Fight Or Flight

by Amy Shojai

  Showing her teeth didn’t frighten the pain away. She drowned in the burning sensation she couldn’t escape.

  Karma whimpered and shivered, no longer the brave, proud Rottweiler girl. She wished her family would come home. Lia always knew what to do.

  Chapter 53

  Lia pulled into the narrow parking space outside the shabby efficiency apartment. Her petite passenger bolted before the truck shuddered to a stop and slammed the door. Typical.

  The sun painted long shadows across the parking lot, and wind swirled dead leaves against the windshield. Fall in North Texas meant brown trees and yellow grass, and rushed by in an eye-blink. Lia knew the sixty-degree temps would drop once darkness fell.

  She watched the smaller woman hunch against wind that tangled her brown hair into a messy halo. Lia adjusted her own goldenrod tresses, tightening the ponytail to keep the sheath out of the way. She sat for a long moment, and stared daggers at her half-sister.

  Tee turned back to Lia, hands on narrow hips. “You coming, or what? I left my key.” She hugged herself before the battered door, not used to the fall weather. She wore plainclothes, not officially on the clock, and that was the problem. Tee acted like she knew better than anyone how to run the police investigation that brought them together. She’d already been reprimanded more than once. That didn’t stop her, though, and now she wanted Lia to help—and get sideways with the police, too.

  For the past two months, Lia had shared an uneasy truce and living space with Tee. The local PD had asked her to be their Hawaiian expert while working on the sex-ring kidnap case and Lia provide transportation in exchange for a roof over her, and Karma’s, head. She had thought it would be an opportunity to find out more about her heritage. But after living in close quarters with the prickly young woman, Lia wasn’t any closer to knowing the truth.

  Grandfather believed Wyatt Teves got his beloved fifteen-year-old daughter pregnant then abandoned her. Lia had committed the unforgivable by researching her heritage and trying to find her father. Getting back into Grandfather’s good graces required proving her father wasn’t the devil Grandfather believed. But the mere presence of half-sister Pilikia Teves poured salt on the wound.

  Any thought of sister-to-sister bonding evaporated within the first two days of living together. Lia would have bailed if she’d had any other options. Tee drove like a maniac—Lia didn’t trust her to bring the truck back in one piece—which meant chauffeur duty at all hours. That turned into a lot of off-the-clock police work that could get Tee fired, Lia arrested, and them both hurt or worse.

  At least Tee loved Karma. And the feeling was mutual. Lia couldn’t help feeling a twinge of jealousy.

  The cop hugged herself again. Lia guessed Hawaii breeze didn’t carry the same bite as the fall Texas wind. Just wait until she returned to Chicago for her first winter and she’d be nostalgic for the Texas weather. “Open the door, Lia, I’m freezing!”

  “Quiet, you’ll have Karma barking and get the management after us again.” Lia climbed out of the car, and fished the key from her pocket. She wondered why the Rottweiler hadn’t woofed her usual greeting.

  Grandfather’s gravelly voice, shaking with venom: “You’re not part of this family, not anymore.” had hurt more than she wanted to admit. Sure, she’d bucked their rules, wanting them to let go of the reins so she could run her own race. But Grammy and Grandfather were the only family she’d ever known, and without them in her life, she felt adrift, even though she’d never felt like she belonged—smothered by a secret past they wouldn’t share. At least she knew why.

  Now, she had no family—except a sour, argumentative half-sister—and still had no answers about her father. The sooner she said goodbye to Tee, the better.

  Repairs to Corazon Kennels were almost done. When Grandfather cancelled their deal and kicked her out, she’d had to beg the bank for a loan. Emergency bail-out money from the government helped a bit, but with the business closed and no regular income, she’d already fallen behind on payments. The kennel had to be ready in six weeks, before the Thanksgiving rush. She’d missed Labor Day bookings but had several reservations for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The pet-sitting door-to-door visits provided stop-gap funds but Lia needed a substantial payday to get back in control.

  If she couldn’t win the lottery or get an extension on the loan, the bank would foreclose. Getting away from Tee before she strangled her was the least of her worries.

  Of course, Combs just might beat Lia to the punch.

  “Combs won’t be happy, you know.” Lia’s words stiffened Tee’s shoulders.

  The athletic policewoman rounded on Lia. “Who’s going to tell him? You got another hot date?” She grinned.

  Lia’s face burned. “It’s not like that. Combs just offered to help me with my bank stuff, that’s all.”

  “Bank stuff?” Tee stood to one side as Lia juggled the key to open the door. “You behind on payments or something? Wish I could help, but my finances are worse than yours.” She grinned, and a dimple appeared. “So, is Combs going to float you a loan?”

  “Hardly.”

  “Didn’t realize you’re that close. Or that he’s that flush. You know he’s got child support, right?” Tee grinned again.

  Lia ignored Tee’s teasing, and shouldered her aside to get to the door. Yes, she liked the man, in part because he didn’t seem impressed by her Corazon name. And yes, she knew he had two kids living with their stepdad and his very ill ex-wife. And she knew about his relationship with September, a woman she’d rather have as a friend than consider competition. Detective Jeff Combs had a complicated life, and she needed simplicity in hers. Enough said.

  But he’d become a friend. It irked her that Tee went behind Combs’s back as if she knew better than an experienced detective. Still, this was her sister, the only family that still claimed her, so of course she’d stay mum.

  “You’re so gung-ho running your own investigation, he’s sure to get wind of it. Combs is a detective, you know.”

  “Not likely, the way they’re dragging their feet.” Tee jutted out her chin, eyes flashing. “The clock is ticking. My partner says they want me back in Chicago soon, or I could lose my job. But I owe it to Mele and all the other girls that SOB destroyed to get the scumbag caught and put away.”

  Lia swung open the door and let Tee storm inside ahead of her. Combs would be here soon. She hoped his friends at the bank would give her some breathing room.

  She’d barely shut the door when Tee yelled from the bedroom.

  “Something’s wrong with Karma!”

  Chapter 54

  Karma looked up from her nest amid the bed pillows when the door opened. She struggled to sit up as Tee strode into the bedroom, then gave up. She offered a wide doggy grin of apology and slicked back her ears.

  “Something’s wrong with Karma!” Tee sat on the edge of the bed, and smoothed Karma’s brow. “What’s wrong, baby-girl? You’re not supposed to be on my bed, you know that.” Worry filled her voice, and Karma licked the girl’s hand.

  The tummy pains had stopped, allowing her to nap. Now, Karma feared moving might make the hurts start again. And besides, the fluffy clothes surrounding her soothed a good-dog’s swollen tummy. She wouldn’t move at all, unless Tee frowned at her again. Karma didn’t like it when her girls frowned, it made her tummy hurt in a whole different way. And lately, that made Karma feel even more protective.

  “What’s up, Karma? On the bed?” Lia turned to Tee. “Nest building, that’s all.” Her face smiled, so Karma knew she wasn’t upset. With a grunt, she managed to roll up into a sit, and half closed her eyes with bliss as the two women petted her.

  “Don’t scare me like that.” Tee cooed, scratching under Karma’s chin, and then turned to Lia. “I came into the room and she didn’t move. Are you sure it’s safe to leave her alone?”

  Karma tuned out the voices. She didn’t understand the words and had more important things to do. She whined, and struggled
to climb off the bed, paced to the door and paw-thumped it.

  Lia followed. “Need to take-a-break? Bet you do, and some food, too.”

  Karma wiggled her stumpy tail and waited for the door to open. She hurried to a familiar-smelling spot, and squatted for immediate relief. She flicked an ear toward the two women’s raised voices. Hurrying back into the cramped room, she stood between them, wanting to jump up on each in turn to move them apart, but her bulk wouldn’t allow it. Instead, she yawned, wide and loud. She pawed Lia’s leg, and then leaned against Tee, and yawned again.

  “I’ll get the thermometer.” Lia brushed by, crossed to the bathroom, and quickly returned. She knelt beside Karma and stroked her throat. “I know you don’t like this, but it’ll be over quick. Karma, stand.”

  Karma rose to her feet, but tucked her tail in protest of the rude intrusion. She relaxed when Tee knelt at her head-end and rubbed her ears.

  Lia removed the stick-thing and Karma woofed and shook herself with relief. “Her temp’s dropped from her normal 102 to 99-degrees, just as I thought. It’ll happen in the next 24 hours.” Lia stood, grinning with excitement.

  “All right, you win. I’ll stay while you go to the bank with Combs. But you better be back in time. I’m no midwife.” Tee rubbed Karma’s ears again, and Karma returned the favor with a slurp across her eyes.

  Chapter 55

  Tee dodged Karma’s kiss, but couldn’t stop smiling. “Do I taste good, yeah?” She looked up at Lia. “Am I crazy, or does Karma get upset when we argue?” She stood, removed her gun, and set it on the bedside table.

  “Yep, it’s called splitting behavior when she barges between us. Dogs do it to each other, too.” She shrugged. “It’s a way to calm down interactions and prevent fights.” She crossed to the closet, peeked inside and laughed. “Karma has been in here, too. She rearranged all the shoes.” Lia traded her ragged windbreaker for a less shabby jacket and re-tied her hair. “I’ll be gone a couple hours at most. A dog’s first stages of labor can last six to 18 hours, so I should be back well before she whelps.” A car horn blared outside. “That’s Combs. Gotta run.” Lia bent to smooth Karma’s brow, and planted a kiss on the dome of the dog’s silky black head.

  “Wait, I don’t know anything about dogs. Or puppies. What am I supposed to do?” As a cop, she should be stoic and unflappable. She’d even taken training to help with unexpected births, but that was human babies. The thought of Karma in distress left Tee breathless. “What if something goes wrong?”

  “Just keep Karma quiet, and chances are she won’t deliver until late tonight. She’ll do all the work. In fact, it’s better for the puppies if we stay out of the way.” Lia grabbed her phone and keys, hesitated, and turned back. “Just in case there’s a problem, I’ll text you Doc Eugene’s phone number, and you can use my truck to get to his clinic.” She dangled the keys. “But only for Karma, if it’s an emergency. Got it?” The horn blared again.

  “I know how to drive. Give it a rest, already.” Lia wouldn’t let her forget that tiny ding in the bumper of her precious truck. She shooed Lia to the door with waving motions of her hands. “Go on, me and Karma got this, don’t we, honey-girl?”

  Karma woofed and wriggled, leaning hard against Tee’s thigh. The warm presence made her feel invincible with the dog by her side.

  Tossing one last worried look over her shoulder, Lia left the apartment. Tee exhaled and her shoulders loosened. She stayed on guard around other people. Having Lia as her driver was meant to be a convenience but instead it had become a burden, especially with her sister’s constant disapproval. But nobody else could pull off this undercover sting and it might—it would!—close the case. Sometimes the ends justified the risks.

  No worries keeping secrets from Karma, though. Tee could be herself.

  “You hungry?” She grinned at the dog’s paw-dance response. “Lia only gives you that gravel she calls dog food. I got some veggie burritos.” Better forego the hot sauce, though. She’d learned that dogs liked veggies, too. Karma liked raw carrots and broccoli. “Bet you’ll love burritos, with sour cream, yum. After all, you’re eating for two now. Or maybe more.”

  The veterinarian predicted one puppy, which apparently wasn’t unusual for a first litter. But a single Shadow-pup made the impending birth even more special. “Do you miss the warrior dog? I wonder.” Karma tipped her big head from side to side and licked her lips as Tee stuck the food in the microwave.

  Tee would have discounted the tale Mele told of Karma mating with a black shepherd as fantasy born of the dramatic situation, but Karma was most definitely pregnant. The warrior-dog had also herded her through the flames. Karma saved Mele that day, but the black shepherd rescued Lia by showing Tee where the three sheltered. Something beyond common understanding must direct such things.

  Tee had never thought much about animals until the past two months with Karma. Go figure, she preferred dogs over most humans. “What will a Karma and Shadow baby become? A police dog like you?” A dog like Karma sure would come in handy back in Chicago, especially once she became a detective. Besides, if she were Lia, she’d never let Karma go. And, there’d never be another dog like Karma.

  The microwave DINGED, and Karma pawed her leg and whined, ready for her burrito. “Okay, hungry girl. But you know the rules, yeah? Gotta work for your food.”

  Tee might fudge on what she fed the dog but agreed with Lia’s rationale about earning rewards. A police dog had to stay sharp and practice tracking and protection skills every day. Pregnancy compromised Karma’s agility and stamina, so they’d cut back on physical activity and increased mental exercises.

  She placed the food on a plate and broke off a piece. She never bothered to learn all the German commands Lia taught. Hell, half the time Lia forgot and used English anyway, except for “mahalo,” the release word. Tee thought that appropriate.

  “Karma, sit.” She snapped her fingers, and the dog plopped her behind to the carpet, dewlaps drooling with anticipation. She snatched the tossed treat out of the air, and stood, licking her lips for the next bite.

  “Karma, bring lamb.”

  The dog whirled and ran faster than Tee thought possible given her girth, into the bedroom. She frowned, listening to Karma’s grunts and whines, then remembering the lamb’s placement in the mussed sheets. Jumping up on the bed wasn’t a good idea in her condition. Before she could amend the command, bedsprings squeaked, followed by a thumped landing. Karma reappeared clutching the toy in her massive jaws, her whole rear end gyrating with pleasure.

  “Drop the lamb. Good girl, Karma.” Tee tossed another third of the burrito and watched as Karma didn’t bother to chew before swallowing. Then she focused, attentive once more, waiting for Tee’s next request. “One more, okay, let’s make this one count.” She thought for a moment, and remembered Lia experimenting with the dog’s ability to combine commands. Lia called it a chained behavior. The “bring” command Karma recognized as a fetch-game. But others were reserved for her work as a police dog. Only one way to find out. “Find gun, Karma. Bring gun.”

  The dog’s happy panting mouth snapped closed. She cocked her head first one way and then the other. Karma nosed the hand with the remainder of the treat, and then dropped her head to the floor. She took deep breaths through her nose, whiffing them out her mouth, and cast back and forth a few times, before lifting her head. Questing the air, she padded around the room and paused to snort likely spots: the sofa where Lia slept, along the edge of the kitchen counter, the windowsill beside the door.

  Tee tried not to smile or offer any encouragement or clue. She got a rush watching the dog work, and cautioned herself to stay silent. Lia never repeated the command, unless the dog wavered. So far, Karma performed exactly as trained, searching the perimeter of the front room before heading to the smaller bedroom.

  She heard Karma bulldozing through the pile of shoes in the closet. Worried the dog would again try to leap on the bed—and maybe hurt herself and the unbor
n puppy—she followed to watch from the doorway. Karma glanced back at her, big brown eyes bright with intelligence, and then turned in a circle testing the air. With sudden decision, she trotted to the other side of the bed, nose-poked the tabletop and then fell to the floor in a “down” position, her signal for a find.

  When Tee didn’t respond, Karma woofed, stood and again nose-poked the gun on the bedside table before assuming the down position.

  “Karma, find gun. BRING gun.” Tee understood the confusion. Lia had another way to explain to the dog, but now they’d started, she needed to finish the action. “Bring, Karma.”

  Karma rose and mouthed the gun Tee had placed there. The gun thumped onto the floor when Karma lost her grip, and Tee stifled her gasp. The dog’s big head dipped low, and immediately came up with the gun in her mouth. She hurried to Tee with the prize, sitting before her with ears slicked tight and tail stirring the dust on the floor.

  “Good find, Karma! Good bring, you’re so smart! Drop it.” She took the gun from Karma’s massive jaws, careful not to bang the dog’s teeth, and gave her the rest of the food.

  Her phone pinged with an unexpected text. “Dammit!” Good news for the case, but the timing sucked. She couldn’t put off this meeting, either, or she risked blowing the whole scheme. “Lucky for me, Lia left her car keys.” She sank onto the sofa, gun in one hand and keys in the other.

  If everything worked as planned—and it would, it had to!—all would resolve in two or three hours at the most. She told herself she’d be home before Lia returned.

  Karma finished licking her lips, padded to Tee, and rested her chin on her lap. Brown eyes looked up into Tee’s face. She stroked the big dog’s thick neck until her heartbeat slowed to a more normal rhythm. “We’ve got no choice, Karma. Let me get ready, and then we’re going for a car ride.”