Saving Cole Turner Read Online Free PDF

Charlie took it upon himself to save that dog. He spent every free minute he could making friends with it, earning its trust, and giving it food and water.”
    Her father rubbed his face as if he could wash away the bad memory that was sure to come. When he stared back at her, his eyes were moist.
    “Finally, it looked like he’d succeeded. The dog took to following him everywhere and, being he was mostly black, we called him Shadow. No one else could get near Shadow but Charlie, and that was fine by me. I didn’t trust the dog. He was too quick to bare his teeth, to growl that low, mean growl that lets you know to stay away.”
    “One day, Shadow was sleeping in the sun, a bowl of old food by his side. I guess Charlie thought the food was too old and the flies had been buzzing around too long to let the dog eat any more of it. Charlie reached for the food bowl. In that instant, Shadow woke up and grabbed Charlie’s arm, snarling and carrying on. He wouldn’t let go. Charlie was screaming bloody murder. I grabbed the rifle my pa kept in the barn thinking someone had attacked him and went running.”
    “It wasn’t someone, but something. Blood was spurting out of Charlie’s arm and the dog was hanging on for dear life, even as Charlie was calling out its name and telling it to stop.”
    Her father gave her a long look, his eyes cold and clear. She felt the chill of that look to her core. “I had to shoot that dog to free my brother. Charlie lost all feeling in his right hand. You know what that’s like? Trying to do farm work without use of a hand? He learned to use his left, well enough so that he could hide his infirmity and join the Army, but he was never the same after that. He never trusted anyone or any creature again. It was a hard lesson, learned the hard way, and it scarred him for life. Short as his life was. Maybe if he’d had use of that hand, he’d have survived the war.”
    Kate swallowed the lump that stuck in her throat. “You think Cole’s like that dog?”
    “I think Cole has been through more than any human being should have to endure, particularly a kid. But it’s scarred him deep inside like it scarred that dog.” Her father leaned forward, blocking the light from the kerosene lamp on the table behind him so the glow encircled his body. Resting his elbows on his knees, he clasped his hands between his legs.
    “I’m smart enough to know the dog was reacting with instinct. If Charlie had never reached for that food bowl, maybe if the dog hadn’t been asleep before it happened, Charlie could have gone years more with Shadow being a faithful dog. But there would have come a time when that dog felt threatened and he would have gone after whoever was there in the same way he’d always defended himself in the wild.”
    “Cole’s not a dog. And as a boy he wouldn’t have hurt any creature before…”
    “Before he killed his father, you mean.” Will shook his head as he interrupted her. “I’m not saying the man didn’t deserve what he got. But Cole wasn’t in his rights to give it to him.”
    “The law wouldn’t do anything.” Kate blinked back tears as the ache of what Cole had endured claimed her. “Sheriff said it was between a husband and wife and he had no say in it.”
    “And if you marry him and he turns out like his father…”
    Like a dynamite stick with a lit fuse, Kate was near to exploding at her father’s injustice. “He’s nothing like his father. Nothing.” She knew the truth down to her marrow.
    “I wouldn’t be able to do anything to help you except kill him,” her father continued in a flat voice, without emotion, ignoring her interruption.
    Kate wouldn’t say it, but she knew her father wouldn’t be able to kill Cole unless he shot him in the back.
    “Damn it, Kate. He’s a hired killer. Is that what you want for a husband?” Her father exhaled as if he’d been holding his breath.
    Kate clasped her hands in front of her, her nails digging into