by Tawny Taylor
Ah, yes. Fantasy.
Again the visitor knocked.
In the unlikely (impossible) event it was her Zagan look-alike, she dashed to the bathroom, combed her hair, smoothed on some tinted moisturizer, and brushed on a little blush. She slicked her lips with some gloss and headed to the door in time for him to knock yet again.
She peered through the window.
Darn, it was only the FedEx guy. Where was his truck? She glanced at the package in his hands.
Books.
Not wanting to waste any more of his time, she yanked open the door, greeted him with an apology, quickly signed the electronic do-hicky scanner and accepted her package.
So much for fantasy.
Cojack was whizzing on his shoe.
Aeron didn’t realize it until it was too late. So yes, that was another pair ruined.
He sighed, gave the dog an angry glare then scooped him into his arms. “If you weren’t so cute, you’d be history.” Doing his best to shove aside the image of the girl he’d just seen, he loped down the street. First stop: home with Cojack. Then he’d head to the gym.
He’d made contact with this month’s soul.
His work was done...for now.
Two
At exactly three forty-five on the dot, the front door swung open, and a certain seven year old’s voice echoed through the house, “Jenny, I’m home!”
In the kitchen, already in the process of making her brother his fave after-school snack, Jenn reminded him, “Don’t throw your stuff on the floor.”
“-kay.” Little footsteps pounded on the wood floor, heading her way. Heavier, slower ones followed. “Jenn, someone wants to talk to you.”
A chill swept through her body as she realized that someone was in their house. She prayed it wasn’t their caseworker, Mrs. Tate. She’d been living in fear of a surprise visit from Mrs. Tate for months. “Logan, how many times have I told you not to let people in without talking to me first?” She set down the knife, jerked around just in time to see her little brother come bouncing into the kitchen. Behind him stood the guy from this morning.
Zagan.
“Oh,” she said, momentarily stunned.
“Hi,” Zagan said, giving a little wave. “Um, sorry to barge in. Logan here sort of insisted I talk to you.” He wrapped the leash he was holding around his hand. There was no dog on the other end of it (Jenn was glad for that). His fingers were long, tapered, as perfect as the rest of him. “I lost my dog. Logan said he wanted to help me find him, but I thought he’d better ask your permission first.”
“Yes, Logan has a bad habit of befriending strangers.” Very wary of this guy, despite the apparent effort he was making to at least seem honest, Jenn wrapped a protective arm around her brother, herding him to the table. There were so many reasons to be cautious. She couldn’t forget them.
When Logan sat, she poured him a glass of milk. As she worked, her skin tingled a little. It was a very strange sensation. “I’m sorry, but my brother can’t help you. He has homework to do.”
“Of course,” the stranger said.
“Come on, Jenny,” her gullible, clueless, guileless brother pleaded. “I want to help.”
“No, Logan. You have to get your homework done, and you need to study for your spelling test.”
“It’s okay, Logan,” the stranger said. “I’ll find my dog. And when I do, I’ll let you take him for a walk. With your sister’s permission, of course.” Zagan motioned toward the front hall. “I can see myself out—“
“No, I’ll walk you.” Trying to keep her distance, Jenn followed him. She did just about everything she could to avoid looking at his butt as he strolled toward the door.
It was hard.
Too difficult.
Impossible.
He stopped at the entry, turned. His eyes locked on Jenn’s. Jenn’s lungs deflated. Her face warmed.
He said, “Sorry about the intrusion.”
“It’s okay.” She motioned to the leash. “I hope you find your dog.”
His eyes, which were still locked on hers, narrowed slightly. “Do you go to Central High?”
“No.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“I mean, I did. Last year. I’m out of school now.”
He flashed a smile that made Jenn’s heart do a somersault. Oh, this guy was trouble. She could tell already. “Maybe that’s why you look familiar. Did you graduate last year?”
“Um, no. Not exactly. I would have,” she lied. “But…” Feeling ashamed of being a drop out, Jenn jerked her gaze away. “I had to quit school last winter. After...” she didn’t finish the sentence. Why was she telling this guy, this stranger, any of this? Why?
“I get it,” he said. “You did what you had to.”
“Yeah.” Her gaze climbed up, up, up until it found his again.
An awkward, thrilling, strange moment passed between them. “I’m Aeron.” Aeron extended a hand, and she stared down at it, undecided. This guy was breathtakingly gorgeous. He was mysterious. He claimed to recognize her, but she didn’t recognize him at all. Could she trust him?
No. Most definitely not.
And yet, she said, “Jennifer,” and placed her hand in his. The second his fingers curled around it, something burned her. Instantly, she jerked her hand away. “Ouch!”
He looked confused. “What’s wrong?”
“Did you burn me with something? One of those stupid zappers? Logan’s gotten me with them more than once.”
He turned his hand over. “No. Why would I do that?”
She inspected her hand. Her skin was a little pink where she’d felt the burn. “I…I don’t know.”
He stuffed his hands, both of them, into his pockets. “I’d better get going if I’m going to have any hope of finding my dog.”
“Good luck.” She watched him shuffle down the front porch steps. He glanced at his palm as he turned down the sidewalk.
She checked hers again. The pink was gone.
“He’s nice. I like him,” Logan said, behind her.
“He’s a stranger.” Furious, she whirled around to deliver a much-deserved angry glare at her brother. “I’ve told you over and over, Logan. You. Can’t. Trust. Strangers.”
“But he’s nice and he lost--”
“You think he’s nice. For all we know, he could be on parole for bank robbery. Or…or…I’m done talking about it. Let’s get your homework done.”
Pouting, Logan dragged his backpack to the kitchen table. “He doesn’t look like a bank robber to me. He lost his dog. He just wants some help finding it.”
Jenn sat next to her brother and unzipped his backpack. “He might’ve told you that, but it doesn’t mean it’s true. He might not even own a dog.”
“Why would he lie?”
“Lots of reasons. That’s one of the most common stories bad guys use to trap little kids--that they’ve lost their dog. Then they steal the kids and do all kinds of really bad things to them.”
“But I know he has a dog. I saw him walking it this morning. He’s not a bad guy.”
“I don’t know.” Jenn glanced at the hallway, half expecting to see Aeron standing there, staring back at her. “Maybe he isn’t a bank robber. But there’s something about him. Something I don’t trust.”
* * * * *
Logan was alone. Good.
Standing at the corner the next afternoon, Aeron started whistling, as if he were still searching for his supposedly missing dog. Very aware of the boy approaching, he shifted the stack of printed fliers in his hands.
“There’s the little rat,” a boy behind Logan said, heading toward him, eyes locked on Logan’s back.
Logan kept walking, acting as though he didn’t hear the bully approaching. Aaron could tell he’d heard.
“You’d better run,” the punk shouted, flanked on either side by a bigger boy. “Because if I catch you, you’re gonna regret it. And don’t think I believe you don’t hear me. I know you do.”
Bullies.
Wishing he could do something to stop the taunting, but knowing taking action could make things worse, Aeron watched Logan shuffle by. He had hoped to stop Logan, ask him to help hand out a few fliers. So much for that plan. He was going to have to come up with another idea.
“Look at the little rat, running home. Run, little rat. Run.” The punk jogged up to Logan, gave him a shove.
Logan stumbled but didn’t fall.
Aeron followed. His fingers curled into fists. He wanted to tell Logan to face the little bastard, give him a well-deserved right hook in the face, but he knew Logan wouldn’t do it. He couldn’t.
And ultimately, his reluctance to stand up for himself would cost him his life.
That was the most frustrating part of his job. Aeron knew exactly what would happen. Most of the time the disaster seemed avoidable. But there was no way he could intervene to stop it. The minute he tried he would be yanked off the case, and the soul would be left to fend for itself.
He knew this for a fact. It had happened with his first case.
He had never made that mistake again.
Following Logan and his tormentors at a safe distance, Aeron watched as the boy was pushed, threatened, and humiliated until he finally turned the corner onto his street. The bullies turned one way, Logan the other. Aeron let Logan know he was following when he was almost home.
“My sister said I shouldn’t talk to you,” Logan mumbled when Aeron caught up to him. He dragged his hand across his tear-dampened face.
“I understand.” Aeron stopped walking.
Logan hesitated. “Did you find your dog?”
“Not yet.” He lifted the fliers. “I’m handing these out in the neighborhood.”
Logan nervously glanced at his house. “If I’m late, I’ll get in trouble.”
“Then don’t be late.”
“I wish I could help. I like dogs. My sister won’t let me get one, though. She’s scared of them. Especially little dogs, like yours.”
“Cojack’s a pretty nice little dog. Maybe someday she’ll realize they aren’t all bad.” An idea popped into his head. A crazy idea.
“Maybe. But I doubt it.” Logan looked sad as he threw Aeron a wave. “See you tomorrow?”
“If you want to.”
Logan took one step, another. Then he stopped, turned around. “Thanks. For not doing anything about Josh.”
“You’re welcome.”
* * * * *
Something was whimpering. Outside.
Sporting snow boots—no socks--sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a ponytail, Jenn cautiously stepped out to take a look.
It was dark. Quiet.
The voice was high-pitched. Small.
Dog.
Little.
Just my luck.
She followed the sound, her boots skidding on ice patches that had frozen on the sagging boards of their neglected wooden deck. She stopped at the end, listened.
“Jenny, what’re you doing out there?” Logan called from inside.
She shushed him with a hand. “Something’s whimpering out here.”
“Maybe it’s Aeron’s dog.” He scurried out to her. “Where?”
She stepped down onto the snow-covered lawn, crouching in front of the raised deck. “I think it’s under there.”
“Let me see!” Logan jumped forward, hands on the wood lattice nailed around the perimeter.”Cojack!” he called. “Come here, boy.”
“Stop that. If it’s hurt it could bite. Let’s go back inside. It’s cold out here, and you’re in your pajamas. I’ll call animal control in the morning.”
“No! We can’t do that. We can’t leave Cojack out here alone and scared all night. He’ll freeze to death. Aeron said he’s a nice dog. He won’t bite.” The wavering of Logan’s voice touched her heart. He was genuinely upset about the little dog. There was no way he was going to let her walk away and leave it now.
Squinting in the dark, Jenn crouched lower, trying to see through the thick shadows under the deck. Of course there was absolutely no chance she could see a thing. It was pitch black under there. “I need a flashlight.”
“I’ve got one in my room. Be right back.” Logan’s footsteps thumped over the deck as he dashed inside for the light.
Jenn called softly, “Here, Cojack. Come on, boy.” Meanwhile she prayed he wouldn’t come out. She was pretty sure she would freak out if he did.
The whining grew louder.
It was coming. Oh God, it was coming.
Going against her better judgment, she repeated, “Come here, Cojack.”
A second later a blade of light hit Jenn in the retinas, blinding her.
“Got the light!” Logan shouted from the door.
“I see that.” Blinking, she cupped her hand over her eyes to cut off the glare. “Shine it down there, not at my face.”
“Sorry.” At her side now, Logan bent down and directed the light under the deck.
It was a Chihuahua, all right. A Chihuahua with big brown eyes and a skinny little tail.
“That’s Cojack!” Logan said, hopping up and down. The light bounced around. “Aeron is going to be so happy we found him.”
“Great.” She didn’t hop up and down.
“Come here, Cojack. Come on!” Logan sing-songed in his high-pitched little boy voice.
The trembling dog shook and scampered forward.
“He’s coming!” Logan said, excitedly. He extended his arms, but Jenn pulled them back.
“Don’t touch him. If he’s hurt, he could bite.”
“He doesn’t look hurt to me. Just scared and cold.”
“We can’t tell that yet. Let me go find something to catch him. A basket or something.”
But before she had taken a single step toward the door, the dog wriggled through a hole in the lattice and went straight to Logan. Logan gathered the animal into his arms. “Got him.” He jumped to his feet, heading for the house.
“Wait a minute. Where are you going with that animal?”
“Inside. He’s shivering,” Logan said.
“We can’t take him inside.”
“Why not? Look at him.”
Jenn looked.
Big mistake.
The dog’s bulging eyes were so big, so sad.
He was shivering.
His big pointy ears were quivering.
He looked pathetic.
Jenn sighed. She’d always been a sucker for pathetic.
“Please? Let me take him inside.” Logan gave her his best pleading look. Now he was looking pathetic too. “I’ll keep him in my room. You won’t even know he’s there.”
“Let me see how late it is.” Jenn went inside, following on the heels of her brother. While she checked the clock in the kitchen, he hurried to his room, the wet dog cradled in his arms.
It was after nine. Not so late. Jenn knocked on Logan’s door before entering.
Logan was sitting on his bed, the dog, now wrapped in a towel, was still in his arms.
“Logan, do you know where Aeron lives?”
“No.” Logan cuddled the dog to his chest, a fingertip stroked the top of its bony little head. “But you know what?”
“What?” she asked.
“I just remembered he was handing out fliers.”
“Where?”
“On Bernard Street. I think he was putting them on people’s front doors.”
“He didn’t give you one?”
“No.”
Jenn thought about going out and seeing if she could find one. She nixed that idea when she watched her brother curl up in bed, the dog tucked against his chest.
He was smiling. Logan was smiling.
Since Mom and Dad had died, she hadn’t seen him smile like that. His eyes were twinkling. Like a little kid’s should.
She sighed. How could she take this small bit of joy from him? As much as she hated that little dog, she couldn’t do it. “I’ll see if I can find one...tomorrow.”
<
br /> Logan’s twinkly smile brightened even more. “So he can sleep with me tonight?”
“Just for tonight. Tomorrow we have to give him back to Aeron.”
“Okay.” Looking sweet, Logan sighed. “Thanks, Jenny.”
Jenn patted Logan’s leg. “Goodnight, kiddo.”
Three
The next morning Jenn was up extra early. She took a shower. She blow dried and straightened her hair. And she even put on makeup. Then she put on some real clothes, instead of sweatpants and a hoodie. With Logan at her side, carrying his new best friend, she squinted against the bright sun as they headed east, toward Logan’s school.
“If we can’t find Aeron, you’ll take care of Cojack until I get home from school, right?” Logan asked.
Oh, the joy. “Yes, Logan.”
“You’ll take him outside? And not let him get away?” he asked.
I can’t wait. “Yes, Logan.”
“And you’ll get him some food, too?”
Where the hell is Aeron or one of those fliers? “Of course, Logan.”
“And he can sleep in my room,” he said, nuzzling the beast.
“I’m sure he’ll like that, Logan.”
“Oh, darn.” Logan said.
He had just seen Aeron.
Jenn had too.
But Jenn wasn’t thinking oh darn. She was thinking oh, wow. And she was thinking don’t make an idiot of yourself...even though she had a very bad feeling she might do that anyway.
Frowning, Logan trudged up to Aeron. “We found Cojack,” he grumbled. “Here you go.” He dumped the dog into Aeron’s hands.
“Thank you, buddy.” Aeron’s smile made Jenn’s heart do a flip-flop in her chest. Aeron ruffled Logan’s hair. “I’m so relieved you found him.”
While they interacted, Jenn tried to act normal. But it was hard. Impossible. Aeron was too good looking to be real. Just like the heroes in her books. She felt awkward and uncomfortable, even though she’d spent all morning making herself presentable.
Logan gave Cojack a pat on the head. “He was hiding under our deck. In our backyard. We found him last night and he slept with me.” Logan gave the little dog a final stroke. “He’s a good dog. You’re lucky.”