Red Skye at Night (36 page)
My words seem to be enough to at least convince her I mean her no harm. She pauses, one hand still on the wrought iron perimeter fencing, and waits as I get close.
“Did you say you were looking for a vet?” This is a wildlife park. Our vets don’t do surgeries.”
“No, I realize that. It’s just, I have an injured badger and I wondered if there was anyone who could…? I mean, it’s probably too late to help him but I just thought…”
“A badger? Where is it?” She looks interested now.
“In my car. I ran over it. It’s on the back seat.”
I can just make out her features in the dim light cast by the illuminated sign. She looks as though she considers my explanation dubious at best.
“You’ve got a badger on the back seat of your car? A live one?”
“It was alive a few minutes ago. It won’t be for long though. Is there a vet here or not?” I try to keep the exasperation out of my tone, but I suspect I don’t entirely succeed. Having got this far it seems a pity to let poor Bryan, as I’m coming to think of my latest little friend, die while we chat at the gate
The woman shakes her head. “I doubt it. The vet normally leaves by about four. I’ll check for you though. There might be someone on night duty, one of the nurses, who could have a look.”
I’m relieved, at last some cooperation. I wait in silence as my new ally pulls her mobile from her pocket and punches in a few numbers.
“Hello. This is Mary from the front kiosk. Is Becky there please?” There’s a pause, the woman obviously listening to something being said at the other end. “Oh. Julie then?” She listens for a few moments more, then, “I see. I’m sorry to bother you, sir. It’s just that I’m in the car park on my way home, and there’s a member of the public here with a badger that’s been hit by a car. She’s asking if there’s a vet who could deal with it.” A few more seconds pass, then. “Thank you. That’s fine, sir. I’ll tell her.”
She hangs up the call and turns to me. I’m fully expecting a final brush off. Clearly neither of the nurses is available to help.
“The vet hasn’t left yet. He says he’ll take a look at the badger. He’ll be out in a minute.”
About the Author
Ashe has been an avid reader of women’s fiction for many years—erotic, historical, contemporary, fantasy, romance—you name it, as long as it’s written by women, for women. Now, at last in control of her own time and working from her home in rural West Yorkshire, she has been able to realize her dream of writing erotic romance herself.
She likes to write about people, relationships, and the general cock-up and mayhem that is most of our lives. She often writes about places she’s known but her stories of love, challenge, resilience and compassion are the conjurings of her own imagination, with a hefty dose of kink to keep it interesting. We all need to have a hobby.
Ashe loves to craft strong, enigmatic men and bright, sassy women to give them a hard time—in every sense of the word.
When she’s not writing, Ashe’s time is divided between her role as resident taxi driver for her teenage daughter, and caring for a menagerie of dogs, rabbits, tortoises, and Colin the hamster.
Email:
[email protected]
Ashe loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at
http://www.totallybound.com
Also by Ashe Barker
The Hardest Word: A Hard Bargain
The Hardest Word: Hard Lessons
The Hardest Word: Hard Choices
A Richness of Swallows: Rich Tapestry
A Richness of Swallows: Rich Pickings
A Richness of Swallows: Rich Promise
Jolly Rogered: Right of Salvage
What’s Her Secret?: The Three Rs
Totally Bound Publishing
