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Chapter One

The sun shouldn’t be shining today. It should be cold and dark and dreary. Or raining. Rain would work.

With a sense of foreboding, Lucy Donner looked up at the modern-styled concrete-block building. She imagined the stairs leading to the front doors were actually steps leading to the gallows. The line of people patiently waiting to go through the security checkpoints in the courthouse lobby were the condemned waiting their turns.

She really needed to stop watching late-night movies where everyone ended up murdered.

She didn’t want to walk up those steps even though she knew her son’s fate hung in the balance up there.

“There you are, dear.” Lou and Cathy Walker came up to her. Cathy immediately pulled her into a hug then cupped her hands around Lucy’s cheeks. The older woman looked concerned as she studied Lucy’s face. “How are you doing?” Cathy asked, clearly not missing the worry shadowing Lucy’s eyes.

“I’ve gone through four bottles of antacids in the past two days,” she whispered, gripping Cathy’s arms as if she needed a lifeline. “What does that tell you? It’s wonderful that you’re here, but as I told you last night, you didn’t have to come. I have an idea it’s not going to be pleasant.”

“Of course, we would come. You’re family,” Lou told her. The relationship was only that Lucy’s brother was married to their daughter, but Lou continued, “We Walkers stick together.” He curved his arm around Nick’s shoulders and tugged him against his side.

Lucy blinked rapidly. The threat of tears quickly dried up when she looked at her son. This was her darling baby boy. The light of her life. The reason they were spending their morning in court.

Once this was over she was grounding him until he was fifty.

And here she’d thought things would change for the better after they moved.

Lucy had seen it as a sign when she’d found a house not far from the Walker homestead in Sunset Canyon, California. She was even happier to find a school that believed in challenging its gifted students without giving them any special treatment just because their IQs happened to be higher than those of most of the rest of the human population. She was even relieved that puberty seemed to settle down Nick’s mischievous nature now that he’d turned thirteen. He spent many of his free hours with Lou Walker during which he learned what went into renovating an antique automobile. Lucy had decorated their new house and made it into a home for herself and her son.

Life was great.

Until it took a crazy U-turn. Lucy received a call from the school’s dean telling her that not only had Nick hacked into the school’s computer, but that he’d deleted all student and personnel files and replaced them with new ones that bore no resemblance to what had been there. The dean explained that Nick’s actions were considered a crime, which was why they would spend this morning at the courthouse.

Lucy was grateful Cathy and Lou had come to lend her moral support. Since the day the dean had called her, she’d alternated between fury at her son for what he’d done and fear he’d be sent to a juvenile facility that would make those late-night bad-boy movies look like a fairy tale.

Now they were in court to learn Nick’s fate. Determined to look the part of the most responsible mother in the world, she’d chosen a black skirt and a cream blouse. She mentally cursed the black high heels that were killing her feet. She’d chosen the extra three inches for courage. Judging by the condition of her stomach, it hadn’t worked very well. For once, she hadn’t had to resort to threats to get Nick into a dress shirt and tie. Even his usually unruly sandy-brown hair was brushed into submission.

“What judge did you draw?” Lou asked.

Lucy had to think for a moment. “Judge Kincaid.”

The man’s face darkened.

“What?” Lucy felt her fears return. “How bad is he?”

“It’s nothing like that, dear,” Cathy soothed as she shot her husband a warning look. “Everything will be fine.”

“The man should have retired years ago,” Lou muttered.

“He’s the same age as you are,” Cathy reminded him.

“He has no heart.”

The bantering was halted by the arrival of Lucy’s brother, Zach, and his wife. They hurried toward her and Zach wrapped his arms around her for a warm embrace then hugged Nick.

“Everything will be fine,” her sister-in-law, Ginna whispered.

Lucy wasn’t as confident, but now was the time to find out. Together, they all walked up the steps and went through the security checkpoint, then they looked for the courtroom in which Nick’s case would be heard.

Lucy was relieved to see Nick’s attorney already there. She only wished he didn’t look like Opie from The Andy Griffith Show. It didn’t help that at their first meeting he had told her to call him Ritchey. All that did was bump him up to the teenager from Happy Days.

Oh my God, she wailed to herself, I’d forgotten that my son’s lawyer looks twelve years old! She dredged up a faint sickly resemblance of a smile.

“Hey, Mrs. Donner.” Ritchey grinned as he offered his hand. He nodded at Nick. “Are you ready, Nick?”

“Sure,” the boy said, sounding almost adult.

“Maybe he is, but I’m not. But I guess that won’t matter, will it?” She touched her stomach, which sent out burning signals again. “You don’t think—” She found herself afraid even to say the words. “He won’t be—” She stopped because she just plain couldn’t go on and voice what had been giving her nightmares since this had all begun.

“I wouldn’t worry, Mrs. Donner. I’m sure Nick will be put on probation and assigned to community service,” he assured her. “We’ll be in and out of here in no time.”

Lucy breathed her first sigh of relief in days.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Nick said quietly as he touched her shoulder.

She didn’t hug him, because she knew a display of affection would only embarrass him.

“No matter what the judge does to you, you are still grounded until you’re a hundred and five,” she told him as they went inside.

“You told me I was grounded until I was fifty,” he reminded her.

“I changed my mind.”

Lucy’s sense that things would turn out all right disappeared the moment the judge entered the courtroom and settled into a high-backed black leather chair. Her blood turned to ice as she saw the man’s stern expression.

We have Opie for an attorney and Boris Karloff for a judge. My son is going to Devil’s Island!

The five adults sat in the front row with Lucy in the middle.

The judge leveled a piercing gaze at Nick.

“Come up here, young man, and let’s talk,” he ordered in a rumbling deep voice that rivaled Orson Welles’s.

Lucy again silently vowed to stop watching late-night television. Her imagination was running away with her. She could see her baby being led off in chains to a dark and dank hole where he would spend the remainder of his life unless he managed to escape by digging through dirt and stone with a small spoon.

She was vaguely aware of Cathy taking her hand between her two.

“Frank’s a fair man,” Cathy whispered.

Lou refuted her assessment. “He’s an idiot.”

The judge’s head snapped up and he scowled in their direction.

“If people can’t respect the court and be quiet, they’ll be thrown out,” he threatened.

Lucy heard a small sound of distress travel up her throat. The last thing she needed was anyone putting Judge Kincaid in a bad mood.

As the judge questioned Nick, she vaguely heard his attorney interject a few times, but each time the judge ignored him.

Again he addressed Nick. “Young man, what you did was more than malicious mischief. You knowingly destroyed Fairfield Academy’s computer files.”

Lucy felt her heart sink down to her toes. This was it. Her baby was going to prison for the rest of his life. She was so lost in her misery she barely heard the judge’s pronouncement.

“The dean and I had a long talk about this, young man,” the judge said sternly. “Expulsion would be too good for you, namely because I don’t believe that expulsion from school is a punishment. I'd rather see that student punished in school, loaded down with extra work. And that is what you will be doing for the rest of the school year. Be prepared to write a lot of book reports, young man.”

Lucy’s spirits started to rise. Lots of homework for Nick? Not a bad thing, in her eyes. She’d never believed in expelling students either. But she realized the judge wasn’t finished.

“Along with your extra school work, you will have six months community service to be spent working at the Valley Animal Clinic and Shelter,” the judge ordered.

“What?” She felt her neck crack as she whipped her head from side to side to look at Cathy and Ginna.

Lou shot to his feet. “Your Honor, may I speak?”

The judge scowled. “Why?”

“Young Nicholas has been working at my garage for the past four months. Is there any reason why he can’t serve his time there?”

“There is an excellent reason why he cannot. I didn’t order him to work there,” Judge Kincaid snapped. “From what I can see, it didn’t do him any good to work under your supervision if he felt he needed to find an outlet by committing this act. I can assure you he will be working very hard at the shelter, and he won’t have the time or energy to think up ways to create mischief.”

“An animal clinic? He refuses to clean the cat’s litter box!” Lucy blurted out without thinking. “I’m sorry, Your Honor,” she whispered, wilting under his condemning glower.

The judge focused on her. “Madam, it seems your son needs more supervision than you can give him. If he knows what’s good for him, he will use this time to reconsider his actions. He will also tender a letter of apology to the Dean of Students at Fairfield Academy and will not be participating in any computer labs for the next semester.” He turned back to Nick who looked about as solemn as Lucy had ever seen him. “Report to Dr. Kincaid at three-thirty tomorrow afternoon, young man. If you know what’s good for you, you won’t end up in my courtroom again. I can assure you the next time I won’t be so lenient.”

Nick didn’t flinch under the older man’s harsh regard. “I understand, sir.”

After tendering his judgment, the judge dismissed the court.

Lucy was smart enough to keep her mouth closed. At the moment, she wouldn’t have put it past the judge to sentence her to hard labor.

“There was no reason why he couldn’t work under my supervision,” Lou grumbled, as they filed out of the courtroom. “The old bastard just didn’t want to appear human.”

“Please, don’t make him angry,” Lucy pleaded.

“Don’t worry, dear, they’re two old fools who have been carrying on an old feud much too long,” Cathy reassured her. “Come, let’s stop somewhere for lunch. You need something more substantial in your stomach than antacids.”

“She’s right, Mom,” Nick chimed in.

Lucy looked up at her son and saw his concern for her. Now that he’d passed his thirteenth birthday and sprouted several inches almost overnight, she had to look up at him. She must look bad if he was that worried.

Lou took charge. “Nick, you ride with me and Cathy will ride with your mother. We’ll meet you at Stewie’s.” He called over his shoulder, “Ginna, Zach, are you going to join us?”

“We’ll follow you over,” Ginna said.

“Eating at Stewie’s means he won’t be watching his cholesterol.” Cathy heaved a sigh. “I wouldn’t worry about Nick, Lucy. Logan Kincaid’s not the grump his father is. I’m sure you’ve met him at some of our parties.”

“Logan’s a sweetheart,” Ginna added. “He went to school with my brother Brian.”

“Logan Kincaid?” Lucy flashed back to the various Walker parties where she’d met the family veterinarian. He’d let it be known he was interested in her. In turn, she’d let him know she wasn’t interested in him. “He’s who Nick will be working for?” She closed her eyes. “I think I need more antacids.”

“IS THERE A REASON I have to get all of your hard cases?”

Judge Frank Kincaid calmly ignored his son’s outburst. He dipped a tortilla chip in the spicy salsa and brought it to his lips.

“The best reason there is. You need additional help at the shelter. I provided you with a living body. Now you don’t have to worry about finding someone.” He perused the menu. “My stomach won’t like anything I order, but I’m still ordering the shredded-beef enchiladas.” He looked up at the waitress, gave his order and waited as his son gave his.

Logan picked up his beer and sipped the cold brew.

“The last person I need caring for my animals is some juvenile delinquent you’ve foisted on me.”

“Chad Matthews worked out nicely.”

“No, Chad Matthews broke into my drug cabinet and relieved me of all my Ketamine.” The animal tranquilizer had apparently turned into a popular drug of choice. “Kristi and Jeremy worked out, but that’s because they both love animals.”

“There you have it!” Frank beamed. “I wouldn’t worry about Nick Donner. He appears to be a good kid. He just needs some direction. That’s the problem with single mothers of sons nowadays. They don’t give their boys the firm structure they need.”

“Donner?” Logan frowned in thought. “Is his mother named Lucy?”

Frank tipped his head back and momentarily closed his eyes in thought. “I believe that’s her name. Why, do you know her?”

“Not exactly.” He recalled sun-streaked light-brown hair and flashing green eyes along with a pair of kissable lips that had firmly told him she didn’t require, nor desire, his attention. He quickly masked his thoughts. His dad had been trying to get him married off since his divorce had been finalized five years ago. The older man didn’t seem to understand that while Logan didn’t mind having a woman in his life, he wasn’t looking for anything permanent. He preferred keeping the opposite sex tucked in a nice tidy compartment that wasn’t long-term.

“The boy isn’t your run-of-the-mill troublemaker,” Frank Kincaid explained. “Psychologists would say he’s one of those child geniuses who needs constant stimulus. I say forget the psychobabble. He just needs to put in some hard labor.”

“Aha!” Logan held up his glass. “If you had your way you’d have everyone doing hard labor.”

Frank recognized his son’s sarcasm and blithely ignored it. “It didn’t hurt you any.”

Logan didn’t bother saying any more. After all these years of verbal sparring with his father he knew he’d only lose. Instead, he settled on looking at the positive part of this deal. He’d have a chance of seeing Lucy Donner again.

“YOU KNOW, Mom, pretty soon you won’t have to worry about picking me up from school,” Nick said as he settled in the passenger seat of Lucy’s pewter-gray Murano. He looked out and waved at a classmate. “Pretty soon I’ll be able to apply for my learner’s permit.”

“Not in this lifetime, bud. Being grounded for the next forty years means no driving ever. I don’t care if I have to drive you to your college graduation.” She checked her side-view mirror and moved away from the curb. “There’s a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt in the back seat.” Her knuckles turned white as she tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “I should have sold you to the gypsies when I had a chance.”

He grinned. “That threat hasn’t worked since I was five.”

“That’s no threat. You have to work at that shelter for six months,” Lucy muttered. “I guess it could be worse. Some hackers aren’t allowed to use a computer for years.”

His upbeat nature dimmed. “I can’t use the computer lab at school. I have to go to study hall instead.”

“Just be grateful the school didn’t expel you.” She mentally calculated the easiest way to drop Nick off at the shelter and make a getaway without having to deal with Logan Kincaid. She knew a conscientious mother would go inside and insist on seeing just where her son would be working. And she was a conscientious mother. But she was also a woman who found Logan Kincaid a little too attractive for her peace of mind.

Instead of running from him, she should be making herself available. The man had asked her out on a date, after all, and she’d turned him down without a good reason. Unless you counted deciding she couldn’t handle anything resembling a love life right now. After what had happened with Nick, she knew she’d made the right decision. If she couldn’t control her son, what made her think she could control her own life?

Lucy looked at the ranch-style building bordered by grass and colorful flowers. Farther back she could see a small house with what looked like a waist-high wooden fence around it. Off to one side was a wire-fenced-in area. She would have thought this was a lovely residence if it weren’t for the sign out front declaring the premises to be the Valley Animal Clinic and Shelter—that and the cacophony of barking coming from the rear of the building.

“Maybe I should have taken you to the doctor first. For all we know you might require shots to work here,” she mused aloud. “Was there anything in the court order about shots?”

“It’s more like the animals need shots,” Nick pointed out, as he opened the door. He glanced over his shoulder. “Aren’t you coming in?”

For a second she saw the little boy she’d walked every day to the Sunny Day Preschool around the corner from their house.

“I guess I should.” She climbed out and walked around the front of the vehicle.

They stepped inside a waiting area that was divided down the middle of the large room by a waist-high wall. Lucy noticed one side appeared decorated for the feline patients while the other side was indicated for dogs. She almost yelped when she saw a teenage boy seated on a bench with a python wrapped around his shoulders. She hoped the expression on the snake’s face didn’t have anything to do with hunger.

“Can I help you?” asked a young woman behind the counter. Light-blue medical scrubs decorated with tiny kittens wearing wings and halos covered a large pregnant belly. She smiled at the two of them.

“I’m Nick Donner. I’m supposed to be working here.”

She nodded and pressed down on a button on the phone console. “Gwen, the kid is here.” She looked at him. “The vet tech will be out here in a second.”

“I’m Lucy, his mother,” Lucy said, keeping as much distance from the snake as she possibly could. She transferred her attention to a silvery gray dog that looked like a husky that sat near the woman. What appeared to be a cell phone was lodged firmly between his jaws. She hoped the dog had been fed lately because he looked awfully hungry. Between the python and the dog, she felt like an afternoon snack.

“Nick Donner?” A spritely blonde walked out from the rear. She greeted him with a broad smile. “Hi, I’m Gwen.” She introduced herself to Lucy and then explained, “Don’t worry, Mrs. Donner, he won’t be around anything dangerous. “He’ll be under the supervision of our shelter staff along with Dr. Kincaid and myself.”

Lucy was reassured by the young woman’s matter-of-fact manner. “I’ll be back at six, then. Nice meeting you.” As she made her way out, she determinedly kept her eyes down instead of looking around for Logan Kincaid. With Nick working here for the next six months, she knew she’d be dealing with the veterinarian sooner or later.

She was hoping for later.

NICK FOLLOWED Gwen to the back. She walked swiftly while talking over her shoulder. “The shelter has two regular employees who work a rotating schedule. Kristi is working today. She’ll show you the ropes. I’m sure Logan will come back to see you when he finishes with his patient.”

“Okay.” Nick looked at the framed color sketches of dogs, cats and exotic animals that lined the hallway walls.

“You’re our youngest worker,” Gwen told him as she pushed open the rear door. Barking and feline yowls greeted them as they stepped into the large room. “Just don’t let Kristi scare you off.”

Nick gulped as he entered the shelter. For a brief moment, he wondered if he should have found another way to accomplish his goal. It had seemed so easy when he’d mapped it out to the judge.

“Kristi, this is Nick Donner. We’ve got him for the next six months,” Gwen announced.

Nick stared at the young woman dressed in a midriff-baring black tank top and camouflage pants tucked into Doc Martens. Light danced off the tiny gold ring hooked to one nostril and another bisecting an eyebrow, while a red stone sparkled from her navel. A barbed-wire tattoo circled one slender upper arm. Her short spiky hair was as black as her top. Dark-brown eyes surveyed him with clinical interest.

“You don’t look like the typical juvie Judge Kincaid sends here,” she drawled. “What’d you do?”

“I hacked into my school’s computer system and gave them a whole new set of records.”

She looked impressed. She gestured for him to follow her to the back of the large building. “Cool. Okay, here’s how it goes. You do the dirty work. I supervise. Gwen or the doc handles any medications that need to be administered. Jeremy or I handle the records. That means you keep your paws out of the medication cabinet in case it’s unlocked, which is pretty much never. What you’ll be doing is hosing down and cleaning the kennels. You’ll also exercise the bigger dogs, which means you take them out to the fenced-in dog park the doc set up out back. They can run free out there, but you still have to stay in there with them. Most of them enjoy chasing a ball or chasing you. You have a dog, right?”

“No, we have a cat. Luther.” He eyed one rambunctious German shepherd with a trace of unease. “He’s real old and cranky.”

She shrugged. “You’re a kid. You can handle a dog.”

“Nick Donner?”

Nick turned around to see a tall man with dark blond hair coming toward him. Sunglasses hung from his T-shirt neckline.

“Logan Kincaid.” He held out his hand. “You’re Lou Walker’s grandson, right?”

“I guess you’d call me more a nephew or something by marriage. My uncle is married to Lou’s daughter,” Nick explained, taking his hand.

“And you reworked the school’s computer records which now has you slaving away here.” He shook his head. “You’re going to regret it real fast. Work around here is pretty dirty.”

“Don’t scare him off,” Kristi warned her boss.

“I don’t have to. That’s your job.” Logan looked her over. “New tattoo?”

She glanced down at her arm. “It was time. You can’t see my other one unless I’m wearing a bikini.” She turned to Nick. “Don’t even try to imagine where it is,” she warned him.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but Kristi’s bark is worse than her bite,” Logan told Nick.

“Yeah. Uh, yes, sir.”

“Just call me Logan. We’re pretty informal around here. Do you understand what we do here?”

“You’re a veterinary clinic. You treat sick dogs and cats.”

“That along with treating pretty much any other critter that shows up. We’re also an animal shelter. The county shelter is usually overloaded. This area was growing enough that we needed a more local place for dogs and cats dumped on the back roads or given up by owners. We have a successful adoption program.”

Nick must have looked uneasy, because the doctor gave him an assessing look and said, “Look, if you have a problem with this, I’ll talk to the judge about putting you somewhere else. Just because you’re ordered here doesn’t mean it’s written in stone, no matter what he says.”