Dog Tags: A romance anthology featuring military and canine heroes

by Kate Kinsley

  Kujo.

  Molly ran into his open arms. “Any sign?”

  He shook his head, the dark circles beneath his eyes evidence of his lack of sleep the night before. “I followed the pawprints up into the rocky bluff above the cabin until they disappeared.”

  “You should have taken me,” she said. “With wolves and bear in the area, I could have had your six.” She frowned up at him. “I know you’re worried sick about him, but you can’t risk your life as well. What you need is help searching for him.”

  Kujo nodded. “I thought about that. I’m going to call Hank. If some of the guys are free, I’ll have them come up to help me search, now that it’s daylight.”

  “They’ll come in a heartbeat. With more people searching, we have a better chance of finding him.” Molly wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close. “Right now, you need to come into the cabin and warm up.”

  “I could use a cup of coffee,” he said, holding her against him. “Then we’ll drive down to Eagle Rock where we might get some cell phone reception.”

  “Deal.” She stared up at the gray sky that hadn’t lightened any more since she’d come out of the cabin. “We need everyone on the search before it snows again.”

  He drew in a deep breath, slipped his arm around her and walked with her across the knoll and through the door into the warmth.

  “You thaw out while I get some water boiling for the coffee,” she said and hurried back out with a pan to scoop snow. The wind bit her cheeks, reminding her that she needed to wrap a scarf around her neck and face to keep from getting frostbit.

  Back in the cabin, she found Kujo pacing the short distance across the floor.

  “Pacing won’t help find him, you know.” Molly laid the pan on one of the stove’s burners and watched as the snow melted into water. Soon, she had two steaming cups of instant coffee poured into mugs. “Do you want me to make some breakfast?” she asked as she handed him a mug.

  “No. We can get breakfast at the diner in Eagle Rock while we’re waiting for Hank and the others to gather.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Kujo lifted his mug to his lips and sipped the hot brew, staring at the door. “I hate to leave in case he comes back.”

  “He’ll stay, if he does, won’t he?” Molly frowned. “Is it possible he went home? Some dogs find their way home when they’re taken away.”

  Kujo’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe.”

  “When we head back to Eagle Rock, we can swing by our place and see if he’s there,” Molly said.

  “Good idea.” He took another sip of his coffee and set it on the table. “Let’s go.”

  Molly laid her barely touched hot coffee beside Kujo’s, pulled on her gloves and jacket and followed Kujo out to his truck.

  Thankfully, there had been no new snow during the night. She prayed it would hold off until the Brotherhood Protectors had a chance to comb the hills, looking for Six.

  With each passing hour, the dog’s disappearance broke Kujo’s heart a little more. Anything that bothered Kujo bothered Molly. They had to find Six.

  Chapter Four

  Kujo drove the truck down the mountain, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of his friend and companion. He couldn’t understand what had gotten into the animal for him to take off in the middle of the night like that. Six had always responded to his commands. Always.

  He worried that the dog had tangled with a wolf or bear and could be lying wounded somewhere. His foot pressed harder on the accelerator, his heart squeezing in his chest. Six had helped him through a rough time in his life. Kujo couldn’t just accept that the animal had disappeared. He had to find him.

  As he approached a curve in the road, he realized he was going too fast and slowed, but not soon enough. The rear end of the truck skidded sideways on the gravel.

  In the seat beside him, Molly gripped the oh-shit handle near the door, her face tense.

  Immediately, Kujo righted the vehicle and brought it to a temporary halt. He reached across the console to take Molly’s hand. “I’m sorry. I can’t let my concern over Six get to me to the point I put you in danger.”

  She gave him a tight smile. “Thanks. I wasn’t going to say anything. I know you’re worried.”

  “But that doesn’t make it right for me to drive like an idiot.” He eased off the brakes and continued down the mountain at a more reasonable pace, arriving in Eagle Rock with his truck, Molly and himself intact. As soon as he was in cell tower range, he called Hank Patterson, the founder and leader of the Brotherhood Protectors, the group of former military men and women who provided security and assistance to those in need. Between Six’s unconditional devotion and Hank’s job offer, the two had brought Kujo from the brink of despair to a full and satisfying life…post-military.

  He glanced across the cab of the truck at Molly. The FBI agent had shown him that he could love and be loved. She made him glad he was alive and gave him hope for the future with her in it.

  “Hey, Kujo.” Hank’s voice brought him back to his purpose.

  “Hank.”

  “I didn’t expect to hear from you for a week.” Hank paused. “Wait. How’d you get reception up at the cabin?”

  Kujo pulled to the side of the road and shifted into park. “I’m not at the cabin. I’m in Eagle Rock. I need your help.”

  “What’s up?” Hank asked, all business.

  “Six.” Kujo drew in a deep breath and let it out. “He took off around midnight last night from the cabin and hasn’t come back.”

  “Has he ever done anything like that before?” Hank asked.

  “No, sir,” Kujo said. “When we arrived at the cabin, we heard a wolf’s howl. Six responded.”

  “He didn’t try to take off then?”

  “No, sir,” Kujo’s gaze met Molly’s. “It was when I let him out to do his business. He just took off. I haven’t seen him since.”

  “You think he went looking for the wolf?” Hank asked.

  Kujo nodded. “It’s possible. He might have thought he was protecting us.”

  “And you’re thinking he might have run into trouble.” Hank’s words were a statement, not a question. “I can see who’s available to conduct a search for Six. It’ll have to be quick. The weather report predicts snow this evening.”

  “Any tracks he might have left will be covered,” Kujo concluded.

  “Right,” Hank said. “Where do you want to meet?”

  “The diner,” Kujo said. “I’m going to run out to our house and see if he showed up there. He might have gotten confused and headed home.” Kujo doubted it, but he couldn’t discount the theory without verifying. “I’ll be at the diner in less than thirty minutes.” He ended the call, shifted into drive and turned toward the road leading out to their house in the foothills on the other side of Eagle Rock.

  “I hope we find Six at home,” Molly murmured.

  “Me, too.” He didn’t tell her that he didn’t expect it. What little hope she could carry was better than nothing, until her hope proved wrong.

  As they neared the turnoff that led to their cozy little house in the hills, Molly sat up straighter and leaned forward.

  Kujo found his gaze sweeping the sides of the narrow drive through the overhanging trees, searching the shadows for the sable-colored Shepherd. His breath caught and held as they emerged into the clearing where the house sat on a knoll, the cedar and rock siding warm and welcoming.

  “Do you see him?” Molly whispered.

  Kujo’s chest tightened as he looked around at all of Six’s favorite locations to play, sleep and investigate. Finally, he let go of the breath he’d been holding. “No.”

  As soon as he brought the truck to a halt, Molly leaped down and ran toward the house.

  Kujo dropped to the ground and followed at a more sedate pace.

  She rounded the side of the house, aiming for the backyard.

  He knew she wouldn’t find Six there. Had the dog been at the house, he would hav
e come out to greet them, tail wagging.

  Six wasn’t at the house.

  By the time Kujo rounded the corner to the back of the house, Molly was on her way back to where he stood.

  “I’m sorry,” she said and walked into Kujo’s arms.

  “For what? I didn’t expect him to be here.”

  “I really hoped he’d just decided to go home,” she said, pressing her forehead to his chest. Then she looked up. “We need to get to the diner. The sooner we get a group of people up that mountain, the sooner we find Six.” She took his hand and led him back to the truck, leaving him at the front fender to help herself into the passenger seat.

  He liked that about Molly. She didn’t need a man to help her in and out of the truck or any other vehicle or situation for that matter. She didn’t need him.

  But she chose to be with him. What she didn’t know was that he needed her. She was his world. The only woman who’d ever touched him so deeply he wasn’t sure he could breathe without her in his life.

  He stared at her through the windshield, thanking God that Six had found her in the woods when she’d been injured. If not for Six, Molly might have died, and Kujo might never have met the love of his life.

  Kujo climbed into the truck and hurried back to town. “We have to find him.”

  Molly nodded. “Yes. We do.”

  At the diner, some of the men of the Brotherhood Protectors had arrived, including Hank.

  They stood in the parking lot, waiting for Kujo and Molly.

  As soon as Kujo parked, they gathered around. They were his brothers. Like family, they were there to help him through the rough times life had a way of throwing their direction. Like family, they would have his back in any situation. Like family, they would help him find a loved one, even if that loved one was four-legged. They all cared about Six like he was one of their own.

  Swede stepped out of the diner carrying a bag. “I had them make up breakfast biscuits, enough for all of us.” He handed the bag around, letting each member of the team grab a fully-loaded biscuit, filled with eggs, bacon and cheese.

  Kujo snagged one for himself and one for Molly. “Ready?” he asked the group.

  They answered as one, “Yes!”

  Swede rode with Hank. Taz, Duke and Boomer loaded into Chuck Johnson’s truck. The two trucks full of men followed Kujo and Molly back out to the remote cabin up on the mountain.

  The clouds had lowered but hadn’t dumped their heavy load of snow yet. The caravan arrived at the cabin well before noon. The team split up into pairs to conduct the search, each man carrying a weapon—some handguns, some rifles.

  “We don’t want to lose anyone out here. Especially with a snowstorm brewing,” Hank said.

  “Don’t take any risks on the rocks. They’ll be slick with ice or moisture. Either way, stick within sight of your buddy. Be bear aware.”

  “And watch for wolves,” Kujo warned.

  Swede distributed communications equipment, consisting of two-way radio handsets that could carry a signal for up to two miles. They tested the devices before they broke up into groups going several different directions and struck out, calling loudly for Six.

  “Stick with me,” Kujo told Molly. “I couldn’t bear it if I lost you, too.”

  She hugged his arm and set off, heading up the steep slope behind the cabin. Kujo wanted to explore deeper into the rocky bluffs above, afraid Six might have fallen in the darkness. He prayed they’d find him alive.

  Chapter Five

  Molly scrambled up the side of the hill. As the slope grew steeper, she followed a little slower, using her hands and knees when she had to. She didn’t dare look back behind her, afraid she’d freak out at how steep the side of the hill really was. Looking up was so much easier than looking down, even knowing they would eventually have to make it back down to the cabin.

  At one point, they found pawprints in the snow. They were canine, but Molly didn’t think they were Six’s. “Too big for Six?” she asked

  Kujo nodded. “Probably a wolf.”

  Molly frowned up at Kujo. “Do you think it was the one howling when we drove up yesterday?”

  “Could be,” he said, his lips pressed into a tight line. His hand rose to the gun he kept tucked in the pocket of his jacket. “Let’s keep looking.”

  Her own hand patted her pocket where her handgun lay. She was an expert shot at the gun range. Would she be as skilled when it came to defending them against a wild animal?

  Her jaw firmed.

  Hell, yeah.

  She’d do anything to protect Kujo and Six.

  Her gaze swept across the rocky landscape searching for their beloved four-legged friend. Even as the clouds descended to envelop them in a hazy fog, she couldn’t help thinking Six might be in trouble, possibly cold and hurt. Though visibility was getting more difficult, they couldn’t give up. Not yet.

  When the first snowflakes started falling, the men of the Brotherhood Protectors radioed in, reporting their status.

  “If it gets worse, head back to the cabin,” Hank warned. “White-out conditions up here can be deadly.”

  They all agreed.

  Conditions worsened, the snow coming down thicker, heavier, obliterating any chance of finding pawprints.

  “Bring it in,” Hank finally said. “We’ll have to wait until it quits snowing before we can continue.”

  Kujo and Molly were the last to arrive back at the cabin.

  The others stood around, stamping their feet and rubbing their hands together to keep warm.

  Hank met them as they emerged from behind the building. “Good. Now that you two are here, we’re all accounted for. Any signs?”

  Kujo shook his head. The hollows beneath his eyes breaking Molly’s heart.

  “The snow could be a blessing,” Hank said. “When it’s finished, we’ll have a blank canvas to look for more pawprints. Some of the rocky surfaces had been swept clear of all snow up until now.” He glanced around at the men awaiting his next orders. “We can wait in the cabin or drive down the mountain while we can.” He glanced up at the sky, snowflakes falling so hard, he blinked. “I doubt you have enough supplies on hand here to sustain us if we get snowed in.”

  Kujo sighed. “We need to get down from the mountain.”

  Molly’s gaze turned to the cabin that was supposed to have been their home away from home for a week. Remote, beautiful and theirs for that short timeframe to reconnect as a couple.

  Now, all she could think was that if they left and Six returned, he’d have no one waiting for him. “Kujo and I will stay here,” Molly said, firmly. “Someone has to be here if—when—Six comes back.” She swallowed hard on the lump forming in her throat. After searching all morning and well into the afternoon, finding no evidence that Six was still around, Molly couldn’t help but feel doubtful. For Kujo’s sake, she refused to show it. Six would come back. A glance at Kujo’s devastated face made Molly’s heart hurt. Six had to come back.

  Hank frowned. “Are you sure you two will be okay here on your own?”

  Kujo nodded. “You need to be down the mountain with your wife and new baby.” He smiled. “Have you even chosen a name?”

  A twisted grin spread across Hank’s face. “No. Sadie wanted to get to know our little beast before she decided. They almost wouldn’t let us out of the hospital without a name on the birth certificate.”

  “Hopefully, by the time we come down, you’ll have a name to share,” Molly said. “Give Sadie our love and go. You don’t want to be stuck up here when your family needs you.”

  Kujo held out his hand. “Thanks for helping.”

  Hank’s lips turned downward. “I’m sorry we didn’t find him.”

  “He’ll come back,” Kujo said.

  Molly could tell by the hollowness of Kujo’s tone that the man didn’t hold out much hope the dog would make it back to the cabin. If he hadn’t come back by now, he most likely had been injured or killed.

  Her eyes st
inging, Molly slipped her hand in Kujo’s and watched as the men climbed into the two trucks and headed down the mountain, the snow falling in thick, heavy flakes all around them.

  As soon as the vehicles disappeared behind the white curtain of frozen precipitation, Kujo brought Molly’s hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of her knuckles. “Let’s go in and get warm.”

  She let him lead her back into the cabin where the start of their mini-vacation had been so exciting and filled with promise. Now, the inside of the cabin was more of a tomb without Six there. The higher the snow piled, the more depressed Molly became.

  They stood for a long time beside the potbelly stove, warming their fingers, toes and faces.

  Soon, Molly’s stomach rumbled. She set a cast iron skillet on top of the stove and dropped a pat of butter on its surface. Soon, she had eggs scrambled and the biscuits she’d brought from home cooking on a skillet. They ate in silence at the little table. Twice, she moved to give Six a piece of her biscuit, as was her habit. Twice, she was reminded of the dog’s absence.

  Kujo’s gaze followed her hand both times, his jaw tightening.

  “I miss him, too,” she whispered.

  “You were teaching him bad habits,” Kujo said, though a gentle smile curled the corners of his lips.

  Molly gave him a sad smile. “He deserved a little spoiling. He served his country bravely.” Her eyes misted. “When he gets back, I plan on spoiling him even more.” She lifted her chin, daring Kujo to disagree.

  He nodded. “Me, too. You’re right. He deserves to be spoiled.”

  With no couch or comfortable chairs to sit in, they retired to the bed where they lay in each other’s arms. Every sound had Molly’s ears perking, praying it was Six scratching at the door to be let inside.

  Several times, Kujo got up to check outside, letting in a cool blast of arctic air. He’d return to the bed, his hair dusted with huge white flakes of snow, his face grim.

  The snowstorm lasted all through the day and into the night. Not until the following day did the clouds lift enough to let them get back out and look for Six. Molly wished Hank and his guys could have come back out to help, but the road was packed with snow, and Hank had his hands full with a new baby.