Cal glanced over at me. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah.” But I wasn’t sure.
“You got more than you bargained for.”
“Uh-huh.” I sighed. “But I found the dog.”
“All’s well that ends well,” Cal said.
I wished he would quit saying that because it seemed like that was never true.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
We flew west along I-70, passing cars and semis as we put distance between us and Deer Trail. I chided Cal to go faster and he grumbled that he was. We both looked behind every few seconds to see if Jack and Chuck were following. My breath caught in my throat every time I saw a vehicle that looked remotely like a dark blue truck or a red Toyota. Cal tried to ask me questions about my ordeal but I was so tired and so worried about Jack catching us that I answered only in monosyllables. After what seemed like days, we finally arrived at Strasburg.
“I don’t think they followed us,” I said. “Stop at a gas station so I can get something to drink.”
We stopped briefly at a Texaco on Colfax. Cal hurried inside and I watched for Jack and Chuck.
Cal came back outside, hopped in and said, “This should tide you over for now.” He tossed water and some doughnuts at me. We got back onto Colfax.
“Turn there,” I instructed Cal as I gulped down half the bottle. I ate a donut in three bites.
He hung a left onto Monroe Street and we headed straight to the sheriff’s office. Cal parked the car and heaved a sigh. “I do not want to do something like this again,” he said as he peeled his fingers off the steering wheel.
“Come on,” I said, easing out of the car. My whole body had stiffened up while sitting in the car.
We crossed the empty lot and entered the building. Myers was sitting at his desk, talking on the phone. He glanced up, signaled us to wait, and continued his conversation.
“Well, if it isn’t the pet detective,” he said when he’d wrapped up his call. Then his brow furrowed when he noticed my appearance. “What happened to you?”
“That stolen dog I was telling you about?” I said. “I found it. And a puppy mill. Then the owners of the puppy mill found me. They tied me up and kept me in a barn overnight. If it wasn’t for my friend here, I’d still be there.”
“Don’t forget to tell him they chased us,” Cal murmured to me.
Myers gazed at us, speechless.
I raised an eyebrow at Myers. “And they chased us.” Cal nodded. “We even played chicken on the road with them. My car’s dinged up and the other guy, Chuck, has some damage to his Toyota, too.”
“I was going to take a report,” Myers grumbled. “But you left.”
“I didn’t think you were going to do anything,” I fired back.
“I certainly will now.” Myers heaved his bulk out of his chair. “Where did you say this was?”
“Outside of Deer Trail,” I said. “Jack Porter’s house.”
“Never heard of him,” Myers said. He poked his head into an inner office and spoke to someone for a moment. Then he grabbed his hat off the desk. “Show me.”
We marched out of the building and Myers followed behind us in his service vehicle. Cal kept to the speed limit on the drive back to Deer Trail.
“Can’t you go any faster?” I asked.
“I got a sheriff on my tail,” Cal said, shrugging.
“I’m sure he won’t care,” I said.
“What are you worried about?”
“I don’t want Jack and Chuck to clear out everything before we get there.”
Cal shook his head. “They won’t have time.”
He was right, but I was still antsy to get back. We didn’t see Jack, Chuck, or Marv as we drove through Deer Trail and onto 34. As we neared Jack’s house, I spotted Chuck’s Toyota parked in front.
“They’re probably trying to hide the dogs now,” I said.
“It’ll take them too long,” Cal replied. “It’s going to be okay.”
Cal stopped on the side of the road across from Jack’s property. We got out as Myers pulled up next to us. He rolled down the window.
“That’s the place,” I said. “The dogs are on the other side of the house, to the north. There’s a structure with a whole bunch of cages, and it’s covered with heavy tarps. It’s hidden behind some undergrowth about fifty yards back.”
“Okay, stay here while I go check out things,” Myers said.
“Can I get the stolen dog back?” I asked.
“Sit tight,” Myers said. “If what you say is true, I’m going to have to get a search warrant and get animal control out here.”
We watched him drive onto the property. Before Myers had a chance to get out of his vehicle, Jack burst out of the house. He approached Myers, waving and pointing. Myers held up a hand, as if trying to calm Jack. Connie stood in the doorway, staring out at us. Even from where we were, I could see the hateful gleam in her eyes. After seeing those poor dogs suffering in their cages, I could not have cared less.
****
Another officer joined Myers a short while later. After taking care of legalities, Myers and the other officer were able to search the property and they found the puppy mill right where I said it would be.
The next few hours passed by slowly. Myers later told us that he found Chuck releasing the dogs into the field, but many of the dogs were so scared they were just cowering near their cages. When Myers approached, Chuck tried to run, but gave up when Myers drew his gun. Jack and Connie were handcuffed and driven away. Someone was dispatched to arrest Marv. Animal control showed up and the dogs were rounded up to be taken to an animal shelter in Denver. Some would be rehabilitated and put up for adoption. The ones in poor health or who were deemed unfit for adoption would have to be euthanized. I asked if I could take Aesop with me so I could return him to the Johnsons, but animal control wouldn’t allow it. Aesop was carted away with the rest of the dogs and the Johnsons would have to pick him up at the shelter. I wrote down the shelter’s information and called Gail. She gushed with delight at the news that I’d found Aesop and said she’d make sure the Johnsons were able to get him safely home. I decided not to tell her about the puppy mill at the moment, not wanting to ruin her joy.
There was nothing more for Cal and me to do. Cal drove back to where he’d stashed his car down the road from the Porter house. I had only eaten a doughnut in the last twenty-four hours, so we stopped for a bite to eat in Deer Trail. I ordered lunch and then went into the bathroom, where I was finally able to clean up a bit.
When I looked in the mirror, I was pleased that I didn’t look quite as disheveled as the night I’d fallen from Jack’s truck. I did have a knot on my forehead and a few more scrapes and bruises. But I was alive and free, and that’s what I cared about.
I washed up as much as I could and joined Cal at a booth. He peppered me with questions about my kidnapping experience.
“You are one lucky detective,” he said, shaking his head.
“I’m just glad you showed up,” I said. “I don’t know what might’ve happened otherwise.”
As we finished our lunch I struggled to keep my eyes open.
“Are you going to be okay?” Cal asked as he contemplated me.
“I’m fine,” I said. “The caffeine in the Coke is helping.”
“Just to be safe, I’m following you home,” he said as he left a twenty on the table to cover our bill. “I got you this far, I’m not losing you on the way home.”
I laughed. “I’ll keep the music on loud and that’ll keep me awake.”
And that’s exactly what happened.
****
“Are you going to be okay?” Cal asked again as I finally eased myself down on the couch in my living room.
A knock on the door precluded me from answering. The door opened and Willie poked her head in. “Hey Cal,” she said. Then she spotted me. “Reed!” She rushed over to me, worry flickering in her green eyes. “What happened?”
“Ree
d discovered a puppy mill,” Cal said. “The dognappers ambushed him, tied him up and drugged him.”
Willie stared at me in disbelief. “How did you get away?” she finally asked.
“I helped,” Cal beamed, and explained his involvement. He finished with, “That puppy mill is out of business.”
“That’s good. Anybody who does that to poor, defenseless animals…” Willie’s voice trailed off. Then she surveyed me. “You look terrible.” She pushed my hair back, examining the welt on my forehead.
“I’m all right,” I said. “I need a shower and some sleep and I’ll be fine.”
“You better ice that ankle again,” Cal said.
“I’ll help him,” Willie said.
Cal knew about my crush on Willie. He winked at me. “You’re in good hands.”
I waved as he left.
“Come on.” Willie grabbed my hand and pulled me off the couch. “Let’s get you cleaned up and into bed.”
“You wanna join me?” I smiled.
She rolled her eyes. “You wish.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
I was so tired, my feet wobbled under me. I plodded into the bathroom, peeled off my clothes and stepped into the shower. The hot water pummeled my sore muscles and I almost dozed off.
Willie’s voice startled me. “I’ve put out clean clothes.”
“Thanks,” I said. I finished my shower and toweled off. Willie had placed boxers and a tee shirt on the toilet for me. I put them on and went into the bedroom.
Willie had the sheets turned down. She sat on the edge of the bed, an ice pack in one hand.
“Lie down,” she instructed.
I crawled under the covers.
“You know you like me,” I yawned. I closed my eyes.
“Uh-huh.” Willie began caring for me, putting the ice on my ankle. But I didn’t notice. I’d fallen asleep.
****
Willie called first thing the next morning.
“How are you feeling?”
“A little sore,” I said as I stretched and rolled out of bed. “You didn’t want to spend the night?”
“With a zombie? I don’t think so.”
“I would’ve stayed awake,” I laughed.
“It snowed last night,” Willie changed the subject. “Be careful walking around. The last thing you need to do is slip on snow and ice and make your ankle worse.”
“I don’t have anywhere to go today, and I think I deserve a day off,” I said. “How about dinner tonight? We can go somewhere close by.”
“I’d like that.”
“Great,” I said. “Come over after work. Italian sound good?”
“That’s great,” Willie said. “I’ll see you then.”
I hung up. “Yes!” I said. “She still likes me.” Even with all the perilous situations I’d been in the last couple of days, she hadn’t written me off. That was saying something.
I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and I did a double take at my own appearance. The scrapes looked redder than before and the bruise under my left eye had an ugly yellowish tint around the edges.
“I look like a hardened detective,” I said to myself. “Bogie would be proud.”
I strolled into the kitchen, pleased that my ankle didn’t hurt very much. But my euphoria didn’t last. I had just poured a bowl of cereal when my phone rang again.
“Hi, Gail,” I said, recognizing the number. “Did the Johnsons get Aesop back?”
“Yes, they did, but I have bad news.”
“What?” I said, sinking into a chair.
“Another dog’s been taken.”
“What?” I nearly shouted.
“It’s true,” Gail said. “It’s a retired couple I’ve seen at some of the dog shows, the Kirbys. Their dog was taken from their yard last night. They called the police and reported it. They didn’t participate in the show over the weekend so I’ve haven’t seen them in a while, and they didn’t know about Fuji or the other dogs being stolen until this morning when they talked to Belinda. The minute Belinda got off the phone with them, she called me.”
“Can you get the Kirbys to my office, say in an hour?”
“We’ll be there.”
I hung up, puzzled and angry. There wasn’t any way that Jack, Marv, and Chuck could have been released from jail already and had gone after another dog. But if not them, then who?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Gail was as shocked when she saw me as Willie had been.
“Good Lord, what happened to you?” she asked as she flew into my office. She flung off a heavy coat, rearranged hair that was wet with snowflakes, and sat down.
“There’s a bit more to the story,” I said as I got a couple more chairs out and set them in front of my desk. “The people that took Aesop were operating a puppy mill.”
“That’s horrible!” Gail fumed. “It makes me so mad that people would do something like that.”
“Being arrested ought to stop the group I found,” I said. “But there’s so much money to be made, it wouldn’t surprise me if they moved their operation somewhere else and started all over.”
We discussed the atrocities of puppy mills and what I’d been through since I’d seen her last, until a knock on the outer door interrupted us.
“Hello?” a curly-haired man in jeans and ski jacket poked his head into my office. As everyone seemed to be doing lately, he hesitated as he eyed the cuts and bruises on my face.
“Come on in,” I said.
He stepped aside and let his wife enter. She was plump, with gray hair to match his, and sad blue eyes. She was bundled up in a plaid coat with a hood.
“Oh, hi,” she said, noticing Gail sitting across from my desk.
“Reed, this is Louise and Wayne Kirby,” Gail introduced us.
Once everyone had their coats off and were seated, the Kirbys told me what happened. I’d heard the story so many times now, I knew it by heart. The Kirbys had come home from dinner and let their dog Spice outside in the back yard. After a while, they wondered why she didn’t want back in the house. They went looking for her but she was gone.
“There’s no way she could’ve gotten out on her own,” Wayne said. “The yard is fenced and the gate was securely locked.”
“I believe you,” I said. “You haven’t received a ransom note yet?”
Wayne shook his head.
“I’ll bet they get one today,” Gail said.
Just then Belinda came rushing through the door.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said breathlessly. “The snow’s starting to stick on the roads so it took me longer than I thought to get here.”
Gail glanced at me. “She wanted to join us.”
“No problem,” I said.
“I took the day off,” Belinda explained. “I thought maybe I could help in some way.”
“Thank you,” Wayne said gratefully.
“Reed, I thought you’d gotten to the bottom of this,” Belinda said. She scrutinized me but didn’t say anything. I hoped it was because of my bruises and not because it appeared that I hadn’t solved the case.
“I did, too,” I sighed. If she only knew. I got a third chair from the closet and set it up.
“You’ve got to catch whoever’s doing this,” Belinda said as she sat down.
“I don’t have much to go on,” I said. I sat back, thinking. I was back to square one. No clues, and no way of knowing how the dognappers were targeting which dogs to steal.
“So we have Gail, Belinda, and now the Kirbys. If we don’t count the Johnsons’ dog, that’s three dogs stolen in less than a week,” I said. The statement was met with a chorus of nods. “We’re dealing with someone who needs money quickly. But what puzzles me is how the dognappers know what dogs to take. They aren’t stealing just any old dogs. They know the ones they’re taking are show dogs, and that the dogs are valuable enough that the owners will pay big money to get their dogs back.”
“Would they be doing the
same things that those men operating the puppy mill did?” Gail asked.
“Another group who watches at the shows like Jack and Marv did? I guess,” I said.
“Who?” Wayne and Louise exchanged confused looks.
“What’s this about a puppy mill?” Belinda asked.
Before I could say a word, Gail jumped in and told the story about my discovering the puppy mill. Listening to her tell the tale, I felt like I’d been put on the same playing field as Bogie. Only he solved all of his cases.
“I thought I had put a stop to this,” I said when Gail finished. Then I pointed at the Kirbys. “Until I heard about your dog.”
“Reed does bring up an interesting point,” Louise said. “How would someone know that our dog is more valuable than the average dog? Other than the usual people like our friends and relatives who know Spice is a show dog. But none of our friends or relatives would do something like this.”
“You’re sure?” I asked.
“Of course,” Louise said. Wayne nodded vigorously.
“Is there a connection between all of you?” I asked. “Other than that you all know each other from the dog shows.”
“We all belong to a puppy play group,” Gail said.
I cocked an eyebrow. “A what?”
“It’s like mothers who have play dates with their little kids, only this is for our dogs,” Gail said. “We’ve got a group who gets together with our dogs. We work with the dogs on training, and we let them play and socialize together.”
I nodded slowly. Maybe someone saw them all together. But how would that person know where all the dog owners lived? Did they follow an owner? But then they’d have to know the times of the play dates. That would mean an inside job. I stared at all of them. Could one of them be stealing the dogs?
“You think puppy play dates are weird, don’t you?” Gail said.
“No,” I said, even though that wasn’t true.
“It sounds funny,” Louise said, her eyes momentarily dancing with humor. “But the dogs love it.”
“They sure do,” Belinda said. “But people who don’t understand dogs and dog behavior tease us about it.”
“That’s true,” Gail smiled. “Belinda, what was it your neighbor Shirley said about us?”
Reed Ferguson 1-3 Page 46