Molly’s mouth dropped open. “You know this how?”
“I heard Ella yell dad.” Drew grinned at Molly. “Then Sophie, his wife, yelled at him too. Sophie owns The Pampered Pooch pet store and doggy day care. And she rescues every animal she gets a call about, day or night, rain or shine. Fog or no fog.”
“I haven’t even owned a goldfish. Let alone rescued a dog.” Molly frowned and put her phone away. Uncertainty was obvious from her expression. Her fingers smoothed a nonexistent wrinkle from her pants. “And you’re telling me that we’re really going to rescue some animal right now.”
“There’s a first time for everything.” Like it was the first time he’d ever noticed Molly fidget. She never hesitated. Never appeared unsure. Something about a pet rescue unsettled her. And something about that realization made him want to calm her. To be there for her. “You can wait in the car while I help Brad.”
“I’m not afraid.” Resolve bracketed her stiff shoulders.
“I didn’t think you were,” Drew lied and reached over to hold her hand. All part of being a good buddy. A friend. From a romantic standpoint, the gesture was insignificant—it meant nothing. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”
“It’s nothing.” She laced her fingers around his and exhaled. “I was a kid. I was outside drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. The neighbor’s dog got out of their yard and joined me.”
“Joined you,” Drew repeated. Her grip on his hand tightened.
“It just wanted to play.” She waved her other hand around in the air. “That’s what the owners told me. My parents told me to stay off the sidewalk.”
“But the dog scared you.”
“It was twice my size, knocked me off my feet and nipped at my hands to eat the chalk.” Molly shuddered. “I thought it wanted to eat me. I was five years old. What was I supposed to think?”
“I’m really sorry that happened to you.” Drew pulled into the alley and parked behind his brother’s SUV. “You can wait here.”
Molly pointed at the open passenger door on Brad’s SUV. “Do you think that’s Sophie in the front seat?”
The only part of Sophie that was visible were her legs and her all-too-familiar purple running shoes resting on the running board. “Yes. I’m sure Brad asked her to wait in the car. Otherwise, she’d be climbing into the dumpster herself, pregnant or not. She’s that determined when it comes to saving animals.”
“Hazel and I can wait with Sophie.” Molly got out of the truck, removed Hazel from her car seat and tucked her daughter on her right hip.
Drew joined the pair at the front of his truck and set a burp cloth over Molly’s shoulder. “There’s something you should know about my niece, Ella.”
“She’s blind,” Molly said softly. She tipped her head toward Brad’s SUV.
Drew followed Molly’s gaze and smiled. A young girl, blond braids tracking down either side of her head and a wide smile pressing her dimples deep into her cheeks, walked toward them. She relied on an extended white cane to navigate the short distance between the cars.
Drew called out, “Ella Bella.”
“Uncle Drew!” The joy in Ella’s voice was unmistakable. “Now you can help Dad. He won’t let Mom help. Even though she’s pregnant, Mom could still get the dog faster than anyone else.”
Sophie slipped from the passenger seat of the SUV, put a hand on her stomach and joined them. She set her other hand on Ella’s shoulder. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ella. But I’m not sure how fast I could be with these two babies weighing me down.”
“Still faster than Dad,” Ella whispered.
Sophie laughed, then introduced herself and Ella to Molly.
Ella folded her walking stick and reached for her mom’s hand. “Can I meet baby Hazel?”
“I think Hazel would like that.” Molly moved closer to Ella and Sophie.
“Hazel hasn’t been able to stop watching you, Ella.” Wonder eased into Drew’s words. “Each time you talk, Hazel’s smile grows bigger.”
Ella beamed. “Hazel’s like the baby sister I never had.”
“What about the twins?” Sophie rubbed her lower back.
“They might be boys and then I won’t get a sister.” Ella’s eyebrows lowered, then lifted. “So, I need to claim Hazel right now.”
Hazel giggled and waved her arms.
“Did you hear that?” Ella clapped. “Hazel agrees too.”
“From what I’ve heard, Ella, you are quite an expert on all things baby.” Molly shifted Hazel so her daughter’s back was against Molly’s chest and stood in front of Ella.
“Evie and I have been researching and teaching everyone.” Wisdom coated Ella’s musical voice. She added a sage nod to reinforce her words. “Babies are a lot of work.”
“I wish I’d had you with me when Hazel was born,” Molly said.
“Well, you have me now.” Ella clasped her hands together. “Can I meet the sister of my heart now?”
“You sure can.” There was a catch in Molly’s voice.
Drew edged beside Molly and Hazel.
Sophie guided Ella closer. Ella reached out both arms, but paused. Indecision shifted across her kind face. She chewed her bottom lip. Drew stepped forward to intervene. Ella always asked permission to touch someone’s face to learn who they were. But Hazel was only a baby.
Molly’s sweet child reached out and grabbed Ella’s hand first. Her tiny fingers curled tightly around Ella’s, as if Hazel were claiming Ella. Sisters of the heart indeed.
No further permission was required.
Drew cleared his throat.
Molly dabbed at her eyes.
Ella, refusing to release Hazel’s hold on her hand, patted Hazel’s cheek with her free hand. The young girl touched Hazel’s cotton headband and her grin blossomed into recognition. “I wear these too, Hazel. We’re going to get along perfectly. I already have so much to tell you.”
“Ella, you’ll have to talk to the baby later.” Brad walked up, hands on his hips. The tenderness in his gaze ruined his attempt at a serious frown. “I need some help before the puppies decide the sewage drain looks like a fun place to play.”
“Puppies?” Molly glanced at Drew.
Drew shrugged, then introduced Hazel and Molly to his older brother.
“That’s right. There are five sad puppies and their mom looks sick,” Brad said. Concern suddenly washed over Ella’s face. “We have to save them as soon as possible.”
“And we’re going to.” Drew leaned over and kissed Ella’s forehead. “Right now.”
Ella’s eyebrows bunched together. “Uncle Drew, do you know what you’re doing? This is a dog rescue, not a courtroom.”
“I have your dad to explain it all to me.” Drew slapped his hand on Brad’s shoulder. “He likes to tell me what to do all the time. He’s been doing it since we were kids.”
Brad elbowed Drew in the ribs. “You better listen a lot more than you did back then.”
Sophie sucked in a breath and touched her stomach.
Brad scowled. “Please, Soph, you need to sit down.”
“I can’t tell you what you need to do from inside the car,” Sophie argued. “You can’t hear me.”
Drew opened his mouth. Molly cut him off. “I have an idea.”
Everyone turned to look at her. Molly continued, “If Sophie doesn’t mind holding Hazel, I can stand with Ella near the car. We can pass on Sophie’s instructions and relay to Sophie what you two are doing wrong.”
“I should take offense at that.” Brad chuckled. “But it’s a good plan.”
“We’ll collect the puppies.” Ella beamed.
“We have a laundry basket for them.” Sophie took Hazel and cradled the little girl against her chest. “Aren’t you precious?”
Ella placed her hand on the back of
Molly’s arm and ran through a quick recitation on how to guide a visually impaired person. Drew waited for the pair to get into position in front of the SUV, which was close enough to hear Sophie in the front seat and within calling distance of the dumpsters.
Molly kept her head tilted toward Ella. His niece had launched into a running commentary, but Drew wasn’t close enough to hear the topic. Only saw Molly’s quick smile, Ella’s animated expressions and their shared laughter. Molly had taken to Ella as quickly and easily as Hazel had. He wanted to tell himself it wasn’t anything unusual. But he’d witnessed the discomfort of strangers around Ella and understood Molly’s reaction was special. She’d never blinked, never hesitated. Never treated the sweet little girl unlike the sweet little girl that she was.
And that made Drew even more captivated by her.
Brad slugged Drew on the shoulder. “You going to help or just stand there staring at Molly?”
“I was watching out for Ella,” Drew argued.
“You were staring.” Brad’s laughter bounced around the alleyway. “Don’t deny it.”
Drew closed his mouth and conceded. Molly intrigued him. It was nothing he couldn’t manage. He followed his brother farther into the alley toward the twin dumpsters behind Tally’s Corner Market.
“Here’s the situation.” Brad knelt and pointed at the two dumpsters. It turned out a black-and-white dog was squeezed against the back wall between the dumpsters. Five tiny dirty puppies huddled near her. “The dumpster that we need to move is too rusted to roll more than an inch.”
“So, we lure the mother out.” Drew watched the mother dog panting. Her intelligent eyes remained fixed on him and his brother. “And the puppies will follow.”
“I think we scoop the puppies out and come back later for the mother.” Brad picked up a long pole with a net on the end.
“Sophie says you can’t leave the mom here,” Molly called out. “Absolutely no dog can be left behind.”
Brad shook his head. “I swear my wife has supersonic hearing.”
Drew glanced over at Molly and Ella. Molly arched an eyebrow at him as if challenging him to argue. She’d lost her earlier apprehension. Determination was etched on her face now.
“On second thought, if we get the puppies out, maybe the mother will come forward to find them.” Drew dropped to his hands and knees on the pavement to look underneath the dumpster. The puppies squirmed. The mother dog, obviously exhausted, laid her head on the ground. Even her panting sounded frail. Only her gaze tracked the brothers’ movements. Drew agreed no dog would be left behind. No matter if he had to crawl between the dumpsters himself.
Drew and Brad worked in tandem to separate the closest puppy from its siblings.
“Using the right tone of voice, make sure you tell the mom that you mean no harm,” Molly suggested. “She should understand.”
Drew peered up at the duo by the car. Ella held on to Molly’s hand, while Molly’s focus was fixed on the dumpsters. They both chewed on their bottom lips.
Drew offered more assurances to the mother dog and wanted to do the same for Molly and Ella. Finally he and Brad scooted the first puppy close enough for Brad to scoop it up. The second puppy proved larger, sturdier on its feet and required less scooping.
Ella and Molly cheered behind them.
Brad wrapped the wriggling puppy in a towel that Sophie had given him earlier and eyed Drew. “Molly find anything yet to help your case?”
“Yes. But I need a last-known residence or location for Gina Hahn.” Drew burrito-rolled the next puppy, thankfully smaller than the last, in another towel and tucked it into Brad’s arms beside its sibling.
Molly intercepted the puppies, kissed each one on its head and promised they were now safe. Then she placed them carefully in the laundry basket beside her before she grinned at Drew. “Sophie wants you to stay within sight of the mother, so she doesn’t get too anxious.”
Drew nodded and marveled at Molly. Ella and she had launched into a puppy name discussion after Molly described each dog’s coloring and personality to Ella. Molly had gone from cautiously reserved to fully invested.
He dropped into view of the mother dog and gave her more encouraging words. He worked to nudge the third puppy, all black except for one white paw, toward him. With the puppy handed off to Brad, he worked on the last two puppies, all the while talking softly to the mother. Behind him, the name debate continued.
The only hold-up in the rescue came from Brad. His brother had wiped his hands on his jeans and pulled out his cell phone. One quick call to his PI office and his request made, he looked at Drew. “Should have the information on Gina Hahn in about fifteen minutes.”
“Thanks.” Drew dropped back onto the pavement and considered the mother dog. “Let’s finish this, okay, mama? So Molly and I can get to work on my case...” he tried.
Drew had to remind himself Molly was his legal counsel, not his dog-rescue partner, or a part of his family, no matter how seamlessly she fit in.
Fifteen minutes later, the smelly dog hadn’t shifted an inch and had even ignored offered food. Since they’d made no progress on moving the mother, Drew and Brad stood shoulder to shoulder and regarded the dumpsters.
Molly stepped up beside them and pointed at the rusted bin. “Good work, guys, but you’ve got no choice. You have to roll the dumpster out of the way to get to the mommy dog. Sophie agrees with me.”
Determination strengthened her words and she lifted her chin. She’d become the dog family’s advocate. Molly was a fighter. She always had been. And Drew knew she’d fight for him too.
Brad’s shoulders dropped. “Why did I know we were headed for this?”
“Because you know Molly is right.” Drew peered inside the old dumpster. “At least it’s empty.”
The brothers managed to pull and shove the dumpster far enough away from the wall for Drew to squeeze in and reach the mother dog. He noticed her injured hind leg immediately and shouted to Brad for advice.
Molly yelled back. “All you can do is move her carefully, Drew. Don’t cause her any more pain, okay?”
Unsure of how he was supposed to accomplish that, Drew only nodded, then crouched onto one knee beside the hurt dog. He set his hand on her ribs, pressing against her too thin skin and matted fur. “I’ve got really worried mothers out there. If we don’t get you out of here, they’re going to be really mad at me. Upsetting a mom is a really bad thing.”
The dog tilted her head to peer at him, revealing her one pale blue eye and one brown eye. Drew kept his gaze locked on the dog’s and tightened his hand under her rib cage. Praise and prayers issued, one on top of the other, Drew finally lifted the dog into his arms. She whimpered twice, but rested her head on his bicep.
He worked his way out from behind the dumpster and barely missed bumping into Molly.
“You got her.” Relief with a flash of worry creased her face. “She’s so emaciated. Poor, brave mama.”
Drew lifted the exhausted dog into the lowered back seat of the SUV, placing her on a thick blanket beside the puppy basket. He stroked the mother dog between her ears. “Sophie will make sure she recovers and thrives.”
The dog set her paw on Drew’s arm. He stilled.
Beside him, Molly gasped. “Look. It’s like she’s thanking you.”
“That’s exactly what she’s doing.” Sophie sniffled from the front seat. Tears tracked down her cheeks.
Brad handed a box of tissues to his wife. “It’s not the pregnancy bringing on the tears either.”
Ella nodded. “Mom always cries after every rescue. Always.”
Molly leaned in and pulled a tissue from the box. She dabbed at her eyes and shrugged at Drew. “I’ve gotten more emotional since giving birth. I’ve learned to just go with it.”
Drew agreed. There was something very right about Molly displaying her feeli
ngs without apology. He took Hazel from Sophie, grabbed Molly’s hand as if that were the most natural thing in the world for him to do and walked to his truck.
“There was something so powerful about this.” Molly blew her nose. “I can’t explain it.”
“A mother’s bond translates across cultures and to the animal kingdom. That’s what Ella tells me anyway.” Drew wiped the drool from Hazel’s mouth. “You understood her need to protect her babies.”
Molly opened the truck door and took Hazel into her arms. “Yes. That I do understand very well.”
The resolve in Molly’s tone caught Drew’s attention. He knew nothing about her ex or her situation. But he suddenly wanted to fight for her too. Drew waited for Molly to settle Hazel in her car seat, climb into the passenger seat and shut her door.
He walked around the front of his truck, trying to outdistance his thoughts. He wasn’t Molly’s champion. She’d never needed one. Hadn’t asked him to rescue her now. He’d never been anyone’s hero. He’d only ever upheld justice.
But the urge to defend Molly followed him into his truck like a dust storm, clouding his vision and his mind. He started the engine, reached for his pinging phone and the immediate distraction. He read the text from his brother and grinned. “What do you want to know about Gina Hahn?”
“What do you have?” Molly unzipped her briefcase and pulled out a legal notepad. “I will work with any lead.”
“We have more than a lead.” Drew handed Molly his cell phone and backed out of the alley. “I’m thinking we’re heading to Girasoli Ristorante for lunch.”
“Your brother is good.” Molly stared at the phone. “He got more information about Gina, specifically that she uses her mother’s maiden name as her last name. And he included her relationship history and current status—single and never married. It’s more than I would’ve known to ask for.”
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