Search and Rescue

by Valerie Hansen

  “It’s high time for a puppy session,” she told herself, hoping Lily had received the same kind of emotional relief by keeping company with the exuberant youngsters. If anything could lift spirits it was a lap full of warm, squirmy pups.

  There had been times when her predecessor, Veronica, had caught Sophie sitting on the floor of one of the runs, laughing and letting puppies crawl all over her. Such behavior had not pleased the inflexible head trainer but Sophie had continued to do it during her breaks, anyway. It was a good way to socialize the dogs and the best antidote for loneliness.

  Speaking of which... She checked her watch and wondered if she should make another round between the two guards just for something to do. Neither had reported any problems and Benny had even been awake when she’d contacted him.

  Although she and Ryder had only been apart for a few minutes, Sophie missed him terribly. Judging by the tension in Phoenix’s leash, he did, too. That was a good sign. They had obviously bonded as handler and K-9 should. Instinct had told her they’d be perfect for each other so that was a gold star for her, too. She knew she had a gift for making successful pairings the same as Veronica had, only in Sophie’s case she did it more by gut feelings than by strict rules. Thankfully, her junior trainer, Gina Perry agreed. Good training was part science, part intuition.

  Sophie shivered. If Carrie had been a mad dog instead of a human murderer, she might have discerned enough to have stopped her years ago.

  And now? Now, it was no secret that Carrie was guilty. The senses Sophie needed now were ones that would telegraph danger in time to head it off.

  The problem was, all the previous attacks had left her so jumpy she no longer trusted her own sensations of apprehension and fear.

  Such as those which she was feeling right now.

  * * *

  Ryder found his daughter curled up on the clean blanket with Titus. She had apparently tired of the rambunctious puppies and had let herself out so she could join the more peaceful dog. His ribs rose gently with each breath and cradled Lily’s head as they both snoozed.

  The dog detected him, opened one eye and thumped his tail. Crouching, Ryder petted him. “Good boy.”

  God, please watch over Lily, Ryder prayed silently. He had always said special prayers for his only child but lately they had become a lot more frequent and tinged with a touch of desperation. If he was this worried about her well-being at five, what would it be like when she was fifteen?

  Titus’s panting awoke Lily. She rubbed her eyes. “Can we go home now?”

  “Pretty soon,” her father told her. “I want to stay in town a little longer. There’s a bad wreck out on the highway and they may need me.”

  “Oh.” Cuddling against the warm dog she closed her eyes again.

  “Would you like to help us train?” Ryder asked.

  “No.”

  “You can hide and let Phoenix find you.”

  “Uh-uh.”

  “There’s pizza left, too,” he added, slightly relieved when she sat up. “We could warm it for you.”

  “Can Titus come, too?”

  Ryder wasn’t about to argue. “Sure. You can give him your crusts as long as you eat all the good stuff off first.”

  “She said no.” Lily glared toward the offices.

  “That was for Phoenix. Titus is going to be staying home with us more from now on so we can treat him like a pet.”

  “Okay.” The child was on her feet, stretching and yawning, in seconds. To Ryder’s amusement, the old dog mimicked her. Letting Titus trail them he took Lily’s hand. “How did you manage to get the gates open? I thought you were too short.”

  “I’m big.”

  “You certainly are. But that catch is outside.”

  “It was open already.”

  “That’s impossible.”

  She shook her blond curls. “Uh-uh. It was open. All I had to do was jump up and knock the handle over.”

  Doing his best to mute his disbelief, he continued to press her. “What about the one for Titus?”

  “It wasn’t fastened, either.”

  “Okay.” Leading her back to the office, he remembered that Sophie was waiting out of sight with Phoenix. She’d been in the kennels after he had clipped those gate latches. Maybe she’d undone them without thinking. He’d ask her ASAP. In the meantime, he had a test to set up and a hungry child to finally feed.

  “Do you want your pizza nuked?” Ryder asked Lily.

  “No. That makes it too hot to eat. Titus doesn’t like it that way.”

  Ryder had to smile. “All right. We need to find a good place for both of you to hide so Titus doesn’t tell Phoenix where you are.”

  “I know.” Lily brightened. “Upstairs!”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “Awwww.”

  “Sophie is right. I’m a sucker for you,” he muttered. “Okay. Bring your supper and follow me. I’m not letting you go up there without checking it, first.”

  “You’ll stink up the trail,” Lily said wisely.

  She may have put it crudely but she was right. “Then you’d better pick a place down here, because I’m not going to let you hide until I check where you’ll be.”

  Lily tiptoed across the room and peeked into one of the large crates they used for training.

  It was going to be an easy tracking task but at least it was safe, Ryder reasoned. “That’s perfect. You and Titus get inside and be very quiet. And don’t let him steal your supper.”

  “Okay, Daddy.”

  A grin spread across Ryder’s face as he left to fetch Sophie. He didn’t have the keen senses of a tracking dog but even a human could smell that aromatic slice of pizza. If Phoenix failed this test he belonged on a farm herding sheep the way his ancestors had.

  After a glance back to be sure all was well, he left the room. By the time he reached Sophie his pager had sounded again. The officers at the wreck were asking for more backup and additional ambulances.

  Sobering, he greeted her smile with a frown.

  “What’s wrong? Is Lily okay?”

  “She’s fine. Eating, actually. But I may have to cut Marlton loose to respond to that earlier collision. Apparently the pileup was hit again by at least two speeders and it’s pretty bad out there.”

  Sophie gently touched his arm. “Do you have to go, too?”

  “I hope not.” He managed a lopsided smile for her benefit. “Come on. Bring Wonder Mutt. If he can’t find a kid eating pizza and hiding with another dog, he’s not the search and rescue tracker we’d hoped.”

  “I’m not worried.”

  Neither was Ryder. At least not about the K-9’s tracking abilities. He had plenty of other things on his mind that kept his gut tied in knots. Such as whether he was neglecting his sworn duty by not responding to the multivehicle accident. Recent reports had specified needing more traffic control, not another chief officer. If that changed, he’d have to leave Lily behind for her own good. No way was he taking his little girl to a grisly accident scene.

  * * *

  Sophie had concerns about the victims of the traffic collision and had silently prayed for them when the first reports had come in. She had faith in the first responders, too. Desert Valley law officers and firefighters had a sterling record. They were extraordinary, particularly for such a small town.

  She led the way back to the office area and paused at her desk. “Do you want me to use the pizza aroma or do you have something of Lily’s for Phoenix to smell?”

  Ryder presented a small, pink sweater. “Here you go. She keeps insisting she’s not cold but she was curled up with Titus on a blanket out back.”

  “Cute. You should have snapped a picture with your phone,” Sophie said, smiling. “Stand back. Here we go.�
��

  Instructing the dog to sit and watch her, she carefully presented the sweater and let him sniff it thoroughly. Then she commanded, “Seek.”

  In her peripheral vision Sophie saw Ryder shift. She was the one who was supposed to be nervous, not him, and she was amused until he shouted, “Hey!”

  “What’s the matter?”

  “He’s going the wrong way. Lily’s in that crate over there.”

  “Well, she has walked through here several times tonight. It’s a forgivable mistake. Let’s let him sort out the newest scents from the previous ones.” Giving the dog his head, she let him take her where he would. “This is one reason I thought we should do the test outside. She hadn’t been running around in the training yard today.”

  Phoenix cast back and forth in a sweeping motion, moving forward with care. Ryder’s pacing and fidgeting was beginning to get to her. “Stand still, will you? I’d be confused, too, if I thought you were trying to direct me and the instructions went contrary to what my nose was telling me.”

  “He’s way off.”

  “Fine. Then we’ll end this before you come unglued. Go get your pizza lover and bring her out.”

  As Sophie restrained Phoenix, Ryder jogged across the room and bent over the crate. When he straightened a moment later, his face was ashen and his eyes wide. “She’s gone.”

  “What do you mean, gone? Are you sure that’s where you put her?”

  “Of course I’m sure.” He spun in a full circle.

  Sophie had already approached the crate and redirected Phoenix by the time Ryder said, “Turn the dog loose.”

  More urging wasn’t necessary. The Aussie was almost pulling her off her feet as she struggled to unclip the long leash. His straining reminded her of a sled dog in an Alaska race.

  Phoenix would have knocked Ryder down if he hadn’t jumped aside. Once the dog struck the new scent trail, he careened around furniture and bounded up the stairs to the second story.

  “I told her not to go up there,” Ryder shouted.

  He was so close behind when he yelled, he startled Sophie into stumbling. The excited canine disappeared around the corner at the top of the stairs in a blur.

  Sophie yearned to be able to assure Ryder his child was safe but she kept silent. All she managed to mutter was, “Please, Jesus,” over and over.

  They topped the staircase at the same time. If Ryder had not grabbed her arm she might have been knocked down in his rush to shoulder past her.

  “Lily! Lily, where are you?” he called.

  Sophie raised her free hand. “Shush. Listen.”

  “I don’t hear a thing.”

  “That’s because you’re making so much noise,” she countered. Now that she was back on solid flooring she shook loose from his grasp.

  “Where’s that fool dog,” Ryder roared, racing from room to room of the small, converted apartment.

  Sophie stifled a grin and paused to catch her breath. For a guy who was the epitome of a calm, cool, sensible police chief, he was a basket case as a father. She snagged his arm when he ran past for the second time. “Stop!”

  “I have to...”

  “You have to stop and think and listen,” she said, keeping her voice soft so he’d have to be quiet or miss what she was saying. “I hear giggling.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Hold your breath before you hyperventilate. I think both dogs may be hiding with Lily. That’s why we can’t see Phoenix.”

  Ryder released the air in his lungs with a whoosh. His shoulders sagged. “I hear it, too, now.”

  Bending over and resting his hands on his knees, he continued to gasp as if no amount of air was enough.

  Sophie placed a hand of comfort on his back and called, “You win, Lily. You and the dogs fooled your daddy.”

  The child didn’t pop out of hiding but her laughter increased, soon to be accompanied by a bass woof from the old Lab and a tenor whine from Phoenix.

  As soon as Sophie opened the closet where she stored equipment, all three tumbled out.

  Titus plopped down on the rug, panting. Phoenix bounded around the room. Lily emerged, laughing and clapping hands sporting traces of tomato sauce, then ran straight to her father.

  Ryder dropped to his knees, arms open to her, eyes glistening.

  Sophie didn’t want to embarrass him but she couldn’t look away. The sight of father and daughter together was too precious, too awe inspiring.

  What would it be like to be loved that much?

  To have a parent who truly cared?

  * * *

  Ryder wanted to scold his little girl but he simply could not bring himself to do it. He was too glad to see her. And too ashamed of his show of weakness in front of Sophie. She must think he was a raving lunatic, like Gina’s brother Tim had been when they’d apprehended him. Of all the times in his life when he’d been caught off-kilter, this was the first incidence where he’d lost his perspective. All he’d been able to think about was finding Lily the way he’d found Melanie. For a few terrible moments he’d thought that tragedy was happening again.

  His cell phone rang as they were all making their way back down the stairs. Because he was carrying Lily on one hip he let it go to voice mail.

  “You should get that,” Sophie said.

  “I will. Just give me a second.” A year would be better, he thought, chagrined. Raising this child was bound to have turned him gray by then, not that it would stand out in his blond hair.

  He gave her another squeeze. She protested. “Da-a-a-d. I’m not a baby.”

  “You don’t act very grown-up, young lady. I told you not to go upstairs.”

  “You said it needed to be checked. So I took Titus.” She beamed at the old dog. “He did a good job, huh?”

  “I hope so,” Ryder said.

  His attempt to hand Lily off to Sophie met with little arms wrapping more tightly around his neck so he pulled out his phone and sat with the child on his lap. The voice mail message required a prompt reply.

  Eyeing Sophie, he paused. “Sounds like they do need another chief after all. Opal’s long gone by now. Any chance you can look after Lily for me? I shouldn’t be out there long.”

  The child wailed, “No, Daddy. I’ll be good. I promise.”

  “This has nothing to do with not obeying me,” Ryder insisted. “An active accident scene is no place for kids. The officers and paramedics on scene need me to coordinate evacuation of the latest victims. It’s not only ugly out there, it’s not safe for you.”

  Instead of listening to reason, Lily wailed. “Nooooo.”

  “The dogs are staying here with Sophie,” he offered. “Don’t you want to be with Titus?”

  She did him the favor of a sniffle and a nod.

  “Well, then, get down and let me return this call. The sooner I go and do my job, the sooner I’ll be back.”

  “You always leave.”

  “And I come back. Remember that, honey.” If she had been old enough to have remembered Melanie he thought she might have argued, but she didn’t. A baby whose mother hadn’t been around to raise her was bound to be confused despite Opal’s heroic efforts as a surrogate.

  How hard might it be for Lily to accept a younger substitute? he wondered. Perhaps someone like Sophie. They certainly seemed compatible. And he felt affection for her. She was not only loving and understanding, she was fun to be around. Her approach to life might be a tad odd but it was never dull.

  Ryder bent and stared into his daughter’s beautiful blue eyes. “All right, Lily. This is how it’s going to be. I’m going to go out to the accident scene and you’re going to stay here with Titus, Phoenix and Sophie. Period.”

  She hung her head. “Yes, Daddy.” Eyes widening, she apparently thought of an excuse
. “What if I get tired? Where will I sleep?”

  “You seemed to do just fine bunking with Titus in the kennel. If Ms. Sophie says you can sleep inside, you have my permission to keep both dogs with you.”

  “And the puppies?”

  He could tell Sophie was struggling to keep a straight face. “Don’t push it,” Ryder said with a smile. “Two will give you one dog to pet with each hand.”

  “What about my toes?”

  Sophie’s shoulders were shaking and she’d pressed a hand over her mouth.

  “Toes don’t count unless we’re on the sofa at home and Titus is lying in front of it.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you have to wear shoes here and your toes are inside.”

  “Uh-uh.” She held up a foot. “Sandals. See?”

  Ryder realized she had outmaneuvered him and stopped trying to be logical. He crouched to look her straight in the eyes. “Lily. You will stay with Sophie while I’m gone and behave yourself because I say so. Understand?”

  Curly blond hair fell in cascades and masked Lily’s rosy cheeks as she bowed her head and said, “Yes, Daddy.”

  Ryder looked to Sophie. “If she gives you any trouble you can call me on my cell.”

  “I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”

  “I hope not. Benny’s still on the front door and Marlton’s in the rear so you should be fine.”

  “I’ll take good care of her,” Sophie vowed.

  He dropped his chief’s persona long enough to say, “I know you will. I trust you.”

  The thing that surprised Ryder the most when he said that was the depth of truth in his words. He was entrusting his precious child to Sophie Williams and was less worried than he’d ever been when leaving Lily with Opal.

  Promising himself he’d sort out that epiphany later, he headed for his patrol car. Suffering strangers needed his help. His family would be fine until he returned.

  Family? Yes, he concluded. He had begun to view Sophie as the third member and realized he was finally at peace with that.