“We have about four hours.” Margaret was standing in the doorway. “You’ll have to flush out Toby’s entire system and replace the blood.”

Devon frowned. “Flush out the system?”

“It’s poison,” Margaret said soberly. “Slow-acting but it’s had time to take hold and is probably attacking some of his organs. Get rid of it.”

“Poison?” Jane repeated. “No way. He had toxicology tests in London.”

“And I gave him a couple when I brought him in,” Devon said.

“He’s not had any stomach issues,” Jane said. “And I’m supercareful of what he eats.”

“Poison,” Margaret said again. “By injection in the ruff of his neck. You can probably find evidence if you look for it, Devon. But I wouldn’t take the time. We don’t have much left. I called Jeff, your assistant, and told him to get back out of bed and get here fast. Flush Toby out and give him a general antidote and antibiotic.”

“You’re sure it’s poison?” Devon asked.

“Toby’s sure. He remembers.” Her lips tightened grimly. “Whoever did it leaned down, petted him, then gave him the injection.”

“That’s crazy,” Jane said. “I’d know if—” She stopped. Arguing wasn’t going to do any good. “Even if she’s right, this seems like a radical treatment, Devon.”

“Not as radical as it sounds.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“Everything is dangerous in Toby’s state.” She put her cup down and headed for the exam room. “But doing nothing is the most dangerous of all.”

“Could it be poison?”

“A very sophisticated one, nothing simple. Or we would have been able to detect it.”

“It’s poison,” Margaret said again. “Get that ugly stuff out of him, Devon.” She turned to Jane. “You go with her. If he starts to slip, Toby will want to come back to you.”

“I’m not even sure I’m going to let—” She met Margaret’s gaze, and the memory of the sight of her with Toby in her arms surged back to her. So much love, so much caring, and that same glow of caring was staring out of the blue eyes gazing steadily into her own. “Is he going to—” She didn’t want to hear the answer. She turned on her heel and started after Devon. “He’s going to live, dammit. And I’m going to believe that somehow you know what you’re talking about. If you’re a phony, and this hurts Toby, I’m going to come after you.” She glanced at Devon as she passed her. “Now tell me what to do to help him. She said we only have four hours.”

CHAPTER

3

Lake Cottage

SOMEONE HAD FOLLOWED HIM, Doane realized, as he gazed down at the tracks.

The man had stood in the shadows and watched Doane as he’d disposed of the car. Then he had slipped away.

Did the fool think he hadn’t been aware of him? Kevin had taught him the art of hide-and-seek in the most dangerous game.

This one probably was one of Venable’s men.

So what did he do? What action to take. Ignore or pursue?

The answer came to him immediately.

Why, do what Kevin would do, of course.

He moved silently through the woods.

Summer Island

THREE HOURS LATER, JANE CAME out of the exam room and sank down on the leather couch.

“How is it going?” Caleb asked as he handed her a cup of coffee. “Anything I can do?”

She shook her head. “Nothing anyone can do right now that’s not being done. This process could last for the next six or eight hours.” She rubbed her eyes. “They kicked me out. They said he might need me later, when he rouses, but not now.”

“Then I’m sure you’ll be there for him. You’ve gone to extraordinary lengths so far.” He studied her. “And they may have kicked you out, but they can’t stop you thinking about him.”

“How could I not think about him?”

“By talking, not brooding.” He sat down in the chair across from her. “Talk to me, Jane. You care a great deal for Toby, don’t you?”

“Yes.” She took a drink of coffee. “You probably don’t understand. Some people love animals, some people tolerate them, and some people don’t know why we go to so much trouble for them.”

“And you think I’m trailing in the rear.” He grimaced. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“Well?”

He was silent for a long moment. “I’ve never had a pet I loved. Affection isn’t … easy for me. Passion, on the other hand, is no problem at all. I admire animals, I find them interesting, but I guess I may be too close to being an animal myself to accept a relationship like that.” He smiled. “I still have moments of savagery if you’ll recall.”

She did recall. Their history together had been filled with isolated incidents that had sometimes frightened her. She had a sudden memory of his throwing the body of a man who had been attacking them down at her feet. His eyes had been as wild as the primitive action itself. She considered herself civilized, but those moments of fear of him had not lasted long. Was that due to his cleverness and magnetism, which made those moments fade so quickly? Or was it that he was a constant puzzle that her curiosity was trying to force her to solve?

His lips turned up at the corners as he read her expression. “Oh, yes, you remember. We’re nothing alike, but, then, we don’t have to be. It tends to make our relationship more interesting.” His gaze went to the examination room. “And my heart may not be as soft as yours, but I don’t like the helpless being targeted. Your Toby was no threat to anyone. Why would anyone want to poison your dog?”

“I still can’t believe anyone would.” She paused. “But Devon Brady did take a look at the skin beneath the hair on his neck while they were setting up the IV. There was a tiny place that could have been from a shot.” She frowned. “And I was trying to think how it could even have happened. Toby is always with me when I’m home at the apartment. When I have to be gone for a day, I check him into Nedra Carlisle’s Dog Day Care. He likes being with other dogs. They have slides and pools and trainers to play with the dogs.”

His brows rose. “Day care?”

She gave him a cool glance. “Don’t go there.”

“I’m not. It’s just a new concept for me. When was the last time he was at this day care?”

“A week ago.”

“And Toby became ill?”

“Five days ago.”

“Slow-acting poison. It could have been given at this day care.”

“Nedra and her people are totally trustworthy, or I wouldn’t have sent Toby there.”

“But what about the other owners who bring their dogs there? What do you know about them?”

Nothing. But it hadn’t seemed necessary that she know anything except about the people who ran the place. She supposed it would have been easy for one of the clients to go up to Toby and pet him … and then administer the poison. Easy and totally evil.

“Why?” she whispered.

“Revenge? Have you antagonized anyone lately who might want to get back at you?”

She shook her head. “I’m an artist. And you know I keep pretty much to myself.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t stop trouble from swirling around you, does it?” He was silent, thinking. “How long has it been since you’ve seen Eve and Joe?”

“Several months.” She frowned. “You’re suggesting someone poisoned Toby because they want to hurt Eve or Joe?” She shook her head. “That’s really reaching.”

“Probably. I’m just trying to put together a logical scenario.”

“It doesn’t have to be logical. It could be some sicko.”

“Who used a very sophisticated poison and waited until you put the dog in that fancy day care to do it. Which means that he knew your schedule.”

“Then why not target me and not my Toby?”

“I don’t know. Let me think about it.” He smiled. “It will give me something to do while you’re busy saving your Toby.”

“I’m not saving him. Devon Brady is saving him, that dog-whisperer person is saving him. I’m just standing by in case I’m needed.” She rubbed her temple. “I wish I could be the one to be able to help him. I feel helpless.”