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A woman in herblonde to ames room She shook her head but ser woman said

"It’s fine, Liz Go save your spot" There was so both matronly and businesslike about her She estern-style boots, jeans and a colorful cotton shirt She’d seen Dustin arrive and was co toward him Her hair was pulled back in a severe bun Maybe that was it She had a long, sharp-featured face that rather reseent Blake?"

"Yes," he said

"Sandra, Sandra Cheever Or Maet I don’t cuddle patients, don’t tuck them in--I don’t even brew tea, for God’s sake But I do handle the paperwork and the scheduling around here We have everything we need except your signature for the files These days--especially working with aniet waivers But your office took care of everything else"

"That’s great What do I do? Where do I start? I’n"

Hands on her hips, she cast her head at an angle to study hiood to hear your enthusiasm," she told him "I was afraid you’d be hostile to the situation--that it was a ‘come here or lose your job’ scenario"

"I’m fro about me," Dustin said "And I love horses This sounded better than any other offer I’ve had, so yep I’ you in to see Aaron He’s ourdirector"

She lifted a hand to point at a door with a placard that read Aaron Bentley

"Just tap and go on in," Sandra said, gri to go supervise They’re good kids When they’re here, anyway Butthey can get a bit crazy"

Sandra hurried to the back Dustin watched her go as he tapped on the door

"Come in, it’s open!"

Dustin stepped into the office It was old-fashioned, to say the least While the desk bore a laptop computer and a printer, an old blotter still sat on it, too, along with aleather-covered chairs in front of the desk and a worn couch to the rear Windows looked out over one of the pastures

Thebehind the desk was about six feet tall, bearded and balding His beard was neatly clipped; he seeanized in his personal appearance than he did in his office lasses sat on his nose He s his hand

"You ent Blake I’reet you"

"Oh, a nice woreet o by first nalad to have you here, Dustin We’ve broken ground with o, we started working with veterans--the physically wounded, and those who have wounded es, you name it--horse therapy can onders But you’re our first law enforcement official Let’s sit down for a moment"

Aaron returned to the swivel chair behind his desk, while Dustin sank into one of the old leather arht look, that apparent chaos actually contributed to a sense of ease

"I spoke with your supervisor, a Mr Jackson Crow," Aaron said, folding his hands in front of hi on his desk He gave his absolute attention to Dustin "He said you were having nightmares and that he believes you’re--"

"Burned out?" Dustin suggested

"No Experiencing one of those spells where you’re having trouble weighing the good you’re able to provide against the horrors you have to see I adot the call, I suspected you’d been involved in some dreadful situation where innocents had been killed But he tells ents and that he wants you to take some time off He also said you don’t do ith traditional psychiatrists or therapy and that he hopes this ork for you"

"Ah, did he tell you that?" Dustin eneral idea of what Jackson Crow had planned on saying; he didn’t kno close to hoarettes, Iabout water and staring at a bull’s-eye on the wall did nothing for me I merely wanted to kill the hypnotist"

"Well, this isn’t like that, butwe do have group and individual therapy We also do ca trips to the little brook a couple miles from here You don’t have to think about the water--you can walk right into it if you choose Frankly, I’ for, but we’re anxious to see if we can helpelse, a little R & R is always good for solad to be here You know I live in northern Virginia--DC area, really--and I love it But Nashville and these hills--well, this is hoenuinely pleased "Now I should tell you that we’re in the middle of a real shake-up We’ve just lost our founder--Marcus Danby It’s a tough time for all of us Soyour people kneas dead when they called The fact that you wanted to go ahead, anyway, is a testament to Marcus At any rate," he said briskly, "I put you in with a s I understand youout Terrible loss in his family Anyway, I won’t tell you any more Come on out I believe that Liv’s at the stables and the troops are gathering"

As they went out the front door, anotherin Aaron paused to introduce the two of thehton last night, so once you’ve spent your first session with Liv, you’ll know all of us except for Sydney Roux He takes care of the horses and the stables with Drew"

Mason Garlano had sleek, curly dark hair and dark eyes He was in his twenties, with a slightly exotic flair and unlad you’re here--and hope you enjoy your visits"