Rausch & Donlon - Can Be Murder 01 - Headaches Can Be Murder Read Online Free

dogs, cows, horses, and chickens, even cats and birds, I’d guess. She’ll do right by your dog.”
    “She’s not my dog. She just came to my door last night.”
    “That’s what you think now. Just wait.”
    Before Chip could argue the point further, the plow pulled up to a building at the end of Main Street. A small sign read: Veterinary Clinic. They entered and Chip surveyed the waiting room. The floor was covered with brown-speckled tiles. Around the walls were blue fiberglass molded chairs. Incongruously, Georgia O’Keefe prints decorated the walls. The phrase “decorator’s nightmare” came to Chip’s mind.
    Iver carried the dog to the exam room, laid her on the table and called out, “Mabel, you got a patient here.”
    “Hi, Iver. Church is over, so Dr. Swanson’ll be down at the Bun. I’ll phone her. She should be here in a jiffy,” said Mabel, the sturdy-looking woman of indeterminate age with a warm smile who emerged from a room at the back of the clinic. “Don’t worry, she’ll take good care of your dog,” she said with a nod to Chip.
    “Got to get back to the plow,” said Iver as he departed.
    The exam room gleamed with stainless steel … exam table, counter tops, instruments. The pungent smell of antiseptics made the hair in Chip’s nose tingle. On the walls were anatomical posters for large animals… a cow’s GI tract, the skeleton of a horse, a pig’s inner ear.
    Chip’s preconceived notions of an Iowa farm vet were dashed when Dr. Jane Swanson entered the exam room. She looked to be a few years younger than his forty-six years. Her coppery-red hair was pulled back into a long pony tail, and her green eyes sparkled with energy. He was surprised by her size, five-foot-three at the most and probably less than 115 pounds. Her attractiveness stunned him and put him off balance for a few moments.
    “I’m Dr. Swanson. Nice to meet you. Let’s take a look at your dog.” Her handshake was firm and strong.
    As she approached the exam table, she saw the chain and spike. Her face turned toward Chip with fire in her eyes, and her mouth clamped tightly. Chip talked rapidly, explaining the circumstances and repeatedly stressing the “not my dog” part of the story. He watched as she lovingly, but thoroughly examined the dog.
    “She’s had a rough go of it. We’ll start an IV with fluids and antibiotics and keep her here so we can watch her closely. I’d say the puppies aren’t due for a couple of weeks yet. Let’s check her for a microchip.”
    “A what?”
    “Many owners have a small, rice-sized microchip implanted in their dog’s shoulder under the skin. I have a scanner that can read the ID number off the chip. The number allows me to access owner identification data.”
    The vet moved a handheld scanner over the dog’s shoulders. “Sorry, no chip. Truthfully though, I would not want to return a dog to anyone who chains it up like this. I’ll have my assistant Mabel call you with daily updates. If she pulls through and has the puppies, we’ll let you know when you can pick them up.”
    “Them?” Chip croaked. “But she’s not my dog.”
    “We’ll see. In the meantime, Mabel will radio Iver in the plow to swing back and take you home. I assume you’re the newcomer to Turners Bend.”
    “Yes, I’m Chip Collingsworth. Thanks for all your help Dr. Swanson. I’m sorry to disturb you on a Sunday.”
    “Dr. Swanson was my father. Folks here call me Dr. Jane and you’re most welcome Mr. Collingsworth.”
     
     
    Back in his kitchen Chip made a pot of coffee and sat in front of his laptop. He checked his email and found a response from Lucinda. It might be Sunday, but Lucinda was never far from her Blackberry.
     
    Sunday, November 14, 12:32 p.m.
    Chip,
    Brilliant first chapter. All is forgiven this time, but I expect the full draft completed no later than May 1, so get humping, farm boy. I like the Brain Freeze title. BTW, Dr. Goodman is in need of some good sex, and