My fingers went white around the phone. He was still talking, but the words blurred into static.
"The address," I cut in. "Send it to me."
I found the place at the end of a grimy alley—a sketchy pet clinic that barely looked legal.
Cheese was locked in a cage. Her small body was curled tight, panting in rapid little gasps. Her front leg had been shaved, and blood still seeped from the needle hole.
When she saw me, she stood up on shaky legs and let out two pitiful whimpers.
My heart shattered. I scooped her into my arms and held her until her trembling slowed.
That's when Lily Fox's cat came out of the emergency room.
Compared to Cheese—alone, ignored—Salad's side was a whole production.
"Don't worry, you two. Thanks to Cheese donating blood in time, Salad is out of danger."
Alex and Lily exhaled in unison. Then they noticed me.
Alex walked over, already making excuses. "Serena, Cheese wouldn't cooperate with the blood draw, so her leg got a little swollen. It's not a big deal."
When I didn't respond, Lily's eyes welled up. She stepped forward, voice trembling. "Serena, please don't blame Alex. I begged him. Salad fell from the sixth floor—she was dying. I didn't know what else to do..."