "Too bad you don't have anything to listen
    to."

    Couldn't say she didn't try, Patience thought. But then, Coltrane was a hard nut to crack.
    And she knew when to back off. Picking up the dog's chart, she began making the
    necessary notations.

    "Well, I'm available if you ever feel you have something to say."

    "I won't," he assured her. Everything he felt remained inside. It was best that way. There had been a period when he'd thought of himself as a walking time bomb, but he had gotten
    that under control. His father's demise had done that.

    King responded to the hand signal he gave the dog, leaping off the table and then standing
    almost at attention at his heel. "So, how's King?"

    "Fitter than most people I know." Retiring her pen, she slipped it back into her pocket and nipped the chart closed. Patience paused to pet the dog. "Okay, boy, you're free to go."
    King looked to Brady for a command. Patience raised her eyes to the patrolman, as well.
    "I'll see you next month."

    Brady made no reply, merely nodded. In another moment man and dog were out the door.

    It was almost time to open her doors. She glanced at her calendar to see when her first
    appointment was due in. Not until nine. That meant she could allow herself a decent cup of
    coffee.

    "That is one quiet man," she murmured to the dog who followed her around like a faithful, furry shadow. She'd rescued Tacoma, a mix of husky and God only knew what else, when
    she'd come across the stray, dirty, starving and bleeding on the side of the road one night.
    She'd taken her to the clinic and ministered to the dog, keeping vigil until she finally pulled
    through.Tacomahad rewarded her the only way she knew how, by permanently giving
    Patience her heart.

    She heard the bell over the door ring. That wasn't hernine o'clockappointment and, most
    likely, it wasn't her receptionist yet. Shirley never came in early. Maybe Coltrane finally
    wanted to say something.

    "Forget something?"

    She turned around to see Brady in the doorway. He was holding a single perfect pink rose
    in his hand.

Chapter 2
    «^»

    " B rady?"

    Patience cocked her head, as if that would somehow help her take in the image of Brady
    holding on to a large German shepherd with one hand and a delicate rose in the other.
    She'd never seen anything quite so incongruous in her life. He'd be the last man in the
    world she'd think would offer flowers of any kind, much less a single rose.

    Just goes to show that one never really knows a person.

    Her smile widened as she held out her hand.

    Brady realized by the look on her face what she had to be thinking. That the flower was
    from him. But why would that even cross her mind? There was nothing between them other
    than a loose, nodding acquaintance that spanned the last two years. Maybe something could
    have happened between them were he someone else, were he not hollow inside with no hope
    of ever changing that condition.

    But he wasn't someone else and he'd never given the gregarious veterinarian any reason to
    think that he was. Or that he thought of her as anything other than the police vet.

    Even if, once in a while, he did.

    There was no way for her to know that. No reason for her to entertain the thought that
    he would be the one to give her a flower.

    But someone had given her this gift.

    A feel of loss echoed inside him, although for the life of him he didn't know why.

    Bemused, Patience crossed to him. A smile curved her lips as she looked up into his