“Your dog’s okay,” Matthew said, gesturing at the lone car in the employee lot. “He’s sitting down. Probably tired from sniffing around all those trails.”
Nikki slipped the ball back in her pack, straining to see Gunner. The dog could move fast but he rarely left her side, not unless he was on a job. And he hadn’t wandered far. It was his stillness that made him hard to see, his coat camouflaged against the dusty brown car. Only his tail moved.
Her eyes narrowed. She’d unclipped Gunner’s lead but hadn’t removed his tracking harness. Obviously he was still in work mode, still searching. And judging by the way he was sitting, he’d found something.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Whose car is that?” Nikki asked, careful to keep her voice neutral.
Matthew gave a deprecatory laugh. “Mine. Just an old Ford beater I use. It’s better on gas than the truck.” He turned, peering over her head toward the trees. “Sounds like some engines coming out. Wonder if they found her.”
“Seems unlikely,” she said, studying his expression. “You know…considering the distance she always rode.”
“That’s right. She could be as far as twenty miles out. I gave searchers a map of the area. Pointed out all her regular trails.”
“Did she ever ride to the quarry?”
Matthew jerked back, his eyes widening. “No way. That’s a dead end, very rocky. All our boarders are warned to avoid the east side. Sharp rocks are too hard on the horses’ feet.”
“It wasn’t a place we rode either,” Nikki said.
Matthew nodded, his shoulders relaxing. “I’m sure Savannah took the north trail. No doubt Scooter spooked and threw her. There are a lot of hikers out there, making sudden noises, not realizing how easily they can scare a horse. I just hope they find her soon.”
“I’m sure they will,” Nikki said, angling away from him. She spotted a black Jeep leading a line of four-wheelers and stepped forward, waving her arms. The Jeep curled away from the search and rescue vehicles, and sped toward her.
The driver stopped the Jeep close to the paddock and cut the engine. Justin unfolded from the passenger’s side. His grim expression softened when he spotted the pony. “Well, I’ll be dammed,” he said. “It’s Stormy. And that rascal hasn’t aged much.”
He reached over the rail and gave the pony an affectionate scratch beneath his jaw. “Just let me know when you’re ready to go, Nikki,” he said over his shoulder. “I need you to sign some forms and get that imprint. Then I’ll have someone drive you to your car.”
“Did you find Savannah?” Matthew asked. “Are you checking the old jumper trails?”
Justin silenced him with a flat stare and looked back at Nikki. “You’ll be compensated for your work today,” he said. “Where’s Gunner?”
“That’s what I wanted you to see.” She gestured at the beige Ford. “Gunner’s been sitting like that for several minutes. It’s Matthew’s car.”
“Sir,” Justin said, whipping toward Matthew. “Do you mind opening your trunk.”
It wasn’t a question and Nikki caught the warning look Justin shot the officer sitting behind the wheel of the Jeep. The officer stepped out, his hand hovering over the gun on his hip.
“Why?” Matthew frowned and tugged at his ball cap. “There’s nothing in there but horse stuff.”
“Then I’m sure you won’t mind us having a quick look,” Justin said.
Shrugging, Matthew walked toward the car. Gunner rose and pawed at the trunk, impatient to show them what he’d found and delighted to have roused some attention. Nikki clipped on his leash, watching with bated breath.
Matthew reached down and pressed the release. The trunk slowly lifted.
It seemed anti-climatic. The space was surprisingly clean, containing only an old brush, a pair of well-worn boots and a horse blanket. Certainly nothing that seemed to belong to Savannah. But Gunner whined and leaped forward, paws on the bumper, his nose twitching.
Nikki tugged him to the side of the car but not before she spotted the white hairs that stood out in stark contrast against the blue of the blanket.
“Who owns that horse blanket?” Justin asked.
“One of the boarders,” Matthew said. “I’m just taking it in for repairs.”
Justin said nothing just leveled his hard stare on Matthew.
“It actually belonged to Savannah,” Matthew added, flustered and speaking faster now. “But that doesn’t mean anything. It’s a service I do for all the boarders.”
“Very kind of you.” Justin smiled, but his teeth gleamed like a shark’s. “Naturally we’ll send the blanket to forensics.”
Matthew froze, the color seeping from his face. He opened his mouth then closed it again, all the while staring in horror at the blanket. No doubt it contained bodily fluids. He would have been smarter to hide it in the woods. And he’d said “belonged,” making it more than the first time he’d referred to Savannah in the past tense. Nikki would have bet her modest bank account that the boots in the trunk matched the tread Justin had noted beside the water.
She pulled Gunner away from the car and kneeled beside him, cradling his head, her throat too tight for words. The thought of Savannah’s grieving family left her gutted. But at least they’d have closure. And this time she was going to give her dog the ball game he deserved. And she was going to do it now.
She trudged away from the officer’s voice reciting Matthew his rights, pulled out Gunner’s ball and threw it in the grassy space beside the paddock. Stormy was silent company, sticking his head between the rails and watching intently as Gunner sped after the ball. The pony remained beside the fence even as three unmarked cruisers sped up, surrounding Matthew and his car.
Nikki focused on throwing Gunner’s ball, determined to let him know his job was done. And done well. Savannah’s family would be devastated at the news but at least they wouldn’t face a lifetime wondering if their daughter would ever return.
Gunner was panting and happy, his tongue lolling when he finally flopped at her feet. But he remained alert. His ears shot forward, locking on someone approaching behind her.
Tony walked up, carrying a bucket of water in one hand and a clipboard and several Power Bars in the other. “I thought the hero of the day might be thirsty,” he said, setting the bucket down on the grass for Gunner. “If you ever want to sell him, the K-9 unit would be delighted to have him back. We shouldn’t have let this guy go.”
Nikki gave a vehement headshake. “No way,” she said. “I can’t imagine life without him. Are those the forms Justin mentioned?”
“Yes, along with our standard waiver.”
“Seems a little late for signing waivers.”
“It sure is,” Tony said, cheerfully extracting a pen and handing it over. “Good thing you didn’t break a leg. But we also have a confidentiality agreement. Justin set you up to be paid a K-9 consulting fee. Admittedly I thought it was a waste, that you and your dog would just get in our way. But Gunner not only found Savannah, he nailed her killer. Justin already has the creep singing like a canary.”
Nikki flipped through the forms, signing quickly, acting nonchalant about the generous number handwritten at the bottom of the page. She was making more money in one day than she’d made in the last month. There was also a performance bonus that might kick in. In fact, Justin’s heavy scrawl already showed his approval, along with Tony’s signature as coordinator of the K-9 units.
“When did he ask you to approve this?”
“This morning,” Tony said. “Right after he called you.”
She passed back the signed papers, nodding as if she understood Tony’s statement. But Justin hadn’t phoned her, and she never expected to be made part of the official search. Somehow Justin had known she would come, that she would find a way to circumvent posted security. And the fact that he understood her so well was as comforting as it was disturbing.
“I know this was a tough day,” Tony went on. “There’s nothing more re
warding than finding a live person. Nothing more gut wrenching than finding a corpse. But I’m glad you came. We needed a dog that could distinguish between the scents of the individual horses and none of our available K-9s could do that. I want to add you and Gunner to our consult list. With your permission of course.”
“Of course,” she said, her delight at his offer tempered by the thought of Savannah.
“Then it looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other.” Tony’s blue eyes twinkled. “Maybe you’ll even visit the K-9 center before our open house in the fall.”
She gave a smiling nod, keen to watch their training exercises and see some other working dogs. It would be a pleasure to be around people who understood police animals. They wouldn’t try to be best friends with Gunner and turn frustrated at his reserve. Or worse, get into her space too quickly, something the last guy she’d dated had discovered.
Tony was obviously a dog person though, remaining a polite distance away, shoulders relaxed and hands at his sides. Gunner seemed to accept him as non-threatening. Maybe he even remembered Tony from his time at the center. In fact, Gunner dropped his ball, nosing it forward several inches, inviting him to play. Tony kneeled and rolled the ball back. Gunner gave a tiny tail wag and nosed it forward again.
And soon Gunner was lying on his back, letting Tony rub his vulnerable belly, relaxed as a family pet. And Nikki’s heart warmed like a mother watching her child.
“He likes you,” she said. “Hard to believe he can be aggressive.”
“Everyone likes me if they give me a chance.” Tony’s cocky grin was belied by the twinkle in his eye. “And Gunner’s real failing was that he refused to climb. Nothing would motivate him. I’ll dig out his file. Maybe he had an excuse. Perhaps his hind end is weak.”
Nikki dropped to her knees, staring in dismay at her dog’s hips. Justin had mentioned Gunner’s inability to climb but she hadn’t realized it might be health related. She’d read many troubling stories about German Shepherds and hip dysplasia. Now though, life without him was unimaginable.
Her mind scrambled over the scenarios. There must be ways to compensate. If Gunner faced mobility issues she’d buy a little wagon. That way she could pull him and he’d still be able to join her on their daily runs. He’d probably be unhappy though, especially at Sonja’s. Seeing all the farm animals and not being able to track and play would be heartbreaking.
“Hey,” Tony said, his voice empathetic. “I’m sure he’s fine. I was watching him today and he moves well. We have a vet onsite along with a range of strengthening and rehab equipment. If you’re worried, come by for a visit. I’ll have staff work out an exercise program for him.”
“I’d love that,” she said. “When’s a good day to come?”
“I knew the only way to get a date with you would be through your dog.” His accompanying grin was so unabashed she couldn’t stop her burst of laughter. Besides, it was refreshing to sit on the grass with a good-looking guy who wasn’t petrified of her dog. A man who was thoughtful enough to bring water and energy bars.
She chewed on the bars, entranced as Tony talked animatedly about the training center. Despite his jokes, police dogs were obviously his passion and it was all so interesting she didn’t realize they were no longer alone, not until a figure behind her cast a towering shadow.
CHAPTER NINE
“You two are making this look like a Sunday afternoon picnic,” Justin snapped, ice in his voice.
Nikki scrambled to her feet, her smile fading. She’d been so engrossed in Tony’s K-9 tales, she hadn’t noticed Justin’s approach. And Gunner had been relaxed too, completely accepting of Tony, letting him rub his jaws even when they were wrapped around his treasured ball.
“Just getting to know the hero of the hour,” Tony said, giving Gunner an approving pat. “Both of them,” he added, turning his smile back to Nikki.
She had to give him top marks for courage. Most people wilted beneath Justin’s displeasure. But Tony was still smiling as he scooped up the clipboard. “See you soon, Nikki,” he called over his shoulder, giving her an irreverent wink before sauntering away.
She gave a weak nod, aghast that she’d been sprawled on the grass, temporarily forgetting about the day’s grisly find.
“I don’t mind you socializing,” Justin said, his mouth tight. “Just not this close to a crime scene. The optics aren’t good.”
They weren’t visible from the road or the command post but this wasn’t the time to be defensive. Besides, he was absolutely right. Robert had always stressed that if she was to develop a successful business, she needed to be aware of every social nuance. To care a little bit more about rules and norms instead of charging forward. Besides, in addition to Justin’s annoyance, he also looked concerned. No doubt he’d been meticulously building a case, trying to keep everything airtight before Matthew Friedel lawyered up.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
His eyebrow arched. “You’ve changed. That’s one of the few times I’ve ever heard you apologize.”
She kept herself from wincing but they both remembered her first apology. When her sister hadn’t returned from that horrible trail ride, she’d blamed him for letting Erin skip barn chores. The accusation had been unfair but Justin’s tortured expression remained seared in her brain.
“I’m not a kid anymore,” she said. “And I have to stay calm now. Gunner can get really aggressive if he thinks I’m upset.”
“He seemed to like Tony well enough,” Justin said.
“Tony’s great with dogs.” She gave a rueful smile. “And it’s much easier to be around men when my dog doesn’t want to eat them.”
Justin chuckled, that deep masculine laugh that always warmed her insides. But they both knew she wasn’t joking. There had been more than one occasion when Gunner had nipped—well, actually bit—guys she’d been dating. Once it had been in a man’s most vulnerable spot. He’d threatened to report her dog as dangerous until she’d called Justin in a panic. She wasn’t sure what Justin had said, but the guy had quietly disappeared.
And it wasn’t as though Justin wasn’t busy with more important matters. Like Robert, he was one of the rare people she could always depend on.
“Want to stop for a beer?” she asked impulsively. “I’ll buy, seeing as you landed me a windfall today.”
“Rain check.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I’ll have an interview back at headquarters once the suspect is processed.”
His refusal was disappointing but unsurprising. Lately he seemed to be avoiding her. They’d had drinks together but only when she ran into him and whatever lady he was currently seeing. He never seemed to approve of Nikki’s dates and she certainly didn’t like his girlfriends, especially since too often they tracked her down afterwards, asking about Justin and wondering why he’d ghosted. Their calls always left her irritated.
“Just ask him,” she’d say. Justin was so blunt, she couldn’t understand their reluctance or why they thought she’d know anything about his love life. She’d come to accept she was wary of smoothing other people’s feelings. She’d done that for Erin and it had made her sister vulnerable and thin-skinned. Being left at the brook would have been devastating for Erin’s self-esteem, and no doubt the reason she’d dismounted and tied Pancho to the tree.
At least Nikki could pray that Erin might show up some day. Savannah’s family didn’t have that faint hope, although it was questionable which was worse. Maybe knowing was better.
Gunner whined and she realized she was twisting his lead between her fingers, her agitation running down the leash.
Justin’s gaze flickered over her tight fist. “It’s been a rough day,” he said, his voice softening. “Give me your keys and I’ll have someone drive your car home. There’s a restaurant close by that allows dogs. I need an imprint of your boots and after that I’ll have time to grab a quick bite.”
She couldn’t help but smile with gratitude. She didn’t want to go home
alone with her thoughts, and there was no one she’d rather unwind with than Justin. But she really did want a beer.
“Is that restaurant licensed for alcohol?” she asked.
The corners of his mouth curved in understanding. “I believe so. And if not, I’m sure we can convince them to bring you one.”
Forty minutes later, they were seated in the restaurant and an efficient, gray-haired waitress was sliding plates and a soup bowl across the vinyl tablecloth.
Nikki sipped her cold beer, sighing with appreciation. Justin had snagged a booth in the back where Gunner had plenty of room to lie at their feet. Once staff realized they’d been involved in the local search, they welcomed Gunner, even bringing him a big bowl of water. Best of all, Gunner was relaxed, not eyeing every man around with open suspicion. He seemed to think Justin was a worthy protector.
“This is perfect,” she said.
“It’s just a greasy diner,” Justin said. “But yes, this is perfect.”
There was an odd note in his voice and she glanced up, wondering if he was laughing at her. She suspected he preferred high-end establishments and glamorous dates, not someone who preferred to wear jeans and a T-shirt. But there was no mockery in his expression and his smile was almost wistful. He was likely starving since he had two huge steaks in front of him along with a plate of golden-brown fries that looked and smelled delicious.
“Try some fries,” he said, pushing the plate to the middle of the table. “They’re some of the best around.”
She’d eaten a protein bar with Tony and under the circumstances hadn’t expected to be able to stomach a big meal. But Justin had made an appealing mound of salt and ketchup so she picked up a fry, dipped it, and took a nibble. Her eyes widened. He wasn’t exaggerating. The fry was delicious: hot and crunchy on the outside but light and fluffy in the center.
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