Fight Or Flight

by Amy Shojai

  September parked in the deserted parking lot in front of the small brick post office. Shadow stood, waiting eagerly for the door to open, and woofed with disappointment when she left him behind. “Be right back.” She’d only be gone a few minutes. If the packages came, she’d need both hands to ferry them to the car. Shadow’s imposing presence, not to mention his battle-scars, kept strangers to a cautious distance with no need to lock the new car.

  The bright blue sky and mild forty-degree temperatures made September yearn to ditch the family obligations and take Shadow for a tracking run. It had been two weeks since their last case reunited a missing cat, lost at a rest area along Hwy 75, with its family. Vacation with pets meant extra precautions. She made a note to post additional holiday safety tips on her blog. This time of year meant a reduced workload for her, but an increase in business at Lia’s boarding kennel. They made a pretty good team, with September’s innate caution tempered by the younger girl’s impulsive enthusiasm.

  September zippered her light jacket against the breeze. Her dark hair needed a trim and fell into her eyes, but she’d decided to let it grow out. She pulled on her blue bump cap that helped keep hair at bay. She’d rolled her eyes at the gift from Mom, who insisted wearing a bright blue knit-covered hardhat during house construction could address safety with style. September had been surprised to discover how much she liked the bump cap, and often enjoyed wearing it. Besides, Mom would see it and that could ease the perennial tension that stalked their relationship.

  She trotted to the building and pushed inside. She heard thumps and soft conversation from the back of the building when she keyed open her box. A wad of mailings, mostly advertisements, stuffed the box, plus two numbered keys for larger lockers. Yes! That meant packages.

  September tossed the ad fliers into the trash. She stacked the three Christmas cards and tucked them into her waistband to open and read in the car. Then she collected boxes from the lockers, balanced them in her arms, and teetered her way back to the car.

  “Wait, Shadow.” Before opening the rear hatchback, she reminded him to stay in place. “We got mail baby-dog! Fun presents for the kids. Maybe something for you, too.” September opened the large boxes quickly and sorted through the bright gift-wrapped packages. She kept one package for Shadow and climbed back behind the wheel before handing the loosely-wrapped gift to him on the back seat.

  He sniffed the gaudy wrapping, nose-poked it, and grinned with delight when it squealed. September laughed out loud, watching him brace the package under one paw to rip the paper off the new bear-toy. “You destroyed your last one. Hope this one lasts longer.” He settled down with the fluffy brown stuffie between his paws, clamped his jaws around the toy, and half closed his eyes in bliss. She figured the new toy would help keep him occupied during the long day ahead.

  “Let’s see who sent cards.” September hadn’t sent any cards in forever. Until recently, she’d wanted to keep her location a secret. And she could count on one hand the number of her friends.

  She examined the return address before opening each, smiling at the messages inside. The first, from Doc Eugene, featured dogs and cats as holiday angels. After caring for Shadow and Macy-cat, he’d become part of her extended family. September made a mental note to buy some cards and send a few back. No, probably too late for this year.

  The next two, postmarked from South Bend, Indiana, raised goose bumps on her arms. She cautiously opened the first, and laughed with relief. “It’s from Teddy!” She held the envelope out for Shadow to sniff, and he woofed in recognition at the scent. The old man had surprising computer skills he’d shared with her on more than one occasion. “I sure miss him. Says he’s staying with his son’s family while he finishes his latest contract job.” After Teddy’s wife Molly died, he’d left town and hadn’t been back.

  Still smiling, she tore open the last card, and then dropped it, hissing with shock. Inside the generic card, a photograph. Sandwiched between thin protective cardboard. Of a much younger September looking frightened, and Christopher Day beaming. Their wedding day.

  The back of the picture had a note in his familiar writing: When you’re ready, the answers are here.

  “What answers, Chris? When I’m ready for what?” Her skin tingled, and she grasped the steering wheel to steady sudden dizziness.

  A thin sheet of flowered stationary fell into her lap, along with a small key. Without reading, September knew the sender. Only one person witnessed their wedding. September forbade pictures, but Chris’s proud Mom found a way.

  She covered her mouth with one shaking hand and picked up the note in the other to read silently: I know who killed Chris and it’s not what you think. You need to know the truth. Please come.

  Two years ago this coming Wednesday, on December 18, Chris and their dog Dakota were murdered by her stalker Victor Grant. Once his attempts on her life landed him in prison, she’d felt safe for the first time in years.

  If not Victor, then who killed Chris—and why? And, oh God, if the killer remained at large, everyone she loved remained at risk. Her family, Shadow and Macy. Combs, and his kids.

  Her mouth soured, and she squeezed her eyes closed as her vision turn dark. September pressed both fists to the sides of her head, fighting against hyperventilation as the doors of the car squeezed closer and closer. Her heartbeat thrashed, a beat-beat-beat in her ears that shut out everything.

  Shadow pushed forward between the seats. He nose-poked her shoulder, insistent, relentless, until she responded. She reached back with one hand to accept his demand for contact. She clenched her other fist and the key gouged her palm. She concentrated on the biting pain in one hand contrasted with Shadow’s icy wet nose against her other. Slowly, the black sparklies at the edge of her sight receded.

  This wasn’t the first time she’d been ambushed by the past. She’d survived each hit, then run away as fast and as far as possible. But this time, she’d run toward the answers. And by God in heaven, she’d hit back before ghosts derailed her future.

  September retrieved her phone, and searched for the number she’d not used since Chris died. Surely, it hadn’t changed? She dialed, but only got voice mail. With hesitation, September left a message for Angela Day.

  After the family gathering at Mom’s, she’d pack for South Bend. Time to confront her past, and bury it once and for all.

  GET HIT AND RUN HERE!

  September & Shadow Pet-centric Thrillers

  By Amy Shojai

  LOST AND FOUND

  HIDE AND SEEK

  SHOW AND TELL

  FIGHT OR FLIGHT

  Introducing Lia, Tee, and Karma

  HIT AND RUN

  FACT, FICTION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Thank you for reading FIGHT OR FLIGHT, and I hope you enjoyed this fourth book in the September Day series that includes LOST AND FOUND, HIDE AND SEEK and SHOW AND TELL. I feel like I’ve won the lottery, to write about my passion and share these stories with the world. There never would have been a series of these Thrillers With Bite without you adopting these books. (Can you see my virtual tail wag?)

  My publishing pedigree tips heavily toward the nonfiction side of things, and the pet journalist that fuels my curiosity constantly inspires stories ripped from the headlines. Fiction by definition is, as September would say, made up crappiocca. But in order for readers to suspend their disbelief, there needs to be a scaffold of truth holding it together. Below, you’ll find the Cliff’s Notes version of what’s real and what’s fantasy.

  As with the other books in the series, much of FIGHT OR FLIGHT is based on science, especially dog and cat behavior and learning theory, the benefits of service dogs, and the horror and reality of dogfights and human trafficking. Suspense and thriller novels by definition include mayhem, but as an animal advocate, I make a conscious choice to not show a pet’s death in my books. All bets are off with the human characters, though.

  I rely on a vast number of veterinarians, behaviorists, consultan
ts, trainers, and pet-centric writers and rescue organizations that share their incredible resources and support to make my stories as believable as possible. Find out more information at IAABC.org, APDT.com, DWAA.org and CatWriters.com.

  FACT: Selective disobedience is vital in training service dogs. Whether trained as police K9 officers or for other kinds of service, the savvy dogs must learn to think for themselves. For instance, the guide dog must know to disobey his human partner’s command to “forward” into car traffic, and canine heroes figure out when to follow the most important trail, or take a bullet to save their human handler.

  FACT: Hawaiian cowboys are real, and have a rich heritage. In 1832, three Mexican-Spanish vaquero (cowboys) were hired to train horses to use as working animals in the emerging cattle industry. They became known as paniolo, a variant of the espanol language the vaquero spoke. Today, the term still refers to the Hawaiian cowboys and the unique culture that lives on today.

  For instance, the kaula ili (skin rope) typical of the paniolo was passed down within family lines. Find out more about the fascinating culture of the paniolo at these links:

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy#Hawaiian_Paniolo

  https://hanahou.com/7.3/a-tale-of-two-ranches

  http://www.alohacottages.net/ikua_purdy.html

  FICTION: Shadow and Karma’s viewpoint chapters are pure speculation, although I would love to be able to read doggy minds. However, every attempt has been made to base all animal characters’ motivations and actions on what is known about canine and feline body language, scent discrimination, and the science behind the human-animal bond.

  FACT: Real-life pets inspire some of the pet characters in FIGHT OR FLIGHT. I’ve held a “Name That Dog/Name That Cat” contest for each of the four novels thus far in the series. Since this thriller continues where SHOW AND TELL left off, some of those same pet names live on in future stories.

  Some of you know that my heart-dog Magic inspired Shadow’s character. We lost Magic last year, and I’ve struggled with continuing the series. His best friend Karma-Kat mourned his GSD buddy and slept with Magic’s collar for two weeks after he died. To honor their relationship, I included those names in the contest poll for FIGHT OR FLIGHT, and you—the readers—voted overwhelmingly to bless this and future stories with their names. For that reason, Karma the Rottweiler police dog (named after dog-loving-Karma-Kat) stars in this thriller. And the puppy-son of Shadow and Karma is named Magic, destined to share many future hero dog adventures. (Oh crap, now I’m crying...)

  Vickie nominated the name Thor in honor of her Bouvier, who she described as very strong and sweet, and I made him the tracking dog hero early in the book. Una Bell Townsend suggested her red heeler/blue heeler/Pit Bull mix, a rescue dog she named after Buster Keaton due to his bugged out eyes. She says Buster the Pittie is the best watchdog they’ve ever had, and in the story, Buster helps save Shadow from the flood.

  Congratulations and THANK YOU to all the winners. I think they all deserve treats. Maybe even bacon!

  FACT: Therapy dogs can work wonders when partnered with autistic individuals. Emotional Support Animals (ESA) also partner with a variety of people, from children to adults, including those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Only dogs and guide horses for the blind can be service animals trained to perform a specific function for their human partner, from becoming the ears for the deaf, eyes for the blind, support for other-abled and alert animals for health and physically challenged individuals. Of course, there are amazing people-pet partnerships that develop without any formal training, and many animals like Shadow and Karma intuitively provide the support their humans need.

  Learn about the differences and the benefits of pet-people partnerships at http://petpartners.org. You can also find out about “fake” credentialing services that hurt legitimate partnerships in this blog post: http://amyshojai.com/fake-service-dog-credentials/

  FICTION—maybe?: I asked my readers what kind of “new” character they’d like in future stories, and many folks asked for an “animal communicator.” Hmmm.

  As a student of animal communication, I respect the ability of dogs, cats (and other creatures) to express themselves in species-specific ways. Our animal companions “talk” with whisker twitches and eye-blinks, body position and fur elevation, woofs and purrs, growls and hisses, and even smelly Post-It notes and silent meows humans can’t detect. Cats and dogs understand so much about us by paying exquisite attention to our actions, expressions, and (dare I say) smell-signals, but we’d love to attribute their ability to telepathy.

  I have colleagues who tout their ability to communicate telepathically with animals. But as a “just the facts” journalist with a science bent, I want to see studies quantifying this mystery. I’m intrigued by the brilliant scientist author Temple Grandin (Thinking In Pictures and Animals In Translation) who describes her perceptions as an autistic person and offers ways to better understand non-human creatures.

  The novelist in me loves a good fantasy. In fact, I write “dog viewpoint” because I love the idea so much and wish it was fact. If telepathy between humans and other species is possible, a common language would be necessary. So I’ll explore the notion further in future stories, with September-the-skeptic and her cousin Lia.

  FACT: Dogfights are a sad reality in much of the world. Animal fighting is a federal crime and dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states. That’s due in part to the relationship between the fighting events and illegal gambling, guns and drugs. In Texas and Oklahoma both dog fighting and cock fighting remain a problem, where sometimes whole families attend, including little kids. Children brought up in the culture of dogfights consider them normal, and perpetuate the horror. To combat the crime of dogfights, the Missouri Humane Society, the ASPCA, the Louisiana SPCA, and the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory collaborated to establish the first ever database. Find out more about Canine CODIS here:

  http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/forensics/CANINECODIS.php

  FACT: Pit Bulls are not inherently “evil” or “aggressive.” Because of their heritage, these dogs have an increased propensity for dog-on-dog aggression, as do many other terrier breeds (remember the mention about Thor the Bouvier?). Pit Bulls do not bite people more readily than other breeds. Sadly, that statistical distinction goes to German Shepherds. (Don’t tell Shadow!) All dogs bite, and every breed has challenges, so be educated and prepared for whatever animal friend steals your heart.

  FACT: Eighty-six percent of missing children suspected of being forced into sex work came from the child welfare system, national data shows, and a state-funded study estimated that the vast majority of young victims in Texas had some contact with Child Protective Services (CPS). Anti-trafficking efforts in Texas have focused more on putting pimps in prison than rehabilitating their prey. More information on this heinous situation can be found at these links:

  http://www.heralddemocrat.com/news/20170303/texas-couldn8217t-help-this-sex-trafficked-teen-so-authorities-sent-her-to-jail

  http://www.heralddemocrat.com/news/20170224/when-foster-care-couldn8217t-help-this-16-year-old-she-ran-to-pimp

  https://www.texastribune.org/2017/02/13/how-texas-crusade-against-sex-trafficking-has-left-victims-behind/

  https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cj/human-trafficking

  FACT: This book would not have happened without an incredible support team of friends, family and accomplished colleagues. Cool Gus Publishing, Jennifer Talty and Bob Mayer made these thrillers with “dog viewpoint” a reality when many in the publishing industry howled at the notion. Special thanks to my first readers for your eagle eyes, spot-on comments and unflagging encouragement and support. Wags and purrs to my Triple-A Team (Amy’s Audacious Allies) for all your help sharing the word about all my books. Youse guyz rock!

  I continued to be indebted to the International Thriller Writers organization, which launched my fiction career by welcoming me into the Debut Authors Program. Wow, just look, now I
have four books in a series! The authors, readers and industry mavens who make up this organization are some of the most generous and supportive people I have ever met. Long live the bunny slippers with teeth (and the rhinestone #1-Bitch Pin).

  Finally, I am grateful to all the cats and dogs I’ve met over the years who have shared my heart and oftentimes my pillow. Magical-Dawg (the inspiration for Shadow) and Seren-Kitty continue to live on in my heart. Newcomer Bravo-Boy the Bullmastiff pup and Karma-Kat inspire me daily.

  I never would have been a reader and now a writer if not for my fantastic parents who instilled in me a love of the written word, and never looked askance when my stuffed animals and invisible talking wolf and flying cat friends told fantastical stories. And of course, my deepest thanks to my husband Mahmoud, who continues to support my writing passion, even when he doesn’t always understand it.

  I love hearing from you! Please drop me a line at my blog https://AmyShojai.com or my website https://shojai.com where you can subscribe to my PETS PEEVES newsletter (and maybe win some pet books!). Follow me on twitter @amyshojai and like me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amyshojai.cabc

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Amy Shojai is a certified animal behavior consultant, and the award-winning author of more than 30 bestselling pet books that cover furry babies to old fogies, first aid to natural healing, and behavior/training to Chicken Soupicity. She has been featured as an expert in hundreds of print venues including The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Reader’s Digest, and Family Circle, as well as television networks such as CNN, and Animal Planet’s DOGS 101 and CATS 101. Amy brings her unique pet-centric viewpoint to public appearances. She is also a playwright and co-author of STRAYS, THE MUSICAL and the author of the critically acclaimed THRILLERS WITH BITE pet-centric thriller series. Stay up to date with new books and appearances by subscribing to Amy’s Pets Peeves newsletter at https://www.SHOJAI.com.