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A Healing Justice
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Praise for Kristin von Kreisler and Her Novels
Earnest
“Dog lovers will adore this beleaguered Lab, who only wants to preside over a united household in his favorite ‘library lion’ pose.”
—The Seattle Times
“A sweet and appealing story of a pet’s effort to bring his pack together again!”
—Heroes & Heartbreakers
“Delightful . . . Von Kreisler’s strength in her earlier works—penetrating character developments and tantalizing story lines—are prominent on this emotional, bumpy ride. She is an incredible storyteller.”
—American Kennel Club
“An insightful and uplifting story . . . a great read for those who know the power of pets.”
—Modern Dog magazine
“A highly readable story of what devotion and love really mean. Once again, von Kreisler, one of the best authors of animal-related fiction and nonfiction out there, brings readers a dog and a book they will cherish.”
—Best Friends magazine
“The best part of von Kreisler’s novel is Earnest . . . a sweet, lovable canine.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Earnest lives up to his name. He is a dog who earnestly desires only one thing, to keep his family intact. Kristin von Kreisler deftly spins a tale of human failings and canine devotion that will have the reader reaching for the tissues.”
—Susan Wilson, New York Times best-selling author of Two Good Dogs
“Kristin von Kreisler captures the emotional intelligence of Earnest, a dog who provides much needed guidance to a human couple spiraling into catastrophe. When Anna and Jeff both feel the depth of betrayal, only the steady loyalty and unwavering love of Earnest can save them.”
—Jacqueline Sheehan, New York Times best-selling author of The Center of the World and The Tiger in the House
“Be prepared to fall in love with Earnest, a yellow Labrador retriever adopted from a shelter who teaches his humans a thing or two about resilience, loyalty, and forgiveness.... A truly charming story sure to please dog lovers everywhere.”
—Amy Hill Hearth, New York Times best-selling author of Miss Dreamsville and the Lost Heiress of Collier County
“If you’ve ever wondered whether animals were smarter than humans, Kristin von Kreisler’s Earnest is the book for you. This charming tale (pun intended!) leads us through the kind of conflict real families face and shows us, through the wisdom of a dog, what matters most in life.”
—Nancy Thayer, New York Times best-selling author of The Island House
“Kristin von Kreisler’s deep understanding of both people and dogs shines through in her compelling new novel, Earnest. Animal lovers will fall for the yellow Lab who saves his favorite humans from heartbreak.”
—Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, New York Times best-selling author of Dogs Never Lie About Love
An Unexpected Grace
“A heartwarming and beautifully written tale about trust and compassion. Grace provides the story with a wonderful balance of humor as her heroine, Lila, poignantly brings the reader into her frame of mind. Dog lovers will be particularly enthralled with the novel.”
—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
“The talented Bainbridge Island author, who has previously focused on nonfiction, makes a smooth transition here into fiction. Von Kreisler is at her best with colorful metaphors throughout this striking adventure that exudes a combustible feel around every corner.”
—Seattle Kennel Club
“An Unexpected Grace is a poignant contemporary . . . Readers will appreciate Lila and Grace helping each other heal.”
—Midwest Book Reviews
“An Unexpected Grace is beautifully written. Kristin clearly knows dogs. The novel is filled with compassion. All pet lovers will relate to the story.”
—Pet News & Views
“Devoted dog parents will read An Unexpected Grace and relate to the deep bond and heartfelt connection that can develop between the human and canine species. Von Kreisler’s passion for dogs is the underlying theme throughout the book and easily relatable by dog lovers wanting a happy ending. For that reason you will enjoy the book.”
—Seattle P. I.
“A terrific, uplifting novel . . . Von Kreisler deftly shows how the love between a dog and a person can prove transformative.”
—Modern Dog magazine
“A heartstrings-tugging novel with many a heart-stopping incident, the story of a beautiful dog in search of a loving home. Basically, it’s a love story. Read it, if you can, in the sunshine.”
—Hudson Valley News
“In Kristin von Kreisler’s heartfelt novel An Unexpected Grace, a woman and a dog rescue each other from violent pasts. This is a story that underlines the irrevocable bond between dog and man—or, in this case, between dog and woman.”
—WV Gazette
“Kristin von Kreisler is an acute observer of dogs and a fine novelist. Her novel about the healing powers of dogs is enchanting. I was captivated from page one and I learned a great deal from this heartwarming, thrilling book.”
—Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
“Kristin von Kreisler weaves a modern tale that seems at first to be a relentless search to understand a workplace shooting. But wait; von Kreisler takes us deeper into the powerful connections between humans and animals who are wounded by the incomprehensible and bound together by love.”
—Jacqueline Sheehan
“In An Unexpected Grace, Kristin von Kreisler deftly tackles the age-old question of how to make sense of tragedy. When Lila’s world falls apart, she learns that hope can come from unexpected places. With vivid descriptions and true-to-life characters, von Kreisler proves it’s possible to heal, trust again, and love deeper than before. A heartwarming story on the healing power of dogs.”
—Susy Flory, New York Times best-selling author of Thunder Dog
“Kristin von Kreisler understands the unique bond between survivors of trauma in this captivating novel of a woman and a dog learning to trust each other in a threatening world. You have to root for them as the damaged heroines of An Unexpected Grace, woman and dog, find the healing power of trust and love in each other.”
—Susan Wilson
“A sweet and charming story of the tender, patient, and forgiving nature of our canine friends, Kristin von Kreisler’s An Unexpected Grace will warm the heart of anyone who has ever loved a dog.”
—Amy Hill Hearth
Books by Kristin von Kreisler
FICTION
An Unexpected Grace
Earnest
A Healing Justice
NONFICTION
The Compassion of Animals
Beauty in the Beasts
For Bea
A HEALING JUSTICE
KRISTIN VON KREISLER
KENSINGTON BOOKS
www.kensingtonbooks.com
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Praise for Kristin von Kreisler and Her Novels
Books by Kristin von Kreisler
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
CHAPTER 45
CHAPTER 46
CHAPTER 47
CHAPTER 48
CHAPTER 49
CHAPTER 50
CHAPTER 51
CHAPTER 52
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A HEALING JUSTICE
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
About the Author
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2018 by Kristin von Kreisler
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
eISBN-13: 978-1-4967-0046-9
eISBN-10: 1-4967-0046-5
ISBN: 978-1-4967-0045-2
ISBN-10: 1-4967-0045-7
For Clell Bryant,
my dear friend, writing mentor,
and model for kindness and strength.
With love and thanks.
PROLOGUE
ANDREA
October 2014
Like most everything else in life, the firs around Andrea Brady’s house were both a plus and a minus. The trees gave her privacy, but they constantly rained needles and cones. As Andie swept her porch, she internally grumbled about her love-hate relationship with the firs—or the yard’s perps, as she’d say on the force. For seven years, Andie had been a cop on San Julian Island near Seattle.
As she emptied her dustpan into a garbage bag, she got the prickly feeling that she was being watched—an intuition finely honed at work. She glanced down her driveway. A German shepherd she’d never seen before was emerging from the autumn morning’s mist. He slowly made his way toward her.
He was magnificent, if slightly thin and a little on the rumpled side. His black muzzle looked as if he’d dipped it in an inkwell, and he had a black star on his forehead. A black saddle marked his back and sides, but the rest of him was tan with swaths of rust brown, which in the watery sunlight looked almost as red as Andie’s hair. Though not quite a German shepherd Mr. Universe, he was powerful and muscular. He moved with the assurance of an army general.
“Well, hello, you.” Andie held out her hand to encourage him to come down her flagstone path and have a sniff.
He walked toward her with quiet dignity and accepted the invitation. As he explored her lavender hand lotion’s smell, he breathed out little puffs of air that warmed her creamy skin, which the sun could burn in minutes. He pressed against her leg; though only five foot four and slim, Andie was plenty strong enough to support his weight.
“You’re a handsome gentleman. You know that?”
The dog pricked his ears and cocked his head the way dogs do when they are listening. In a slightly formal manner—after all, they’d just met—he seemed to say, Modesty prevents me from bragging about my appearance, but, indeed, I have been called elegant.
His gorgeous brown eyes tugged at Andie. Some people might say they looked sad, but, to her, they revealed character and depth. She would bet that he was the kind of dog who gazed into the distance on warm summer afternoons and contemplated his strong opinions: I do not tolerate cowards. A disloyal dog ranks lower than a flea’s antenna.
“Are you lost? Has someone abandoned you?” Certainly, the answer to both questions would be yes. Cruel people took the ferry over and dumped unwanted animals; Andie had found homes for many over the years. She parted the fur on the dog’s neck and found no collar and tag. It’s happened again, she thought.
Those people he’d loved and trusted had turned on him and left him to fend for himself in the cold. He’d never understand why they’d repaid his loyalty with cruelty. Perhaps he thought he’d done something wrong and was being punished. Perhaps dogs’ feelings could be as hurt as people’s.
“Wait here a minute. I’ll get you some water and food.”
Andie hurried into the house, a two-story shingled Craftsman that, thank heaven, she’d been awarded in her divorce. Rushing toward the kitchen, she ran her hand along the back of her white denim sofa and over her wicker “gratitude basket,” into which she tossed daily lists of three things she was thankful for. Today one would be meeting this beautiful dog. She filled a bowl with water, grabbed a package of sliced turkey, and went back outside.
The dog was waiting on the flagstones a few feet from the porch’s steps, the easier to bolt if Andie turned out to be unworthy of friendship. “Here.” She set down the water and noted a black heart-shaped spot on his tongue as he lapped. On her palm, she held out half a turkey slice. Though she expected a ferocious chomp of teeth, he took the turkey politely—but then gulped it down, no chewing, that was it.
She sat on the bottom step, wrapped an arm around her knees, and handed him a whole slice. “You know, I used to have a shepherd named Noble. He took care of me when my father died.” It hardly seemed possible that nearly thirty years had passed since then. She’d been in third grade. “Noble was a clown, but you seem sober as a judge. Someone should name you Justice.”
He seemed not to mind the name as his eyes emphatically informed her, I would greatly appreciate more turkey.
Andie set the rest of the package in front of him and watched his eager bites. It felt so natural sitting with this stranger dog. It was like he personally chose her this morning and the universe might be sending her a gift. She wanted to keep him.
But, then, she had no time for a dog right now. She told Justice, “I work full-time. My husband left me last year because he couldn’t stand my long, unpredictable hours. It would be irresponsible to adopt you when my life is so complicated.”
Andie was nothing if not responsible. By age eight, she’d had to become an adult.
But—and all arguments, even in her head, always had a “but”—but Justice was so beautiful. (Stop thinking of him as Justice! Don’t get attached!) But she loved how he plopped down on the flagstones as if he were claiming her house as his own and he fixed his brown eyes on her green ones.
His furrowed forehead seemed to say it all: I can tell you’re on your own, and underneath your strong exterior, you’re vulnerable. He tilted his head as if to emphasize, You need someone to cover your back—and maybe offer friendship. He tossed his licorice-gumdrop nose in the air. He could provide those things. No problem.
As Andie well knew.
The nose toss did it. And his eyes. They said as clearly as any dog’s eyes ever said anything, I would like to be your dog, but I would never stoop to pressure you.
Besides, clearly hidden in his confidence was a love muffin. When she patted his shoulder, he nuzzled her hand. As a police officer, Andie kept her heart under wraps to protect it while she did her job, but this was different. Justice cracked her heart wide open.
Okay, so if she was going to take a rash, unintended step like adopting a dog, she needed support. She pulled her phone from her down vest’s pocket and speed-dialed Meghan, who, besides being her next-door neighbor also hap
pened to be San Julian’s Saint Francis of Assisi. Today she was setting up her new interior design office downtown, but she’d drop anything for a needy animal.
“Hey. Do you know anything about a lost German shepherd?” Andie asked.
“You found one?!” At the prospect of a rescue, the usual uptick of excitement sounded in Meghan’s voice.
“He’s here. Somebody dumped him in our woods.”
“Any ID?”
“No. I want to adopt him. You have to see him. He’s gorgeous.”
“I’m sure he is, but you need to try and find his family first.” Meghan sighed.
“I don’t want to find them. Not if they’ve abandoned him.”
“You don’t know that for sure. You need to put up FOUND DOG signs and have Dr. Vargas check him for a microchip. Don’t fall in love yet,” Meghan warned.
Andie pictured her, knitting her brows and fingering the tiny silver Eiffel Tower she’d worn around her neck since her student days in Paris. Nothing made her worry more than an animal in trouble. Andie, too. But Meghan was right. If Justice had a family he loved, he should go back to them.
Still, Andie wanted to keep him. “Justice is sniffing the flagstones. Maybe he could be a drug sniffer. He could be my K-9 partner.” Andie petted his fluffy fur.