“Thank the Lord.”
“I already did. And I thanked Him for you, too, Sophie. What you did was above and beyond. It took quick thinking and decisiveness. Most people stood there and screamed but nobody else acted.”
She coughed again and grinned at him. “Just remember that the next time you accidentally get wet in the training center bath area.”
It was impossible for Ryder to keep from smiling back at her. “After today, I might actually let you get away with it again.”
“Often?” she quipped.
“Once,” he said, faking a scowl. “You weren’t amazing enough for twice.” But she was, he reasoned. His heart swelled with the thought of her selflessness and he yearned to pull her and Lily back into his arms again.
Closing his eyes he thought, Lord help me. And continue to protect those I love.
The simple prayer shook him to the core. He couldn’t argue, though. What he could do was continue to keep his distance and pray somebody took Carrie Dunleavy into custody soon.
He looked out over the crowd. Most of the fairgoers had resumed their meandering and stopped paying much attention to the deflated bounce house now that the excitement was over.
They didn’t even seem to care that their chief of police had stood in the street embracing his daughter’s pretty rescuer. Teasing from his own officers would come later, of course. That was a given. It wasn’t them he was worried about.
Surely, if Carrie had returned to a town where she’d lived for years, somebody would have noticed her. There had been plenty about her crimes reported in the newspapers, both locally and statewide.
Except that she was the kind of person who was so plain, so unremarkable, she was practically invisible. For all he knew, dozens had stared right at her and paid no attention, especially if she’d made any effort at disguise.
Like it or not, in the mob they had in Desert Valley for this homecoming and fair, almost anybody who tried to move around undetected would succeed.
TWELVE
Sophie wasn’t a bit surprised when Ryder took Lily to her babysitter’s early. Between the radiating heat and the excitement, both good and bad, they were all wrung out.
She ducked under the colorful canvas canopy of a booth where a friend from church was selling cookbooks. “Whew! Shade.”
“Here, have a seat. I need to stretch my legs.”
Sophie gladly collapsed into the folding chair. “Thanks, Hazel. It’s sure a scorcher.”
The elderly woman laughed and patted her own brow with a tissue. “Honey, it’s always hot here. I’d move up to Flagstaff in a flash if it wasn’t for my aching bones.”
“I guess there are advantages,” Sophie agreed. “And it does cool off at night pretty well.”
“Want more water, dear? I’ve got a cooler full.”
“In a minute. First, Phoenix needs a drink.” She bent over, gave the proper command and slowly poured water from her own bottle into her palm so he could lap it up.
“Smart pup you got there. I see he’s one of them police dogs. It always surprises me that they don’t all look like Rin Tin Tin. You know, German shepherds.”
“A lot of war dogs are,” Sophie explained. “We like to use a variety of breeds for their specialized skills. I never turn down a dog that shows promise.”
“What about them other dogs, the ones that help folks? You know, Ms. Ellen’s.”
“Companion dogs? For the most part they have a different temperament. They’re more owner oriented and less outwardly concerned. It’s hard to get a dog to open a door for you if he’s more interested in barking at what may be on the other side.”
“True.” While Sophie relaxed and momentarily closed her eyes, Hazel turned away to wait on a customer for a cookbook. When she finished she asked, “What’s wrong with him?”
Sophie straightened. Tensed. “Who?”
“Your dog. See?”
Phoenix pressed against her calf and stood as rigidly as a show dog in the judging ring. His ears perked, his body quivered.
Following his line of sight, Sophie saw nothing unusual. But clearly the dog did. Was he picking up vibes of danger or sensing something familiar? If she had worked with him longer she’d have had a better idea. Since his specialty was search and rescue, she wondered if Ryder was back. That was a possibility. So was the idea that another rookie officer and dog had come closer. Most of the animals got along pretty well with the exception of the ones trained for attack and apprehension. By necessity they had to have an edgy temperament.
Phoenix growled.
Sophie rose slowly, deliberately and stepped away from her friend, just in case.
“What’s got his hackles up?” Hazel asked.
“Beats me. I’m going to walk around a bit. Thanks for sharing your shade.”
“Anytime.”
It would have pleased Sophie greatly to have spotted Ryder in the crowd. Not only was his presence comforting, he had their radio. Without him, she was cut off unless she chose to use her cell phone.
“What a great idea.” She whipped it out and paged down to his name and number.
“Hayes.”
“Where are you?” Sophie asked.
“Just coming up on the square. Is there a problem?”
Frowning, she continued to search for familiar faces. “I’m not sure. Phoenix alerted and I can’t figure out why. I thought he might have seen you.”
“Hang on,” Ryder said. She heard him contacting the other officers by radio before he came back to her. “Might be he scented Ellen and Carly,” he said. “They’re over by the Friends of the Library used book sales booth. Why don’t you join them? I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“Sophie?”
Waiting for him to continue speaking, she noticed that she had begun to feel as jittery as the dog was acting. “Yes?”
“Be careful.”
“I am. It’s just hard to see trouble coming when there are so many happy people all around me.” But better than having to go down a dark alley like the night Wes was shot, she added to herself.
“You keep telling me that dog is as good as Titus. If you really think so, you need to trust him.”
“I do. I’m on my way to the library booth. See you there.” She ended the call and stepped out.
Phoenix kept pace, his side brushing her calf. He looked every inch a police dog on duty. Even if he had not been wearing his ID halter and vest he would have been formidable. With them, he was magnificent.
And extremely tense, she added, keeping a lookout. The formerly frightened animal had transformed into the working police dog she had envisioned when she’d first seen him. Even better, he was intuitive beyond measure.
So, what was he sensing? What familiar odor was he picking up that had put him on high alert? She had never introduced him to anything taken from Carrie’s desk or her home, so it couldn’t be that. Unless...
Sophie almost broke and ran for cover when she made a leap of reasoning. Phoenix had been with Lily in the bounce house and had exited near where the vandal had stood when he or she had slashed into it. Was he clever enough to have remembered that scent and recognized it again? It was normal for him to recall people he knew. Strangers were another matter.
She spotted Ellen and waved as she quickened her pace. Carly wasn’t acting strange, yet Phoenix was. What did that mean?
They met beneath a bunch of balloons tacked to an upright board above the awning. “Boy, am I glad to see you’re okay,” Ellen told her.
“Yeah. You, too. Has your dog been nervous?”
“Not that I’ve noticed.” The rookie officer eyed Sophie. “Maybe Phoenix is mirroring your mood. You’re still keyed up.”
That brought a sig
h. “I suppose I am. I was afraid I was going to run out of air in that stinky prison of rubber and plastic.”
“But you saved a bunch of scared kids.”
“By the grace of God.” She kept searching the gathering. “Have you heard any more from the chief?”
“Not since a couple of minutes ago when he told us to keep an eye out for you,” Ellen said.
“Radio and tell him I’m okay, will you, while I try to figure out what’s wrong with this dog.”
“Whatever it is, it seems to be catching,” the rookie said. “Look at Carly.”
Both dogs were now erect, alert and facing the same direction.
“I thought Phoenix might be reacting to the scent of whoever sabotaged the bounce house but Carly wouldn’t be, would she?”
“She might. We took part in that search.”
Sophie rested her palm on the butt of her gun, leaving it secure in the holster on her hip.
Ryder appeared in the distance with Titus at his side, bringing joy to her heart and calm to her nerves. She began to smile. Her partner was back. Their working relationship might be temporary but at least it would last for the weekend.
A bang sounded. The professionals ducked while most fairgoers merely looked around, confused.
One of the balloons arrayed above the booth had burst. Sophie was about to laugh at herself for being afraid when a second one exploded.
She shouted, “Shots fired. Everybody down!”
* * *
From Ryder’s viewpoint the scene was chaos. All he could do was clear that portion of the street. It took several tries to convince revelers to take cover but he was finally satisfied.
A radio call assembled his staff. “Williams and Foxcroft say the shots hit that board up there with the balloons. Harrison, take it down and check for bullets. If you find anything, bag it and save it for the state crime lab.”
“Yes, sir. Did you get your daughter out of here okay?”
Ryder nodded. “She’s at Opal’s.” His gaze drifted to Sophie again. After the arrest of Stan Allen he’d thought she’d be safe. Now he was not so sure.
These shots had been even farther afield than the ones at the depot had. Still, if that was due to poor targeting, why had balloons burst every time? This shooter seemed to be aiming all right, just not at people. Or at Sophie, he concluded with relief. That had to be a good sign.
He approached her as soon as he’d put the others to work. “I think you should call it a day.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not a cop anymore.”
“As you keep reminding me,” she countered, making a face. “It was my dog who alerted first.”
Frowning, he studied the Aussie. “Really? Why would he?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet. I thought it might be because he smelled the perp who slashed the bounce house but that seems a little far-fetched.”
“Yes, it does. We never put him on that trail.”
“Right. But Ellen had Carly tracking and she did perk up after we joined them. I suggest you and I stick together and let the dog go where he wants. He might strike a trail again.”
“You’re determined to stay here no matter what, aren’t you?” When a smile lit Sophie’s face and made her hazel eyes sparkle, he was positive.
“Well...”
“All right. But if one more thing happens, if you even sneeze, you’re done. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And don’t you dare salute me,” he warned. “We’ve already provided enough material to keep the gossip mill running for months.”
“Hey, it wasn’t my fault I got stuck in the collapse and had to be yanked out.”
Against his better judgment he slipped an arm around her waist and briefly pulled her closer. “No, but it was my fault I hugged you. I was so grateful I couldn’t help myself. I still am.”
“No problem,” she quipped. “The next time I feel a good cry coming on I’ll know whose shoulder to choose.”
“Anytime,” Ryder said.
“You mean that, don’t you?”
“Absolutely.” His gaze switched from her to the distance, where his men were taking down the board with the balloons. Once again, he could have lost her.
The notion of spending the rest of his life without Sophie in it was unacceptable. Even if they never progressed past being good friends, he wanted her around.
Now, all he had to do was see to it that nobody robbed him of the second woman he had ever loved.
As far as Sophie was concerned, it didn’t matter where the dog led them as long as Ryder stayed beside her. She was less frightened than angry. This wasn’t the last straw but it was getting close. There was only so much harassment one person could take. Of course, Stan’s attacks had been serious threats. But those were over now that he was in jail. The notion that he may have had accomplices had been refuted. He’d grieved his brother alone and his attempts at retribution had been committed solo. They were sure of that because he had proudly admitted to stalking Sophie and invading her home.
One unsettling thought made her touch Ryder’s arm. “Stan didn’t get out on bail, did he?”
“Not a chance. Besides, he hasn’t been arraigned yet.”
“Oh. I just thought maybe...”
“Pinning today’s problems on him would be nice. Trouble is, he can’t have done it.” Ryder was shaking his head thoughtfully.
“Is it possible that the incident today involving Lily is connected in some way?” Sophie asked.
“We can’t rule it out. It’s normal to imagine conspiracies everywhere when we’ve experienced them before. Try not to let it get you down.”
“Okay. I just wish we’d heard something about Carrie lately. The business with Stan was unfortunate because it distracted us.”
Looking somber, Ryder nodded. “Anything that threatens you is distracting. That doesn’t mean I can’t do my job.”
“I didn’t mean that.” She made a face. “Well, maybe I did, just a little. There’s only so much your police department can do, even with the extra officers Marian is funding.”
Again, he gave her a grim look. “Yes. And Ellen says her mother is starting to show real improvement. Doctors expect her to come out of the coma very soon.”
“That’s wonderful! I hated to keep asking poor Ellen about it and make her keep telling me how bad Marian is doing.”
“I know what you mean.”
“So, what do you think will happen when Marian recovers? It’s been months since she agreed to pay for all the rookies to stay to solve the murders. If she’d been conscious when Carrie’s crimes were discovered, do you think she’d have withdrawn her support?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter right now.” Ryder paused at a street corner, deciding which way to proceed. Neither dog seemed inclined to patrol further. He shaded his eyes with one hand beside the brim of his cap. “Which way?”
Sophie shrugged. “Beats me. The four-legged officers seem to be ready for a drink of water and a nap in the shade.”
“That makes three of us.”
“Four,” Sophie said. “I think my adrenaline is wearing off. I’m practically asleep on my feet.”
“Which is why you should go home. Take a couple hours’ break, then come back if you want to.”
“I could freshen up, too,” she added, glancing at her damp clothing and feeling the effects of perspiration.
Ryder gave her a lopsided smile. “Now there’s a good idea.”
“What? You don’t appreciate the perfume of old plastic and sweaty kids? Imagine that.”
“You could just go bathe the dogs again. I’ve heard that can be refreshing.”
“Oh, have you?” The urge to apologize again fo
r dousing him was strong. She squelched it. After all, he was the one who had brought it up this time and was acting as if he’d forgiven her. So why destroy the mood of camaraderie by being contrite, particularly since she didn’t feel all that repentant any more.
“It would be simpler to use the facilities at the training center instead of going all the way home,” Sophie said. “Is there a guard posted today?”
“Just Benny. He’s stayed more alert since he was attacked a while back but he’s not a young man.”
“It still helps to have somebody there.” She checked the street that led to where she’d parked her official SUV. “Walk me to my car?”
Ryder fell in beside her with Titus. “This poor old guy is really tired. Why don’t you take him back with you and kennel him? I’ll continue to work Phoenix. Maybe he’ll alert again and I can figure out what upset him.”
“Fair enough.” Smiling, Sophie swapped the ends of the dogs’ leashes and the K-9s switched places as smoothly as if they had recently practiced.
“I need to run more refresher courses soon,” Sophie said as they strolled toward her parked vehicle. “These rookies need it and I have a long list of queries asking for retraining.”
“Dogs or handlers?”
“Both.” Sighing, she stopped beside her SUV. “What’s going to be tough is making sure any department where they go is still in the market for a team, both K-9 and handler. Keeping these rookies here in Desert Valley for six months may have messed up their former plans.”
“I’d thought of that. I’d never let myself be separated from Titus no matter what.”
Sophie smiled. “That won’t happen once he’s retired and becomes your pet. I know how hard it is to let go of a wonderful companion and great student like Phoenix. Even though you’ll be keeping him in town I miss having him at home with me.”
At the mention of his name, the dog’s ears pricked.
“Yes, you,” she responded quietly. Breaking one of her own cardinal rules she patted his head while he was supposed to be working, then loaded Titus and bid Ryder goodbye.
The sight of the chief, standing tall with Phoenix at his side, almost choked her up. It didn’t matter how many times she told herself that she was merely the dog’s trainer, she felt a swelling of pride every time she was able to pair a great dog with a deserving officer.
Search and Rescue Page 12
