Sarah could hear Gunner and Sam barking as she headed back to her truck. “Hey, guys,” Sarah addressed them, her voice stressed and cracking. The dogs responded with high-pitched whines and the pounding of tails against their crates. Kellee headed to her van.
Sarah saw Kellee pull out her backpack and rummage through the contents. In slow motion, Sarah took in her friend’s detailed preparation. Kellee refilled her containers with fresh water and made sure she had a working pen and notepad. Satisfied all of her supplies were in order, she secured the enclosures and placed the pack on the hood of her van.
“Do you need critter spray?” Kellee offered, holding the can of bug spray out to Sarah.
Sarah answered with a nod. The ticks were especially bad in this region of the country and in light of all the tick-borne diseases, it was best to be overly cautious. Thankfully the dogs were already well-protected with a monthly treatment that controlled ticks and fleas.
Sarah finished with the bug spray and handed it off to Dave once he rejoined the group.
Sarah pulled out one dog at a time to give them a quick bathroom break. It took Gunner and Sam a moment to settle down and get to business because they were so excited. She struggled to put their search vests on. Hugging Gunner around his neck, she held him tight to snap his neon collar.
Although today was another real search and they were “technically working,” the dogs still thought of it as a game. They couldn’t wait to play Find-the-Human-in-the-Woods. Sam and Gunner enjoyed any type of search work, but the terrain and environment of the woods was their favorite.
All of their search training had been carefully tailored to each dog’s personality and drives, instituted through a completely positive program. To them, it was a fun outing in the woods with their owner, handler and partner. They couldn’t wait to get the game underway.
The dogs’ energy was contagious and their antics comical. Sarah’s mind raced with the tasks that lay ahead. Settle, she told herself. Take a few deep breaths and just chill. She tried not to second guess her prep work regarding supplies, dog training or navigational skills. Trust Gunner and Sam, resonated in her thoughts. Seeing her dogs helped ease her mind. Slowing her breathing, Sarah smiled at her two clowns now back in their crates.
“Anything I can help you ladies with?” Dave asked.
“Think we’re good for now,” Sarah answered, “but thanks anyway.”
Sarah stood unmoving surveying the contents inside the truck bed. The dog crates were attached to a platform. Under it were metal drawers filled with training and search equipment and supplies. There were racks along the inside of the truck cap that held several different types of leashes, collars and various other canine paraphernalia. To the untrained eye, it appeared to be in disarray, but actually the gear was well organized and easy to access.
Her wilderness backpack, the dogs’ water bottles and several other pieces of search gear were spread across the open tailgate. Sarah had made sure all of the gear was clean and in good working order prior to storing it. She mentally primed herself for the search ahead. You could never be over prepared, she thought.
Dave peered into the back of her truck to admire some of her canine gear. He was in awe of how much stuff she’d fit in the bed. “From the looks of things, you have everything but the kitchen sink,” he teased.
Nervous, Sarah joked back. “If you look hard enough, I’m sure you’ll find that’s in there too.”
Exasperated with herself for being anxious and slightly on edge, she continued to keep busy, organizing and re-organizing her previously readied supplies. Finally, she straightened her back and shoulders once again to stand taller and give off an air of confidence, more for herself than for Dave. Her awareness shifted to trying to figure out the trooper’s true intentions. She felt mixed signals coming from him.
Looking at her watch, Sarah realized they needed to get moving. “Okay, is everyone ready?” Sarah looked to Dave and Kellee. They nodded.
She could see the mule pulling up in front of the command unit. She grabbed Gunner and Sam’s beta leashes from where they hung in the back of the truck. One excited Shepherd was enough to handle, but two doubled the joy. Sarah needed to pull the dogs out, straighten their vests which had shifted while they lay in their crates and attach their leashes.
She pulled Gunner out first and tried to get him to stand still long enough to reposition and tighten the straps on the dog vest. He was so excited, it was beyond difficult.
“Settle!” Sarah firmly command, continuing to try to get the vest to fit properly. Gunner pretended not to hear her and continued his capers.
Kellee laughed at the dog’s antics. After Sarah was finally able to attach his leash, she saw Kellee pull a cookie from her vest. She held it in a fist in front of Gunner’s nose. Instantly he settled down and started to push his nose into Kellee’s tightly gripped fist to get at what she was hiding. Both dogs possessed a huge food drive as well as their play drive. Times such as this were perfect to use this food drive to advantage.
Sarah quickly adjusted the dog’s vest. “Thank you,” she mouthed silently to Kellee. She handed Gunner off to Kellee and moved to pull Sam out of his crate. Sarah quickly attached his leash and straightened out his vest. Sam was more of a gentleman and allowed Sarah to do what was necessary. She handed Sam’s leash off to Kellee as well. Sam could smell the cookies in Kellee’s hand and started pushing for them too.
Due to the tough terrain the dogs would be working in today, the vests they wore were different than the previous day’s. Each was made of a rugged canvas material that discouraged briers or sticker bushes from catching. “Search Dog” was embroidered on both sides of the vest and the team’s logo patch was sewn alongside. The orange vests contrasted with the dogs’ neon yellow collars which read “Search and Rescue.” Emergency contact information, in case one of the dogs went missing during a search effort, was also embroidered. Each dog also had a specific tattoo inked on its underbelly which was registered with a working canine agency.
Both collars were outfitted with a GPS tracking device so Sarah could download the exact area each dog had covered. Management liked to have this information to verify map locations of the dogs’ exact search coordinates. Each dog also wore a “trail bell” that Sarah had already attached to the collars.
“Hurry, Sarah! Get your pack and whatever else you need while I still have these guys’ attention,” Kellee admonished.
Sarah picked up her wilderness field pack with all of her search supplies; she put her left arm through one of the straps and swung it up on her shoulder with a little effort. Heavy, the field pack was bright orange and made of a durable, waterproof material. Neon yellow reflectors adorned the sides of the pack. It was loaded with necessary first responder gear such as first aid materials for herself, the dogs and the missing subject if they should locate him in their search area.
There were many miscellaneous survival tools in her pack including a knife, various bits of wires, foil and batteries and even a tarp should she need to make camp for the night. While there were some supplies she used over and over, she found others to be useless as she never used them and forgot they were even in her pack.
Sarah attached the radio holster across her chest and secured it tightly. She dropped the freshly charged team-issued radio into its pocket. Her knee-high, black Gore-Tex gaitors were zipped up over her hiking boots and BDUs. She carried a Garmin GPS in a front pants pocket with fresh batteries, but she also carried a Ranger Silica orienteering compass as a back-up in case the GPS malfunctioned.
Satisfied she had everything she and her dogs would need, Sarah grabbed Gunner and Sam’s black beta leashes with quick-release brass snaps. While the dogs were pre-occupied with Kellee and the treats, Sarah checked to make sure the leashes were snapped onto each of the dog’s fitted prong collars as well as their leather flat collars.
Bells were hung from the dogs’ flat collars since they would wear them throughout the search
assignment. Sarah only used the primitive looking prong collar while in base camp to keep better control of her energetic beasts. When they were in exciting surroundings it helped keep them from burning up their energy too quickly. Sarah would remove the prong collars once they arrived at their search sector. They weren’t appropriate while the dogs were working in case they snagged on a branch or got caught on something else.
Even so, the collars looked worse than they actually were. Because they applied even pressure on the neck and throat, they were actually less severe than a choke collar. Like most “tools,” it was all in how it was used.
Kellee met Sarah’s eyes. “Do you have them?” she asked, still teasing the dogs with the hidden treats.
“Yep,” Sarah replied, “at least for the moment.”
Kellee rewarded the dogs with a piece of a small treat she’d kept hidden in her hand.
When the dogs were finished with Kellee, they turned toward their handler. “Platz,” Sarah commanded. Both dogs responded quickly, settling into a sphinx-like position on the ground beside the truck. They kept their eyes glued to Sarah. They were having a difficult time trying to contain themselves.
Panting and antsy, Gunner could just barely stay in a down position. He continued to flip his hip from the right side to the left never taking his eyes from his handler. Sam stayed in his original position, but an occasional tremor surfaced across his body as he tried to remain in place.
“Settle, Gunner,” Sarah quietly commanded the dog. “Good boy, Sam.”
“Ready to head over?” Sarah asked Kellee.
“I’m ready. Looks like we have everything.” Kellee scanned the area immediately surrounding herself, Sarah and the dogs. She wanted to make sure no one had dropped any equipment or left anything out.
“Watch.” The dogs looked at Sarah. They locked eyes with her. Sarah waited a moment. She looped their leashes around her hand. “Free,” she told them. The dogs jumped up to run, but hit the end of the leash and their prong collar. They immediately caught themselves and settled down, keeping an eye on their handler.
The merry band walked over to the mule beside the command unit. Sarah recognized its driver from a search-and-rescue class but couldn’t recall his name. If he had been one of the search dogs, she thought, I wouldn’t have a problem remembering his name!
“You sure you don’t mind me tagging along?” Dave politely asked again. “I think it would be a good idea just in case the dogs find something.”
“Just in case?” Sarah said with a smile. “I hope you have more confidence in us than that!”
“Oh I do,” Dave quickly replied. “But to be honest, I really want to see you in action. Working two dogs. I mean see the dogs in action,” he backpedaled with a grin.
“I’m sure the dogs won’t mind,” Sarah replied back, testing him. I wonder…
Chapter 18
Sarah
The small band of humans and dogs made their way over to the mule that was parked outside the command unit. Sarah sucked in a deep breath of fresh air. She scanned her surroundings. Fluffy white clouds dotted the azure skies above Lake Marburg. The temperature hovered in the mid-seventies, a mild breeze drifted through base. Bits of sun bounced off the lake’s water and reflected through the trees. Sarah couldn’t imagine a better time of year or a better place to be. She loved the outdoors. Autumn was upon them, harvest season. Her favorite.
Reality set in when they reached the all-terrain vehicle that was to be their ride to their search task. I can’t believe we are searching for him! Dark thoughts of the victim crossed her mind again. It angered her to think he was the subject of the search and all the effort and commotion. The creep really wasn’t worth this endeavor, she thought. Stop it! Focus on being positive. Positive energy! With that notion, she refocused on the task at hand and why she was in this business.
Contemplating her assignment, Sarah considered the area they had been assigned to search. Sarah knew as a first responder, it took good search strategy combined with pure luck to actually find the lost subject in your sector. History of the missing person as well as interviews of family and witnesses was always a big help in deciding on an area to search—all items they had taken into account.
Search management was still trying to glean as much information on the subject as possible. New details were always emerging during a search. They were still trying to determine how the subject was dressed, what type of foot gear and shoe size he had. His wife hadn’t proved to be much help. Aside from some possible mental issues, alcohol and drug abuse, the subject didn’t appear to have any other major health concerns. Like that wasn’t enough.
Dave sidled up beside Sarah and Kellee. “What can I help you with?” he asked as he looked down at the dogs lying by his feet wagging their long bushy tails.
Sarah had them lay down when they reached the mule. Gunner and Sam stretched as far as they could to sniff Dave and his pants. It was evident that Bella had left her smell all over Dave. With her oily skin and coat, it was hard not to be covered in her scent after working or caring for her.
“Hey guys,” Dave offered to the dogs as he bent down to ruff them along the side of their heads and scratch their ears. The dogs continued to wag their tails in response.
“You can throw my field pack into the back of the mule,” Sarah said as she let the heavy, densely crammed backpack slide from her shoulder and arm onto the ground beside the vehicle. The pack hit the ground with a heavy thud.
“Whoa,” Dave remarked. “Glad I don’t have to carry a pack like that while working out in the field. What in the hell do you have in there?”
Feeling confident at the moment she replied, “Everything,” with a smug tone.
“Well, I sure as hell don’t doubt it,” Dave replied. “Especially after what all I saw packed into the back of your truck.”
“You can also run the radio today if that’s okay with you.” Without waiting for a reply from Dave, she started to remove the radio apparatus from her body. She ripped the Velcro strap open, removed her cap and carefully pulled the radio harness over her bandana that fit snug around her head and hair.
“Oh hey, not a problem. Would be glad to,” Dave replied as he accepted the equipment and responsibility.
As they loaded up the gear and dogs into the mule, Kellee grabbed a few more bottles of water and granola bars from the table in front of the command unit. Both women checked to make sure their GPS units were set on the same Datum as search management. There were different longitude and latitude measurements available and they needed to be sure that their units were set on the same one the management team was using. If not, their GPS coordinates would not match what was used in base camp.
Sarah pulled her compass from where it hung from her belt loop. She used a little key that was attached to the lanyard and placed it in a keyhole in the back. She turned the key until she had added eleven degrees to her compass bearing. Search management was using magnetic north instead of true north. Confident she had set the declination correctly, she dropped the compass back into her BDU pants pocket.
Dave and the driver went over the best route to their search sector. The two men were deep in discussion debating who knew the best track.
Sarah looked at Kellee. For some reason Kellee was wearing a huge grin. She appeared to be in a great spirits.
“So what’s got you in such a good mood?” Sarah asked kiddingly.
Kellee made sure Dave and the driver were still distracted, and answered, “Well, actually, if you must know, you.”
“Me?” Sarah asked quizzically. “Am I really that interesting?” She flashed her eyelids and lifted her chin mockingly
“Just thinking about how far you’ve come since our first meeting. How far we’ve come. I’m so proud of you,” Kellee continued.
Sarah felt like Kellee was trying to give her a boost of confidence and also make her take responsibility for today’s mission. She knew Kellee wanted to make her stand up and be read
y for whatever they might find out in the woods today.
“Proud?” Sarah asked.
“Yes. You’ve done so well becoming a first responder and training Sam and Gunner. I’m also impressed you’re taking this on and standing up to the challenge. I know it’s not gonna be an easy task for you. I’m glad I’m here with you. Just the thought of going out on your first wilderness search as the lead dog handler is enough to make anyone nervous,” Kellee retorted lighthearted. “This search is more involved physically and mentally than yesterday. Between the amount of ground and the terrain we need to cover and follow a map, this will not be an easy undertaking.”
“Oh, I know. But I love working the woods and forest the best. It’s Gunner and Sam’s favorite type of problem and terrain.”
There had been a time in Sarah’s past where she could have gone either way on her path and direction in life. She had the choice to overcome her dark past and move on to a better life. Or she could have succumbed to it and repeated that misery all over again.
It was a chance meeting six years earlier when Sarah had first encountered Kellee. Sarah, a young redhead, had held herself with defiance and at a distance. She knew she was witty and intelligent but she kept her emotional and personal distance from everyone, never allowing anyone into her personal space. She carried an internal sadness, a kind of deep darkness in her soul that followed her everywhere. Sarah called it her “baggage.” Weight she hoped to rid herself of one day.
Sarah had opened up to Kellee little by little when Kellee gained her trust. She had shared some of what she’d had to endure in her years in the foster home system. No one else knew or cared to know. And that was fine with Sarah, the less people knew about her past life, the better she felt about herself. But Kellee had been there when Sarah needed someone. She had helped Sarah bloom into a responsible person. A strong person.
Payback (The Canine Handler Book 1) Page 12