Payback (The Canine Handler Book 1)

by Hillegas, Maria

  “Sure thing,” the one officer responded as he pulled nitrile gloves from his BDUs. He reached into the boat and pulled out the tackle box, setting it in the sand. Standing over the officer, the lieutenant watched as he opened the box. The first layer consisted mainly of fishing lures that he sifted through. At the bottom of the box was a small Ziploc baggy with something which appeared soft and full of a dark sticky substance.

  “What’s that?” the lieutenant asked as she pointed to the baggy.

  “We thought it was just some kind of bait or leftover food that was forgotten and left in the bottom of the box,” the officer stated who had originally gone through the container. “There was no reason to believe otherwise.”

  Kellee and Sarah looked at each other. Apparently there was something out of the ordinary in the tackle box. Although a little relieved, Sarah was still in a slight panic hoping they could figure out what was actually in the package.

  The officer lifted the baggy up higher with his gloved hands so the lieutenant could see it better. The sun illuminated its contents while the lieutenant and the two officers studied the small baggy.

  “Is that what I think it is?” asked the lieutenant.

  “Umm, I believe so,” one officer said as he continued to turn the baggy and examine it from every angle.

  “Call the medical examiner right away,” she instructed, pretty sure what was in the bag. “We need to confirm this now. Secure the boat with tape, cordon off the area,” she said and gave an approximate area with her hands. “Don’t let anyone else near it. We’ll need the crime scene technicians here to photograph and pull fingerprints as well.”

  Looking back to where Sarah, Gunner and Kellee stood, the lieutenant spoke to the officers. Her demeanor had gone from calm and cool to harsh and unforgiving. “It took a goddamn civilian and her dog to find something you two should have found when you first arrived on scene. Great. Makes all of us look really competent.” She was livid. “This changes everything.”

  The gloved officer dropped the baggy with what appeared to be the remains of a man’s penis into an evidence bag and sealed the container.

  Chapter 6

  Sarah

  Silently Sarah thanked the search gods Gunner had been correct. She had been right to let him follow up on scent when he had shown intense interest. This will sure add an element of concern and curiosity to the search! Wonder where the rest of him is? Sarcastic and morbid were two thoughts that crossed her mind.

  The state medical examiner swung by base camp on her way from another appointment near the park. Under close inspection, she confirmed it was indeed a penis and most certainly appeared to be human as opposed to animal. She intended to take it to the lab in Harrisburg immediately. The M.E. wanted to begin running tests on the dismembered part straightaway. Her plans were to run DNA testing and then enter it through the combined DNA index system (CODIS) with the FBI to see if they got any hits to help identify who it belonged to. She wanted to “age” it as well and see if she could tell how long it had been separated from its owner.

  The water search was now considered a crime scene versus a routine missing person’s case. This meant being more observant of where one tread and what was observed while on the search. It added a certain level of elevated professionalism, and complete confidentiality was expected. How Sarah’s dog team performed and behaved on this search would determine if the agency running the case would call them back in the future. A lot was riding on how everything went today.

  Re-grouping, the lieutenant planned to continue with the original strategies for the water search by boat and a full check of the lake’s shoreline. Dive teams were already working several areas of the lake with side scan sonar by boat but had not yet found any clues that would lead them to believe there was a body.

  A side scan sonar unit was set into the water and dragged behind a slow moving boat. The scanner sent out sonar signals which bounced and reflected images from the bottom of the lake. Depending on the strength of each returned “echo,” the images on the scanner were more or less definitive. An item such as a boulder or human body would reflect a stronger image than the softer, muddier lake bed. Although not the easiest machine to read to the untrained eye, the rescue dive team was well versed and believed it was the only resource necessary for a water recovery. The dive team was convinced dogs were only a nuisance and a complete waste of time on the water. The commander of the dive team was clearly not a dog person.

  The canine team re-organized and prepared for the next stage of the search. The only change of plans was that the lieutenant paired the dogs going out in boats with a park ranger and a diver, not just a ranger. Joe and Garrett had gone out on the water with their canines. It was difficult to keep up a good face when working with people who believed you truly didn’t belong. It was plain to see the divers thought the dogs were useless but obeyed the lieutenant, who was the incident commander with full authority over the event.

  Kellee and Sarah were preparing to run their dogs along the sandy shoreline. Sticking to their original task assignments, Kellee left the parking lot in her van with Meika and an officer escort. They headed toward another lot several hundred meters west where she would start her dog and end at a nearby cove. Sarah and her dog would beginfrom the cove, two hundred meters west of the command unit and head east along the shoreline toward the dam where her task would end—approximately 600 meters total.

  Both of the dog handlers had been paired with a police escort to walk along with them for support—and also on the chance that another clue was found. Dave volunteered to go with Sarah. It was a chance for him to learn more about air-scenting canines and how they work.

  “Secret admirer?” Kellee teased regarding how Dave had jumped at the chance to escort Sarah. Sarah’s face flushed, illuminating her splash of freckles.

  “No, he, I, uhm, just work together on occasion.” She floundered for words. Kellee just smiled and shook her head. “Well, it’s about time.”

  The divers had already covered some of the lake area just out from the shoreline where the dogs would be working. It was common to overlap search tasks when looking for a possible drowned subject. As Sarah and Kellee worked the shoreline, they were looking for more than just the missing person. They were also seeking clues that might lead to unraveling the mystery of where the missing boater could be: tracks in the sand, a piece of clothing, any sign that the boater may have made it to land. The dogs would also catch any human scent blowing in from the water itself.

  Sarah decided to let Sam work this task since Gunner had already gotten a chance to work—and actually made a find. The ever boisterous Gunner was not tired in the least from his earlier task though, so he barked and bounced in his confines as Sarah opened Sam’s crate. “Gunner, settle!” Sarah tried directing him without success.

  “Everything under control?” Dave asked as he made his way over to the back of Sarah’s truck. A devilish grin spread across his face in a teasing manner.

  “Oh, just trying to tame one of the beasts!” Sarah shot back with a bit of feigned irritation. She turned to Dave. For the first time, she really looked at him. Having compartmentalized him from a professional standpoint as someone she worked with, she never thought of him in any other way. Although tall and muscular, his dark hair in the traditional military cut portrayed a quiet, humble demeanor. She believed he was someone she could trust. But that was close enough for now, she thought. Not ready to open that door yet. Not sure if I’ll ever be able to. A flash of her dark and eventful past swept through her thoughts and she looked away. Yeah, it will be a long, long time before I open that door, never mind let a man walk through it.

  Turning her full attention back to Gunner, she decided to give him a dog toy filled with peanut butter to keep him busy. She worried he might hurt himself tearing the crate apart while she worked Sam. Not wanting to reward him for outlandish behavior, she decided she had to do something so she wouldn’t be worried. She hoped it would help r
e-direct his excitement. Gunner accepted the gift, but continued to stare at Sarah through the slates in the crate. “Thanks, buddy. You know I feel real bad about leaving you here but it’s Sam’s turn.”

  Sarah continued to get Sam outfitted in his working attire. He wore an open-sided vest that was more like a harness with orange and white embroidered patches attached to each side that declared SEARCH DOG. At the top of the yoke, right behind the dog’s shoulder blades, Sarah attached a long line to the carabiner that connected to the harness. Connecting the line to the harness instead of the collar would allow the dog to work much more freely. She would only keep him on a long line when he worked near base camp. Once they hit the quiet and more open shoreline, she would cut the dog loose.

  Much more tolerant than Gunner, Sam stood on the tailgate of the truck patiently waiting while his handler adjusted the nylon straps. “What a good boy,” Sarah bestowed on Sam. Using the same commands as she used for Gunner, she instructed Sam to jump down from the truck and take a bathroom break along the tree line. Once Sam had obliged, the trio headed down the road to the marine lot, toward the cove where they would begin their task.

  Although Sam was not as boisterous as Gunner, he still exhibited intense excitement but on a slightly smaller scale. He pulled Sarah along as they walked to the starting point of their task. Sam was animated and lively as he trotted along. He slung his large, dark head from side to side and covered the edge of Sarah’s leg with slobber. “Gee thanks, Sam,” she laughed as she looked down the side of her BDUs. “Ready to do this, boy?” She continued to speak to the dog as she and Dave walked toward their destination.

  Arriving at the point of the cove where their task began, Sarah put Sam “in a down” on the sandy area along the water’s edge. Gentle waves lapped along the shore’s threshold. The lake appeared calm and quiet at the moment. From her position, she could see her teammates and their dogs on the divers’ boats making their way across the lake in a slow-moving grid pattern.

  Sam lifted his nose to test the air. Sarah could tell he had picked up human scent—familiar human scent which didn’t concern him. He knew the difference. Sam knew they were hunting for another human, one that had not appeared in his scent picture yet. Sarah would know when Sam caught scent of a different subject. She understood her dog’s body language intimately.

  She pulled the radio mic from where it hung on the front of her uniform shirt. Pressing the call button, she radioed into base. “Base, this is Canine 3,” she spoke into the microphone.

  “Go ahead, Canine 3,” base answered.

  “Canine 3 is beginning task at 1300 hours.”

  “Base copies, Canine 3 beginning task at 1300 hours.”

  “Canine 3 out,” Sarah ended the exchange.

  Sam kept his eyes glued to his handler. Sarah quickly observed her area, checking her coordinates and map before shoving her paperwork back in the pocket of her BDUs. She explained her strategy to Dave and asked him to stay behind the dog as he worked.

  Sarah knelt beside Sam, his body shaking with anticipation. He could barely hold his pose. She waited until the dog took a quick glance in the direction they were to head. “Go Find!” she commanded when the dog was looking east. With that, Sam leapt up and started a fast, extended trot along the beach line. Coming back once he circled Sarah and Dave before beginning to work a zig-zag pattern from the edge of the lake across the sandy, rocky terrain to the wood line and back to the water’s edge.

  Sarah hesitated a moment, allowing the dog to put a little space between them. She didn’t like to get in his way. The prevailing wind continued to come from the north which made it a perfect scenario to do scenting work along the southern shore. They make it so easy for me, she thought, referring to her dogs. Although her job was far from over, they were extremely thorough and had such good work ethics. They absolutely loved to do scent work. Hell, if they could drive, they wouldn’t need me, she laughed.

  Dave, Sarah and Sam had progressed along the shoreline without discovering anything of interest. They made their way past base camp toward the southern intersection with the dam. This would be the ending point of their task. It had taken the team a little over an hour. Just under 100 meters left to traverse, Sarah noticed Sam’s body language change. “Dave,” Sarah whispered, “look.” She pointed toward Sam.

  Dave glanced at the dog. He stood stationary, tail raised high as in a flagged stance. Tipping his closed snout toward the air, the dog inhaled deeply. It appeared as though he was reading the wind. Moving a few meters east along the water’s edge, Sam took a few bites of the water. The hair along his spine rose up. “He’s got something,” Sarah announced to Dave.

  “The dive team has already worked this area as a first priority. They’ve been all through it from the dam west since the boat was found in this proximity.” Dave continued, “They even used their side scan sonar.”

  Sarah looked at Dave through her peripheral vision as she continued to watch Sam work out the scent picture. “I’m telling you Sam has something,” she retorted. “I want to give him time to work it out before we call base.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Dave responded.

  Sarah could tell he still wasn’t convinced. She really didn’t care what Dave thought at the moment.

  They continued to observe and slowly follow Sam as he worked back and forth along the sand and rocks, trying to work the exact location of the odor and the width of its scent cone. The wind began to pick up, gusting and changing direction, making it difficult for the dog to identify an exact location.

  “Work it out,” Sarah encouraged the dog. Sam ran toward the dam, stopped and ran back approximately 30 meters. He repeated the process. “Dave, can you find some large rocks to mark the areas where Sam is stopping and turning? This is the area he has human odor coming in from the lake.”

  Dave nodded. He laid two large rocks on the dog’s tracks where they turned in the sand.

  Sam was becoming increasingly frustrated. He jumped in the air trying to follow scent. His body language became more pronounced. Although not originally convinced, Dave was becoming a believer. He watched in awe as Sam ran into the water, bit at the surface and started barking. He looked at Sarah. Her face was engulfed by a huge smile. Dave returned her smile.

  “Good boy! What a smart boy!” Sarah lavished enthusiastically on the dog. She pulled a soft Frisbee from her pack. Sam saw the Frisbee. He hesitated for a second, reluctant to give up on the scent flowing in from the lake. It was almost hypnotic to him. He lived to marry scent to its source. “Come on, Sam,” Sarah called. She had decided to reward him before he tried to swim to where the source of the odor emanated. A tentative dog left the water in a slow gradual pace. Once on land, he bounded to Sarah to retrieve his reward. She gave the dog a few short tosses, some rough tugs and allowed him to win his toy.

  Putting Sam in a down under a shady tree along the forested border, she slowly turned to observe the immediate area. Although Dave was a state trooper, he waited for Sarah to call the shots. This was her show, her deal. “Can you find our coordinates on the GPS? And also for the rocks you placed?” Sarah asked.

  “Got it,” Dave replied. He pulled out his Garmin Rino, a notepad and pencil.

  While Dave worked on the coordinates, Sarah remembered her FRS radio, knowing Kellee had said to contact her if needed. Sarah thought better of using the small personal radio in case someone else had their ears on. She decided to text Kellee on her phone instead. She typed: “Sam has indicated on strong human odor coming off the lake close to the dam.” She hit send. Without waiting for a reply, Sarah decided she should radio the information to base. They needed to get a dog on a boat and into the area right away.

  Sarah hesitated for a moment, reflecting on the events that took place earlier that morning when Gunner made a hit on the boat. It put her in an internal conflict. Would they take her seriously this time? She was running a different dog. Would they believe him? How would the dive team react to ru
nning a dog over an area they had already declared as cleared? Her anxiety level rose as she deliberated.

  Sarah closed her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she refocused. Strongly believing in her dog, she picked up the radio mic to make the call to base camp and the lieutenant.

  Chapter 7

  Dave

  Dave watched as Sarah stood among the boulders and rocky terrain on the beach. The sun tracked westward, giving way to a beautiful backdrop that made her copper hair shine. He studied her as she digested the setting, the moment. Sarah looked like she belonged where she was, doing what she was doing—in the outdoors working her dogs.

  She was in her element, but he could see she was at odds about making the call to base camp. He could also tell how passionate she was about her dogs and how well she understood them. Even to his novice eyes, it was now black and white when her dogs detected human scent, working to find the source as opposed to hunting or just not working at all.

  As he continued to observe her, Sarah sighed with slight exasperation and pulled the mic from where it hung on her vest.

  “Base, this is Canine 3,” Sarah called.

  Dave could hear the radio crackle and come to life where he stood near the tree line with Sam. He felt for Sarah as he watched her, tense holding the mic, readying to deliver the information. He could see her brow knotted, teeth clenched and jaw jutted.

  “Go ahead, Canine 3,” base responded.

  With a slight hesitation, Sarah replied, “I have new information. Dog indicated along shoreline near dam.”

  Communication and management on the other end of the radio knew the area Canine 3 team had been assigned. They would know the dive team had covered it earlier in the day. But it was not their job to make a determination. They were there to take down radio traffic information, decipher it and use it for planning purposes. In the end, it would be the incident commander’s decision how to use the material.