It took another half hour before she came much closer. He leaned down, gently feeding her little treats on his fingers. On the next one he managed to stroke the side of her face. She stilled, staring at him, and then he did it again and again, gently stroking the side of her head and then coming up onto her jaw to scratch gently. He could see her eyes were closed with the remembrance of better times and better contact with humans, and finally she crept a little bit closer.
He gently scrubbed her neck and smoothed his hand over her head and her ears. He wanted to pick her up and hug her. He could feel the tears in his eyes as she crept a bit closer and then a little bit closer. Finally she curled up into the space between his legs and dropped her head onto his thigh, and he just sat here in the darkness with her, gently stroking her from head to toe and finding a bond between the two of them that he’d never expected.
When he could, he took a photo and sent it to Badger. The response came back almost immediately.
Wow, that was fast.
“It was,” he said, when he called Badger, “but now she’s breaking my heart because the bond is there, and I don’t want to let her go.”
“Did anybody say you had to?”
“It’s not like I have a house to live in or a home where she would fit in,” he replied.
“Well, sounds like it’s time for you to make some decisions then.”
“I’m too much in flux right now,” he said.
“What were your plans for the dog?”
“I was thinking I’d take her back to the motel. I’ve got one that allows pets,” he said, “and then I would contact you.”
“Well, you’ve done that or almost done that,” he said, “so what’s the next problem?”
“Who does she belong to?
“That’s a good question. She’s had a pretty rough few months. I’d say that, if you’ve got a bond with her, we could make a good case for her to stay with you.”
“I would really like that,” he said. “I have to find out just how dangerous she is though.”
“Yeah, there’s a bunch of training, some tests that should be done. That would probably be a good idea, if you think she’d stand for it.”
They talked for a few minutes more, then he dialed Laurie Ann.
“Well, you’re not here,” she said. “I presume you’re not coming for dinner.”
“I’ve got the dog,” he said.
“What do you mean, you’ve got her?” she asked, half in excitement and half in curiosity.
“I’m in the darkness with her curled up in my legs,” he said. “I’m sorry. I was so focused on gaining her trust that I shut off my phone, and I never even thought about dinner.”
“Dinner is minor,” she said. “Saving the dog? Now that’s major.”
“Well, I’m hoping so. It wasn’t anywhere near as easy as I thought.”
“What happened after you left?”
He gave a half laugh. “You wouldn’t believe it.” He quickly filled her in on the details.
“Oh, my God,” she said. “As soon as you’ve hit town, it has been nothing but chaos.”
“But good chaos,” he protested. “And maybe, in a way, I’m cleaning up the streets.”
“Well, that would be a change,” she said with a laugh.
“I’ll take the dog back to the motel,” he said. “I need to find some food for her and more treats because I’m pretty well out of them.”
“Well, are you still on for a barbecue tomorrow?”
He hesitated and then asked, “How do you feel about me bringing her?”
“Is she dangerous?”
“I don’t think so,” he said, “but I really have no idea.”
“Well, there’s nothing like finding out,” she said. “I suggest you bring her, but make sure she’s on a leash, so we have some control.”
“Absolutely,” he said. “I’ll be a whole lot longer here, getting her on a leash and getting her back to my place anyway.”
“Still be careful,” she warned. “You don’t know what she’s been through.”
“No, I don’t,” he said, looking down at the skinny shepherd curled into his legs. “But I know that she won’t get that kind of treatment anymore. Not while I’m around.”
Chapter 8
No sooner had Laurie Ann hung up from talking to Kurt than her phone rang again, and it was Jeremy. “Can I stay here at Frank’s for dinner?”
“I thought that was a given,” she said with a note of humor.
“Well, I don’t want to interrupt your dinner date,” he said in a mocking tone.
“Not a problem,” she said easily. “Kurt just called, and he’s managed to locate the dog, but now he’s at a delicate point where he doesn’t want to leave her alone, and he has to gain her trust in order to get a leash on her.”
“He found her,” her son’s voice rose enthusiastically. “Oh, wow, that’s awesome.”
“It certainly is,” she said with a smile. “If he is still coming for a barbecue tomorrow, he’ll try and bring the dog too.”
“That’d be great,” he said. “So can I stay overnight tomorrow too?”
She groaned. “Give you an inch, and you’re always trying to take a mile.”
“Hey, Mom. I haven’t stayed over in quite a while. You know that.”
“I know,” she said, “Okay. Yes, for tonight. Yes, even for tomorrow night. But be home for the barbecue tomorrow.”
“Will do.”
He spoke in that completely casual tone of voice, as if tomorrow’s barbecue and spending time with his newfound father was absolutely of no consequence. She didn’t think he felt that way, but she suspected it was his way of handling the stress and the heavy emotions. Or maybe she was the one completely out to lunch. She didn’t know, but she was happy with it all. She set her phone down, when her sister called. Laurie Ann groaned.
“Wow,” her sister said, in that brittle tone of hers. “Normally you’re happy to hear from me.”
“Of course I am,” she said, desperately trying to pull back her tone of voice. “I’ve just gotten off the phone from multiple phone calls, so it was one of those Darn, now who else? kind of moments.”
“Ah,” she said, “I figured you were still upset at me over Kurt.”
“Nope, not at all,” she said. “You’re entitled to your opinion.”
“And you’ll do what you want regardless, right?”
“Well, I have to,” she said. “Otherwise, it isn’t my opinion or my choice, is it?”
Her sister groaned. “Does that mean you’re seeing him?”
“Well, let me put it this way. He knows about Jeremy, and Jeremy knows about him.”
A shocked silence was on the other end before her sister exploded. “What? You told them? Why would you do that?”
“Because I felt that was the fair thing to do,” she said. “I know you don’t understand, but I won’t live in fear that either one of them will find out later from someone other than me and then be mad at me.”