That Perfect Place Page 9

  Tina came to her rescue. She handed her sister a set of keys. “You need to drop Jim and me off at his place. Neither of us is in any shape to drive, and I left my specs on the remodel there.”

  Jill looked at her sister gratefully and snatched the keys. “Golf Wednesday as usual, Bob?”

  “I’ll let you know,” he said petulantly and stomped off.

  I do not need this aggravation. The thought kept running through Jill’s head all the way back to Jesup. She wasn’t even divorced yet, and the last thing she wanted to worry about was a romantic entanglement with anyone.

  She was coming in the front door of the clinic to check on Dirk as Jake was coming in through the back to do the same thing. Her heart jumped when she saw him. Please don’t make any advances. He didn’t. Am I disappointed?

  “I’m sorry for being rude earlier. Bob Mattson just has the power to rub me the wrong way,” he apologized.

  “So I gathered.” She bent over to pet Dirk who thumped his tail against the kennel wall.

  “Thanks for volunteering your sister to help with Callie. I’m also sorry we keep dragging you into our private troubles. You’re a good vet, Jill, and I will do whatever it takes to keep you here. Just name it.”

  She looked at him seriously. “I’m OK for now. But I do live awfully close, so I guess it’s inevitable that I get drawn into your family circle. I might need to think about moving if it gets to be too much.” She could see the sorrow in his eyes. “I sure as hell would miss that cabin, though. Maybe I’ll make you build a tall fence around it.”

  He visibly relaxed after she lightened her tone. “Jim is going to be an asset,” he said. “I think maybe now we can all work less hours and get the job done.”

  “Maybe you can catch up on lost sleep, if Callie will let you.”

  “The occasional eight hours would be nice.” He was thoughtful for a minute, then added, “I hardly knew Callie before the fire, and now she’s become the central focus of my days.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I wish we could have found her father. She hasn’t mentioned him lately, and it used to be a daily occurrence. I think it’s dragging her health down.” He switched on the monitoring system to the big house and said goodnight.

  Jill strolled back to the cabin thinking about her boss. His troubles seemed to keep coming despite the fact that he was an honest and conscientious man. She sincerely hoped that things were starting to shape up for him.

  onday it rained all day, making it difficult for the fieldwork. Jim worked with Stephanie again, and Jake took Mirza with him. Jeanine called to send him to an Angus breeder to do a postmortem on a cow that had just been bought.

  The farmer led the way to a separate shed.

  “She was fine yesterday. I bought her Friday night and kept her separate, like I always do. She was dead as a doornail when I come out this morning. I called you because your name was on the health certificate. I thought you ought to know.”

  Strange, I didn’t vet any Angus last week. Jim maybe?

  Jake examined the cow and found massive amounts of postmortem bleeding. The blood was dark purple, and his hackles rose. He had an awful suspicion that he knew what this cow had died from.

  To the farmer he said, “We need to take some blood samples. Keep the flies off the carcass and keep your other stock away. It’ll need to be buried in quicklime. Don’t send her to the renderers.”

  “What do you think it is?” the cattleman asked.

  “I can’t say for certain, but I can’t take the chance that this could be anthrax.”

  “Christ almighty! We don’t get that in Iowa. Are you sure you know what you’re doing? You passed on her as being healthy.”

  “Who signed it? I was in Iowa City a good bit of last week, and I didn’t issue health certificates to any Angus.”

  “Don’t try and shirk your responsibilities. Wait, I’ll get the papers.”

  The cowman returned promptly, waving some certificates. “Gundersen—that’s what it says on the heading right here.”

  Jake took the documents and realized with a start what Donny must have been doing at the clinic: stealing health certificates. The signature was illegible. He showed it to Mirza who denied having written it. What was most confusing was the point of origin, listed as Fremont County, Iowa, a place Jake had never been.

  “These certificates are forged. I know this breeder; he’s located in Fayette not Fremont County. Is the consignor’s name on any of those papers?”

  “It says the breeder is the consignor.”

  “Sykes sells all his stock at Waverly or over the Internet. He wouldn’t have any reason to come down this far.”

  “Are you saying the local sale barn is crooked?”

  “No, you know those guys as well as I do. They’re honest. Let me make some phone calls, see if we can get to the bottom of this.”

  He pulled a clipboard out of the seat pocket of his truck and looked up some numbers. “State health is going to have to come out if this is anthrax. Your other cattle will be quarantined and vaccinated,” he said as he dialed, cutting off any rebuttal. Shit, shit, shit…this was serious stuff. Did Donny know the cow was infected? He’s such an idiot, anything’s possible.

  Jake had planned to take the afternoon off to go to Callie’s school for a play. Instead, he spent it writing depositions and verifying which numbered health certificates were missing. He was able to locate at least twenty with random serial numbers and informed the state office. Jake had Mirza drive the samples taken from the carcass to the National Vet Service lab in Ames that afternoon. He called the breeder up in Fayette and told him about the cow, knowing it was not from Sykes’s farm because it was missing the freeze brand they always used. His last errand of the day was the most unsettling. He stopped over at McCaffrey’s to confront Donny.

  Caroline was there alone, and she warily asked her ex-husband in and offered him coffee, which he politely refused.

  “Is Callie still with you?” she asked not unkindly.

  “Yeah, the PI we hired didn’t find anything. Rachel was not using her own name.”

  “I guess you’re stuck with her.”

  Jake nodded. “We’ll do what we need to.”

  “You mean you will do. Ida won’t.”

  “Whatever.” He didn’t want to discuss Callie. “Caroline, something has come up, and I don’t know how to tell you.”

  “Just spit it out. If it’s Donny again I won’t be surprised, and that’s the truth.” His ex was standing in the kitchen with her arms across her chest in a defensive posture.

  “It’s Donny.” He hadn’t moved from the doorway.

  “Shit.”

  “Some controlled state certificates are missing from my office. They have been used to forge health papers for at least one cow that turned up dead, possibly of a contagious disease. Donny was seen leaving the clinic not too long before the date on the certificate. I’m not saying he did it, but it does look suspicious. He will probably be questioned by APHIS and maybe the police.”

  “Why? Did you turn him in?” she asked accusingly.

  “His name was on the transport sheet. There’s no way to hide his involvement.”

  “God damn it. Momma always did say I was the world’s biggest fool, and here I am married to the dumbest. I should have known that extra money was from something fishy.” She picked dirty dishes up from the table and dropped them noisily into the sink.

  “I thought you should know,” he told her rigid back.

  She turned. “Christ, I hate my life. I really do. The worst of it is I have only me to blame. I’ve never done anything right,” she cried as she slipped into his arms.

  He hugged her awkwardly. There was no affection for her left in him.

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Brad is a pretty big accomplishment,” he said, trying to avert a scene.

  “Oh please. He may look like me, but he’s you through and through.” She pulled away and proceeded to run water into the sin
k. “Now stop being nice and get out of here before the jackass gets home. I do not want bloodshed on top of everything else.”

  Jake hurried out as fast as he decently could. As he drove off he wondered for the hundredth time what on earth had ever attracted him to Caroline. He must have been a different person back then. But then that’s what you did in a small town. You married a girl from the neighborhood and raised kids. Why it hadn’t worked for him he wasn’t quite sure.

  Jill floated through his mind, but he quickly squelched that thought. He had to give her time to get over her divorce before he attempted to get closer to her, and even then he probably shouldn’t. If she turned him down he could lose a damned good vet just when the practice was getting on an even keel.

  Callie was out of control when he got home because neither he nor Ida had come to her play. Brad was trying hard to no avail to calm her, and Ida always seemed to make the child fussier. Jake wondered himself why his mother hadn’t gone to the play. She could have found someone to drive her in his absence.

  He took his little charge to his room, and they sat and watched cartoons until she fell asleep in his arms. He tucked her into his bed wondering what to do for her. She desperately needed someone she could count on, and he had let her down. He went into the kitchen to get the dinner he had missed, but he didn’t have much of an appetite. Ida came in to complain about Callie.

  “She knows I don’t drive, and you never called to say you weren’t coming.”

  “Something came up.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Something serious.”

  “That’s no reason for bad manners, Jakob.”

  “No more, Ma. Not now. Just drop it,” Jake snapped, then added more softly, “I can’t deal with more right now. Please, just go. We’ll talk later.”

  Ida left the kitchen in tears. Brad came in and washed up his father’s dishes.

  “Is there anything I can do to help, Dad?”

  “Just be patient with Callie and keep me informed when things aren’t going well here.” He stood up slowly, gave Brad a quick squeeze, and said, “I think it’s about time we start pitching practice. What do you say?”

  “I already oiled our gloves.”

  “After track practice then, OK? When’s your next meet?”

  “Thursday in Center Point.”

  “I should be able to make that.”

  “I’ve gotta pick my courses for next year, too.”

  “Do you have the sheet? We’ll look at it together.”

  Brad knew his dad was troubled about Callie. He wanted to make things easier for him, but he didn’t know how. He so much wanted a normal home life with two parents and siblings, but it probably wasn’t ever going to happen. Things were better than they had been when his dad was in vet school; then he had mostly lived with his mom’s parents. The best times had been when Great-Grandfather Gundersen had flown with him to California. They had visited some really cool places, and Brad had never wanted to leave. Dad always makes you feel like everything’s OK. Mom never does. No wonder Callie clings to him.

  Tuesday, Jill handled some horse calls while Jake did a few morning appointments before heading once more to Iowa City to have his foot checked. Callie had awakened disoriented and crying after another nightmare, so Jake took her with him.

  He returned to find Callie’s caseworker waiting for him; he hoped they hadn’t missed a scheduled visit. With her was a bearded man wearing faded jeans, a white button-down, and loafers. He had southern California written all over him.

  Callie started screaming before he could stop the car. “That’s my daddy. Jake stop! She found my daddy!”

  She jumped from the car and ran to the man who gave her a hard hug then held her at arm’s length to check her over.

  “Well, Daisy,” he said, “seems like you take after Grace with your straw-colored hair.”

  Callie pulled back. “I’m Callie, and I don’t know any Grace.”

  Jake made it to the porch in time to hear the exchange. Callie wrapped herself around Jake’s thigh.

  “I don’t think that’s my daddy,” she announced dejectedly.

  “But I am. Let me explain.”

  Jake broke in, “Let’s all go inside and sort this out.” He scooped up Callie possessively.

  When they were seated at the dining table the caseworker opened her file. “It seems that the information Mrs. Gundersen gave us is incorrect. This is Mr. Collin McGruder from Los Angeles. He has a birth certificate for the child and other documentation proving her true identity. He is here to take custody.”

  “I’m Dr. Gundersen. Callie’s care mostly falls to me.” He emphasized her name. “Nobody is taking her anywhere she doesn’t want to go.”

  “The law is on his side, Dr. Gundersen. Mrs. Ida Gundersen is listed as custodian. We need to speak to her. You have no say in this.”

  “She is in Waterloo until about eight.” Jake was getting angry, and the others could see it.

  Collin spoke up quickly. “Let me assure you, doctor, I won’t take my daughter against her will.”

  “Why don’t you fill us in,” Jake suggested, trying to cool down while Callie burrowed herself into his side.

  “The woman you knew as her mother was named Grace Sadler. We lived together for several years until she ran off with the drummer from a rival band and changed her name. I got a hospital picture of a baby seven months later. This little one here has to be my daughter. A PI found a Wyoming birth certificate for her in the name of Daisy McGruder but nothing more until we recently found your ad and recognized Grace’s picture. The name was wrong but the age of the child fit.” He turned to the little girl. “I’ll call you Callie, that’s no problem. I like that name. It’s almost like mine.”

  Jake still looked skeptical, so Collin pulled a photo from his wallet and showed them a picture of Callie’s mom from about eight years earlier. Collin had his arm around her and an electric guitar in the other hand.

  Callie looked at the picture carefully. “That’s my mommy. She said my daddy played a guitar. She said he rode a motorcycle.”

  “I rode a Harley back then, now it’s mostly limousines.”

  “She said their names were Rachel and Callie Carson,” Jake said, “and that her husband had run off with another woman.”

  “We were never married. I have tracked down four different men she lived with, including you.”

  “Whoa, I barely knew the woman, only met her three or four times. She was working for my father when she died.”

  Collin snorted. “She never worked a day in her life.”

  Jake made a face. “Callie doesn’t need to hear this.”

  “You’re right, I’m not used to being a dad. Maybe you can help me out. Tell you what, I’ll stay nearby for a few days so we can get to know each other. You can tell me all about your life. OK, Callie?”

  All sorts of emotions ran through Jake. The prospect of having one burden lifted from his shoulders was exhilarating, but he would not abandon Callie as long as she needed him. He looked down at the child in his lap.

  “I think this man really is your daddy, Callie. Would you like it if he stayed for dinner so you can talk to him?”

  “Do you think he would read me a story or color with me?” She looked up at Jake so trustingly his heart melted. “Jake isn’t a good colorer, but he reads pretty good,” she informed Collin.

  “I’d be glad to do both,” he answered.

  Callie slipped off Jake’s lap to get her things from upstairs.

  “Well, I’ll check back tomorrow, if you are satisfied, Mr. McGruder?” the social worker said as she packed up to go.

  “I think we can work things out from here,” Collin answered. “Thank you.”

  Jake excused himself to go check on things at the clinic. Jill and Jeanine were going over prescription refills when he walked in. Both could see something was up. He had a funny look on his face.

  “What is it?” Jeanine asked, concern in her voice.

>   “Some guy named Collin McGruder came by and claims he is Callie’s father.”

  It took a few beats for this to register with the others. “Just like that a real person shows up to claim her?” Jeanine asked incredulously. Jake shrugged and spread his hands.

  “He’s got a birth certificate and pictures of Callie’s mother—only she had a different name then.”

  “Callie must be thrilled,” Jill said.

  “Wait, the Collin McGruder?” Jeanine asked.

  Jake looked at his sister blankly.

  “The lead guitarist from the ‘Stone Axes’?”

  “I guess. He says he plays guitar.”

  “That’s an understatement.”

  “I invited him to dinner, and Ma isn’t home. You’ve got to help me out so I don’t poison him.”

  “Take him out somewhere. I have to pick up Vanessa at six.”

  “I’d be glad to cook for you in exchange for a chance to meet Collin McGruder,” Jill offered.

  “Are you sure? That would really save my hide.”

  “Certainly. I love to show off my cooking. Collin McGruder, wow,” Jill exclaimed and set off for her house to check the larder.

  Jake watched her go with longing in his eyes. Jeanine raised an eyebrow at him. “I can’t—at least until her divorce is final,” he said.

  “You just better be glad Jim took a shine to her sister. That woman is vulnerable.” Jeanine walked away shaking her head.

  Jake thought about Jill and not Callie most of the evening. Jill had cooked a fantastic meal of chicken divan with a cobbler for dessert. Collin seemed quite taken with her, and Jake wanted to kick him out. He watched as the two laughed and talked amiably.

  She went into the kitchen to help Jake clean up so the new father could have time alone with his daughter. Jill compared the famous rocker to her boss and found Collin wanting. You knew most of him was acquired veneer while all of Jake was genuine. How could I possibly be falling for my boss again? First, it was my anatomy professor, then Tom, and now Jake. What is my problem?

  By the end of Collin’s second day visiting, it was clear Callie was pulling away from Jake and bonding with her father. Collin made a big show of putting Jake’s number and e-mail into his phone so she could talk to Jake anytime she wanted. Over the next week, Collin took her shopping and bought luggage, toys, and clothes. As suddenly as she had dropped into Jake’s life, Callie was gone. He felt numb and hollow.