To Love Someone (Baytown Boys #14) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,83

to see what Joseph wanted to show her. He’d sent a text earlier so she knew he wouldn’t be home when she arrived, and she’d used the quiet time to luxuriate in the bathtub. She’d dressed in her pajamas, sliding her arms into the silky, brightly colored kimono robe that had been a Christmas present from her mother the previous year. She wouldn’t have purchased it herself but couldn’t deny how much she loved the feel of the silk and the colors simply made her happy.

And she’d been happy that evening until she opened up the laptop to check her email, instead finding a detailed map of the Eastern Shore with a close up on the Bender property filling up the screen. She’d had no idea that Joseph was researching a plan to check it out in person at night. Now, with their subsequent conversation, she shoved all those thoughts aside and watched as Joseph explained what he found in the photographs.

“I followed along the back of the property, seeing they had a number of little piers and wharves all along the inlet. I know that’s not unusual, but it certainly wasn’t where the larger one behind their house was located. I then found a small barn.”

“A barn?” Nibbling her lip, she pondered the implications, shaking her head. “Actually, Joseph, that’s not unusual. On a large piece of property, or even a small one, there can be lots of sheds, outbuildings, garages, barns… it might even be a place to store equipment or tools.”

“I know, I know,” he agreed. “That’s why I decided to take a look inside.”

She gasped, her eyes wide. “I can’t believe you did that! First, you were trespassing. And then you were breaking and entering?”

“Trespassing? Yes. Breaking and entering? Absolutely not. I had no idea if he might have security around, but I did climb a tree and look inside the one window. The barn contained dogs.”

Still aghast that he would go to such measures, she was even more aghast at his pronouncement. They leaned their heads together and looked at the photographs on the tiny camera screen. She squinted as though that would clear the picture well enough for her to absolutely discern what animals she was viewing. “Will these come up on your laptop?”

With a quick sync and a few taps on his laptop, he brought up his photographs. There, on the much larger screen, were the ones he’d taken.

“How did you get these in the dark?”

“It’s a special camera I bought just to take these pics in the dark.”

She jerked her head around again. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were going to all this trouble. You know, I’d have gone with you.”

“Oh, no, babe. There’s no way in the world that I’d have let you go with me.”

Huffing, she asked, “Sexist?”

“Not at all. I knew when I went on the Bender property I was trespassing. And if they called the Sheriff’s department and I was arrested, I’d have to deal with the fallout. But you are the area’s only veterinarian, and the last thing you need is to spend the night in jail for trespassing.”

That he was looking out for her warmed her heart but didn’t surprise her. Leaning forward, she kissed the underside of his jaw, then turned back to the laptop screen. The photographs were grainy, making it difficult to discern any specifics about the canines.

“What can you tell?”

“I’m not sure. If I could see their ears, I’d be able to discern if it was a full-blooded wolf.” Cold crept through her, and she twisted around to look at him. “Joseph, this is crazy. There’s no way someone has a full-blooded wolf here. That would be nuts!”

His intense gaze held hers, and he gave her hand a little squeeze. “Babe, there’s a lot of people who do crazy-ass things. And if big money is involved, that makes the stakes even higher.”

Thoughts churned in her head as she tried to make sense of everything. “So… if we go on the assumption that this is a pure-bred wolf or even a wolf-hybrid, both illegal in this area, then they could sell wolf-hybrids that were fifty percent or higher wolf on the black market. It could be to individual buyers who just want a dog like this or for a more nefarious purpose, such as dogfighting or someone else who wants to breed.”

“Sounds right,” he said, nodding, his gaze moving between the screen and her face. “I guess I don’t even