Jack took off after her. He grabbed the fence with one hand and hurdled over it in a flash. The dog pulled ahead. Jack sprinted forward but the dog lowered her head and sped up. Suddenly, Jack saw the dog alter her course to intercept the little collie.
It’s going to eat the other dog. “Dog. Stop,” he shouted.
The woman kept her back to Jack even as he screamed.
“CHEWIE,” Replacement called from behind him as she struggled to climb over the fence.
The collie saw the huge dog and stopped.
Jack’s feet were a blur, but the dog ran faster and closed the distance quickly. He screamed, “Lady, pick your dog up. STOP! HEEL! Pick your dog up. LADY!”
The dog suddenly stopped. Jack rushed up and grabbed her by the collar. Panting, Jack looked down to the little collie that playfully trotted forward and sniffed the giant dog.
Replacement dashed up next to Jack and skidded to a stop with one sneaker on her foot and the other in her hand. She turned beet-red as she grabbed Jack’s arm and pulled on her shoe. “Sorry. I got stuck on the stupid fence,” she whispered to Jack.
The woman turned around and gasped. She sheepishly smiled as she took earbuds out of her ears. “Hi.” She smiled a bit lopsidedly. “Did you say something?”
Jack’s mouth fell open. Yeah. I was trying to warn you that a werewolf was going to eat you and your dog, but your music is so stinking loud you wouldn’t have known if Godzilla was coming.
“Hi. Do you know this dog?” Replacement asked.
“I’ve seen her before.” She threw the tennis ball and then both dogs took off after it.
Replacement exhaled. “We’re looking for the owner. You wouldn’t happen to know his name?”
She fidgeted with the leash in her hands. “I’m sorry, no. I’ve seen the guy here a lot, but we mostly just wave at each other.”
“Do you know where he lives?” Replacement reached for a business card. “Alice Campbell.”
“I’m Stacy. Sorry, I don’t know where he lives.” She looked at the parking lot and her head moved back and forth. “When he comes, I think he’s usually walking. I see him go down the path that leads to the pond.” Stacy pointed over to the trail that ran along the fence. “It circles around the pond. It doesn’t take long to walk it, maybe twenty minutes.”
Replacement nodded. “What does he look like?” She glanced at Jack. He reassured her with a little nod.
“He’s a big guy.”
“Overweight you mean?”
“No. Not fat but really tall with broad shoulders.”
Replacement pointed a thumb at Jack. “Like compared to Jack here.”
“Taller.”
Replacement’s face scrunched up. “Jack’s six one. Is this guy a giant?”
“Yeah. He’s at least five or six inches taller.” Stacy pointed up to the branch overhead. “I got a Frisbee stuck in that tree. He just walked right over, reached up, and took it down.”
“Do you remember if he said anything about where he lives or works?” Replacement asked.
Stacy shook her head. “He kept to himself. I thought he was shy.” She shrugged. “We rarely spoke, and when we did it was chitchat stuff.”
“What does he look like?” Jack asked.
“Brown hair. It’s like medium length. It’s a little wavy…I think. He’s not thin but not fat. Sort of medium. He’s a T-shirt and jeans type of guy. I’m not very good at this, sorry.”
“You’re doing great.” Jack nodded. “Does he come alone?”
“I’ve only seen him with the dog.”
“Well, thank you for your time. If you remember anything, please give me a call,” Replacement said.
Stacy nodded and then looked at the dogs who raced along the edge of the field. She cupped her hand to her mouth and called, “Trixie! Trixie!”
Racing back and forth, the dogs kept running away. Replacement stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled so loudly Stacy covered her ears and Jack leaned away. The dogs spun around and raced back to them.
Jack wiggled a finger in his ear. “Did Chandler teach you to whistle like that?”
Replacement smiled as she started to tie the rope around the dog’s collar. “Nope. Aunt Haddie.”
Jack laughed. He remembered Aunt Haddie on the porch, whistling for them to come home.
Replacement held her hand underneath the dog’s mouth. “Give me the ball, Chewie,” she demanded.
The dog opened her mouth. A tennis ball covered in spit tumbled out onto Replacement’s palm.
“Yuck,” Jack said.
Replacement held up the ball with two fingers as she made a face. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Stacy laughed. “Dogs will be dogs.”
Once Replacement finished tying the rope onto the collar, the dog jogged for the exit. Jack and Replacement ran behind her.
Jack took the rope from Replacement. “I’ll hold onto her just in case she tries show-jumping over the fence again.” He led her over to the gate and then stopped. “I have an idea. You take the rope and just follow the dog.”
“Why?”
Jack looked down both sides of the street before he grinned at Replacement. “We’ll let the dog lead us to her home.”
“Sweet. That’s smart. Chewie can do it.” She took the rope, leaned over and rubbed behind the dog’s ears. Chewie danced back and forth. Replacement spoke in a baby voice. “She’s my good girl. She’s a little princess. You need to find your way home, okay? Okay.”
Jack held the gate open for them and the dog trotted out. She went forward a few feet and then turned to look back at Replacement.
“Go, girl! Go,” Replacement encouraged.
“Home! Go home!” Jack grinned. “That sounds good.”
Replacement frowned. She jogged forward and the dog followed.
“Don’t lead her in a direction,” Jack called out.
“She’s following me. How do I not lead her in a direction?”
Jack leaned back against the fence and watched the dog while Replacement kept up her pleading. Jack shook his head, but as he looked away, he noticed a leash draped around a pole farther down the fence. Replacement continued trying to coax the dog as Jack walked down and took the thick, red leather leash off the pole. “Look at this.”
Replacement lifted her head, but the dog flew over to Jack so fast that he took a step back and got on guard. She sat down, and then barked. Jack handed the leash to Replacement.
“It’s the same leather as Chewie’s collar,” Replacement noticed.
“Check this out.” Jack pointed to the metal clasp. “It broke.” He looked over at the place on the fence where he found the leash. “She’s a powerful dog. If you left her tied to the fence and she wanted to go, this leash wouldn’t hold her.”
Replacement rubbed the dog’s neck. “Poor baby. That must have been how you hurt your neck.”
“I’m sure the beast’s fine.”
“She’s not a beast. She’s a beauty. Beauty! That name rocks. Do you like it?”
Jack rubbed the side of his face. “All these names may be getting the dog confused. Even I’m getting confused. Maybe you should stick to one?”
“I’m going to try it out.” She tossed Jack the leash and the dog pranced in a circle. “You’re a good doggy. Yes, you are.”
“Wait. Let’s see if this works.” Jack undid the rope around the collar.
“Aren’t we supposed to keep the leash on?” Replacement crossed her arms.
Jack’s hands went out and he smiled awkwardly. “She follows you with it on. Maybe if we let her go free she’ll run home.” He held the leash up. The dog barked and wagged her thick tail. “Ready?” Jack jogged in place and she barked again. “Home? Let’s go!”
Jack took a step forward and the dog took off in a full sprint.
Wow.
“Wait,” Replacement yelled. Her legs sprang into action as she raced after the fleeing dog.
Jack ran after the
m. A broad grin spread across his face as he watched Replacement. She had the form of a sprinter. Jack’s long legs stretched out as his arms cut through the air. He was fast, but in a sprint, she was faster.
The three of them sped along the side of the road. The dog slowed down, allowing them to catch up, and then she barked and took off again. Replacement glanced over her shoulder, and Jack saw her huge smile.
This might work.
As they rounded a corner, the square sign for the Archstone apartment complex came into view. The dog raced down the sidewalk and headed up a walkway.
Replacement kicked it into high gear to keep up, but Jack’s side began to throb and he slowed to a walk. The doctor’s warning about overexerting himself echoed in his ear. He forced himself to slow down to a jog. “Hold up, kid,” he yelled, but they’d already disappeared behind the back of a three-story apartment building.
Jack knew the area from patrolling the neighborhood. The Archstone apartment complex was a mix of town houses and apartments. On the whole, it was quiet, rarely getting any police calls. He recalled helping the EMTs take an unusually large gentleman out through the backdoor of one unit because they couldn’t get the stretcher down the staircase.
The first-floor apartments have walkouts. If the owner lives here with a dog that big, I’ll bet he lives on the first floor.
Jack trotted off the sidewalk and headed around the building. Replacement stood in front of the backdoor of the last apartment. She waved him over.
“Beauty’s freaking out.” Replacement leaned down to rub the whimpering dog’s neck.
The dog scratched at the door.
“I’d say this is her home.” Jack looked into the darkened kitchen. “Of course you knocked?”
Replacement gave him a “duh” look before she peered into the window. She cupped her hands over her eyes and rested them against one of the glass panes in the door. Jack didn’t see Replacement’s face pressed against the glass before he pounded on the bottom panel of the door. The vibration went up the door and Replacement jumped back.
“Doofus,” she snapped as she rubbed her forehead.
“Sorry.” Jack winced.
“I said I knocked.”
Jack shrugged. “You could’ve girl knocked.”
“Girl knocked?” Replacement made a fist. “Do you want me to pound on it?”
“No.”
The door to the apartment next door opened and an older man stuck his head out. “Can I help you?” He stayed partly behind the door and eyed them suspiciously.
“Hi.” Jack gave a little wave to put the older man at ease. “We’re looking for this dog’s owner.”
The man looked toward the dog. “Yeah, I think it’s the dog from next door. It looks big enough. Can you make it bark?”
“What?” Jack asked.
“I hear it mostly. I know its bark,” the old man explained as he scratched the stubble on his chin.
Jack looked down at the dog. “Speak.”
The dog sat there.
“Speak,” Replacement urged again as she rubbed the dog’s neck.
The dog barked.
“Yeah, it lives there.” The old man frowned and thumbed his hand toward the apartment. “Loudest dog. You’d figure people would get a little dog for a small apartment. Not a great big thing like that.”
“What’s your neighbor’s name?” Jack asked.
The old man squinted and his face wrinkled even more. He shook his head. “I don’t get out much.”
“Can you tell me the last time that you saw him?” Jack asked.
“I mind my own business,” the old man snapped as he waved a gnarled hand in the air. “He’s a big guy. I know that. Real big. Friendly enough, but like I said, I keep to myself.” The old man stepped back behind his door.
Jack turned to Replacement and held out a hand. “Can I have one of your cards?” Jack took it from her and turned back to the old man. “When he comes back, can you tell him we stopped by?”
The old man took the card and frowned. “Of course I will.”
“What apartment number is his?” Jack asked.
“403,” the old man muttered before he shut his door, hard.
“Do you have another card?”
“I only have a few. Do you like them?” Replacement handed him one and stood close.
“I’m proud of you, kid. They look professional.” Jack flipped the card over and wrote: WE FOUND YOUR DOG. PLEASE CALL ASAP. He wedged the card with the note facing inward into the molding on the top glass plane.
“Now what?” Replacement asked.
“Let’s go home. Now that we have his address, we’ll do a reverse phone look-up and give him a call.” Jack winked.
“Sweet.” Replacement grinned. “You’re almost home, Beauty.”
As Jack walked away, he heard Replacement groan. He turned around and saw the dog had planted her feet while Replacement pulled on the leash.
“Come on, Beauty,” Replacement pleaded. “We’ll come back. I promise.”
The dog didn’t budge.
“Start walking. She’ll follow.” Jack turned and moved away.
“You think so?” Replacement’s face filled with concern as she caught up to him.
“Yeah. Don’t look back. It’s like dealing with a stubborn little kid.”
“How do you know how to deal with a stubborn little kid?” Replacement scoffed.
Jack smirked.
“Me? Ha-ha, funny—not.” Replacement rolled her eyes.
They went around the corner and waited. And waited. Replacement exhaled and glared at Jack.
“How’s this my fault?” Jack grumbled under his breath as he walked back.
The dog lay outside the door with her head on her paws.
“Come on. Here. Let’s go!” Jack clapped.
The dog shifted her back legs but stayed, her eyes glued to the door.
“Oh, baby.” Replacement rushed forward and ran over to the dog. “Beauty’s sad.” She got down on her knees and rubbed the dog’s head.
“Do you have another biscuit?” Jack asked.
“Back in the car.”
“I’ll run back and get it.”
Replacement nodded and stroked the dog’s fur. “Jack will be right back, and then we can find out the phone number and get you home.” She looked up at Jack. “This sucks. She’s almost home.”
Jack jogged to the car and the dog whined.
It does suck, kid. Sometimes “almost” doesn’t count.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Replacement
Replacement looked around the dimly lit restaurant and bit her lip. She leaned over the white tablecloth and whispered to Jack, “Do you think she’s okay?” She wore the brown dress with white trim she’d bought in Hope Falls. She had on the faintest makeup, but her eyes popped and her lips glistened.
Jack buttered a roll. “She’s fine. You want one?” He offered it to Replacement.
“I should have asked Mrs. Stevens to watch her.” She looked toward the door.
“She’ll be fine. Did you find out the guy’s name?”
She nodded. “His name’s Daniel Branson. I ran his address and got his phone number. I called and left a message.”
Jack froze. “You ran him?” He leaned in and whispered, “You’re not accessing the police database again, right?”
“Me?” Replacement grinned. “I used my background checker programs. They’re all available on the Net.” She waved her hand. “A reverse phone number look-up’s nothing.”
Jack leaned back and exhaled.
Replacement’s hand shot out as Jack went to take a bite. “You didn’t pray.”
“It’s a roll. Don’t I pray before the food?” He put the roll back on his plate.
“A roll is food.” Replacement closed her eyes and wiggled in her seat. One eye popped open as she reached out for Jack’s hand.
Jack felt the color rise in his neck as he took her hand and bowed his head.
“Amen. Biscuit?” Jack asked.
“Mrs. Sawyer was right; she loves biscuits so I was thinking about calling her Biscuit.”
“I’m glad Mrs. Sawyer didn’t feed her donuts.”
Replacement giggled but then stopped and her mouth fell open.
“You can’t call her Donut,” Jack protested.
Replacement laughed. “Gotcha!”
The waitress came over with two house salads.
“Look, Daniel’s going to call you back and I’m laying odds that dog’s name isn’t Biscuit.” Jack fussed with his napkin. “No guy would ever name their dog Biscuit.”
Replacement pulled her salad closer. “I’m not trying to guess. I’m just thinking what I’d call her if she were mine.”
“Don’t get attached, kid,” Jack cautioned.
“Do you like dogs?”
He stopped mid-bite. She leaned forward, and her big green eyes seemed even larger as she gazed at him. What the hell do I say? I’m not a dog fan? Jack swallowed. Damn. I’m such a sucker for her, if she asks me, I’ll get her one. “I don’t know. I never had a dog.” Jack gave a quick tilt of his head before he took a big bite of salad.
Replacement still eyed him hopefully. “Really? I was wondering—I came up with a weird idea.”
Jack slowly raised the fork to his mouth. “Okay?”
She perked up. “You’ll do it? Great.”
“Whoa. I haven’t heard it yet. I just meant okay, like, you can tell me okay, not that I’ll do it okay.”
Replacement popped her lips and wrinkled her nose. “Okay, here goes. I thought we could get to know each other better if like one night a week we get to ask each other one question.”
Jack waited for a second to see whether there was more to the idea, but Replacement just sat there on the edge of her seat and watched him. He swallowed. “Sure.”
She leaned even farther forward and her words rushed out. “It has to be something you really want to know and the other person has to answer. No dodging, weaving, or staying silent. Full disclosure. Total, one hundred percent honesty.”
JACK AND THE GIANT KILLER Page 4
