Page 73 of The Rescuer

The week flew byin a whir. With the clinic not yet back at a hundred percent, Dr. Bunting down in Ouray was shouldering half of Neve’s normal load, which afforded Neve time to walk him through her processes. Without a steady stream of business coming in, though, she grew twitchy. She tried to put on a calm face, but he could tell it was a brittle mask. He rededicated himself to helping in any way he could, but she was as prideful as she was passionate, and he had to tread softly.

By day, he was receptionist, lab-tech-in-training, and medical coordinator at the Fall River Vet Clinic. It was surprisingly fun, a break from the usual, and he enjoyed watching Neve in actionalmost as much as he enjoyed how people and animals responded to her. She had that whisperer’s touch, not unlike some of his search and rescue teammates, and he relished seeing her through a different prism of the same lens. The image of her as that bossy kid from his childhood had completely morphed. Now that his blinders were off and he could see her clearly, she was a dynamic woman with intriguing nuances that held him spellbound. And she. Was. Beautiful. He struggled to not dwell on that part.

Seated behind the reception desk, he was working on admin tasks when the door opened cautiously. The replacement glass hadn’t come in yet, so the temporary plywood didn’t reveal the guest until she stepped into the entry area. A woman, holding a giant flowering potted plant and a shopping bag, closed the door behind her. A dark-haired boy stood beside her, practically leaning against her. The woman whispered something in his ear, and the kid lifted his eyes. They landed on Reece and widened. When he turned toward his mom, he revealed a swath of shaved head and an angry line of stitches.

Reece laid his pen down and rose partway from his seat. “How can I help you?”

The woman approached, and he noticed faint bruising around her mouth that didn’t stop her from smiling wide. “Are you Reece Hunnicutt? From San Juan Search and Rescue?”

“No longer with search and rescue, but yes, I’m Reece.”

The lady’s eyes darted to the hallway that led to the back rooms of the clinic. They went round. “Neve!”

Reece turned in time to see Neve’s eyes light up. “Diane? Omigosh, is that you?”

Diane nodded, and Neve quickly closed the distance between them, her arms wide in greeting. The woman dropped the bag and embraced Neve with one arm. Neve stepped back, holding Diane by her arms while she looked down at the boy. “And how are you, little man? It’s so good to see you and your mom.” He smiled shyly.

Reece rounded the desk in an instant and held his fist out to the boy for a bump. “Looking good, Christopher.” He ran his gaze over the boy’s head. “Got some stitches, huh?” The boy cast his eyes away as though embarrassed. “Hey, wear those with pride, yeah? You went through a heck of a lot, and those are a badge of honor you can share with your family and show off to your friends. Nothing to be ashamed of, buddy.”

Diane turned watery eyes to him “Thanks to you. What you did was beyond heroic.”

He hooked a thumb toward Neve. “Here’s the one you should be thanking. She’s your hero.”

Though he wouldn’t admit it aloud, Reece was a little in awe of Neve Embry. She was a stud muffin. He’d always known she had a caring heart and was excellent at what she did, but his vision continually sharpened, right along with his admiration.

A pretty blush instantly colored Neve’s cheekbones. “Reece and I tried to find out anything we could. We wanted to come visit you, but no one would give us any information. When did you get out?”

“About four days ago. We just had to see you before we head back home to Virginia and thank you in person—and give you these.” Thrusting the plant at Neve, she picked up the bag and handed her that too.

Neve accepted both. “What’s all this?”

Diane pointed at the bag. “That’s a jacket to replace the one I ruined. I’m so sorry about that.”

Neve patted her shoulder. “Don’t be.”

“And the plant is a very small token to show our appreciation. It’s a Christmas cactus. It looked so cheerful I had to get it. It isn’t much, but …”

“It’s beautiful.” Neve took the plant from her and set it on the reception desk, then peeked inside the bag. “And so is this jacket! Thank you.” She beamed at mother and son. “Just seeing you both here and knowing you’re healthy is all the gift I need.”

Diane elbowed her son. “Don’t you have something for Mr. Hunnicutt?”

The boy pulled a small box from his coat pocket and held it out for Reece.

“What’s this?”

“Open it.” Those were the first words Christopher had spoken, and Reece was relieved to hear them. Head injuries were a tricky thing.

When he opened the box, he found a small carrying case that held a Victorinox Swiss Army knife. “Sweet!”

The kid pointed at the box. “I put a penny in there.”

Reece opened the knife and turned it over, making a big show of appraising it. “Wow! This is really, really cool. And you know about givingsomeone money when you give them a blade. Good job.” He kept wanting to ruffle the boy’s hair but refrained.

They chatted for a few minutes—mostly Diane answered their questions and told them about their plans to return to Virginia, where they were from. “We came out here to spend time with my sister and so Christopher could catch up with his cousins. Next year, they’re coming to us.”

They shared a chuckle, and Diane gave Neve a final hug. When she pulled away, she dropped her arm around her son’s thin shoulders and shifted her gaze between Neve and Reece. “Thank you isn’t enough, but just know I’ll forever be grateful for what you two did for my son and me. We wouldn’t be here talking to you right now if you hadn’t come along and taken such good care of us.” She choked out the last words. “We’d better go before I start bawling.”

With a small wave, Diane and Christopher turned and slipped out the door. Neve discreetly swiped at a tear tracking down her cheek. Then her phone rang, and she raised wide eyes to Reece. “It’s Alma.” Neve dashed off to her office. He didn’t know whether to follow or stay put, so he took a few steps closer and listened in just as Neve delivered her question about the license.

---