Jenna hesitated as Lena held tight to Domino’s lead. She knew exactly how to handle a big, defensive dog. Defensive only since his encounter with Frank Bartwell, who had almost killed him and attacked Fliss twice.
Jenna trusted his instinct one hundred per cent as she recognised the young drug addict just inside the doorway. Domino sensed a bad person when he met one and he was right.
‘Joel Hopkins.’
‘Domino doesn’t like him.’
‘I don’t like him. Nasty little toad. Been in and out of youth custody since he was sixteen, and more recently just finished a two-year stretch in Lowdham Grange Prison.’
‘He doesn’t look much older than nineteen or twenty.’
‘He’s thirty-two. He’s so emaciated, it makes him look like a boy.’ She cast Ryan a quick glance, conscious that she might insult him with her next words. ‘All skinny neck and gangly arms and legs.’
Nothing on Ryan’s face indicated he’d taken insult. Quite comfortable with his own long-limbed gaucheness, he was probably oblivious to the youthful vibes he exuded. ‘What was he in for?’
Jenna appreciated his insatiable curiosity and willingness to learn. ‘Aggravated burglary to feed his addiction. He used a twelve-inch screwdriver to threaten an old man.’
The enthusiasm dropped from his face as his eyes turned into cold, pure copper. ‘Should have been in longer.’
‘They let him out early and look where that’s got him.’ She nodded at the man as his limbs twitched and jerked. ‘Obviously been hitting it too hard.’
Lena gained control of Domino. A little ripple of pride ran through Jenna. An obedient dog, once the threat had backed away and he saw his job was done, he sat by the woman’s left leg. He may be obedient, but he remained alert.
Ryan jiggled forward in his seat. ‘What’s Lena telling Joel?’
From the hand signals Lena made, Jenna assumed, ‘I think she’s had to switch dogs. It looks like she’s telling him to take the baggie from the black Labrador.’
‘Hmm. Possibly. They must both be carrying the same dose.’
‘I’m not sure Lena cares. She doesn’t look happy. In fact, she looks progressively more uncomfortable.’
With a slow, cautious move, the man went down on his haunches and called the black Labrador to him, gave him a wary little fuss and then stood abruptly dipping his hand into his pocket.
Jenna tipped her head to one side. ‘And there it goes.’
‘Not so smooth.’
‘Not a dog lover, obviously.’
Joel reached out and touched the girl’s hand in what Jenna assumed was him passing the money, as Lena shook her head and flung her clenched fist in the direction of the Labrador. Joel rolled his shoulders in an insolent shrug. Lena’s lips tightened and as Joel shut the door, she made her way down the pathway, doing her quick check once more.
Surprised she still hadn't noticed them, Jenna held her breath and waited until Lena was almost out of sight again before she put the car back in gear to catch up with her. She crawled the car along, letting Lena stay just on the horizon before moving on. As she came back into sight, Lena dipped down to take a narrow path to another front door, with her fast one-two head turn, which appeared to achieve nothing.
This house, unlike the others, had a bright, vibrant, red front door, with curtains sashed across the windows in big blousy colours and flowers spilling over bright and gregarious. Flowers in colours that should have clashed but, as with nature, simply looked beautiful together.
Instead of Lena knocking, this time she withdrew a key from her little hip pouch and opened the door to disappear inside with the four dogs.
Jenna tapped the steering wheel. ‘What's she doing?’
She never had an expectation of Ryan answering her question. It was rhetorical.
She watched for a moment longer while her mind juggled with the possibilities. ‘I think she’s dropping off one of the dogs. This is what she does for us. She has a house key. She picks up the dog, takes him for a walk. She drops off the dog, gives him some water, makes sure he’s settled down.’ She glanced at Ryan, his intent gaze centred on the red door. ‘I wonder how many other dogs have been inside my house.’ Jenna let the annoyance circle around. Fliss was being cheated out of her money. Domino was being used to push drugs.
The bright red door swung open and Lena stepped out with Domino, the black Labrador and the shih-tzu. As Jenna suspected, the handsome brindle greyhound had been left behind having carried out his duties.
‘Okay, we're gonna have to conduct a search on this house too. I suspect the owner here is like Fliss and me and literally doesn’t know about the drugs. We know the greyhound no longer had drugs on him, so get on the radio, Ryan, and ask for a team to contact the owner of that address. Get them home in order for us to conduct the search. Taking a considered judgement on this, I’d bet they’re not involved.’ She took a sideways look at Ryan. ‘Get on to DI Taylor and let's have it checked out anyway.’
He lifted the radio and pressed the button, speaking into it as it came to life, his voice a background noise as Jenna blocked him out while she concentrated on their next move. She put the car in gear and followed Lena again at a safe distance.
Lena got a good trot on with the remaining three dogs. Even though the little shih-tzu struggled to keep up, its tail wagged and its tongue lolled out while they continued for a further ten minutes before Lena slowed down and turned to dip through the walkway between two link detached houses and disappeared from view.
With a small whip of excitement, Jenna pressed her foot on the accelerator to speed up in case she lost the woman on the other side of the linked houses. She drew up and peered through the walkway just as Lena carried out her quick glance left, right, then left again. This time, her head took a slow turn and she stared straight at the car, her mouth dropping open in a silent ‘oh’.
‘Shit. She’s spotted us.’ Adrenaline kicked in to set Jenna’s pulse hammering through her throat as she froze, both hands gripping the steering wheel.
Lena narrowed her eyes for a brief moment before she turned her back while Jenna held her breath.
‘It’s okay. I don’t think so.’
As Ryan finished his last word, Lena took another two steps and the dead giveaway was in the glance she flicked over her shoulder before she dropped all three leads and raced off with the dogs scattering from around her in the wild belief that it was a new form of exercise. A game.
Jenna rammed the car into first gear and flung it through the walkway, almost scraping the mirrors against the narrow brick walls. She took an immediate right and headed towards the entrance of a cul-de-sac. She hit third gear just as the little shih-tzu changed direction and decided to prance towards them.
Jenna slammed her foot on the brake hard enough to make the car rock.
‘Ryan. Go. Go. Go.’
Ryan flung himself out of the car, slamming the rear passenger door as he raced after Lena.
Jenna threw open her own door, leapt out of the seat and whistled. Domino’s head shot up and his tail went out straight as he screeched to a full stop and then whipped around to face her. Delighted, he bounded towards her, the other two dogs following in their determination to join in the new game. Jenna wrenched open the rear door and as the dogs raced to her, she flung her arm wide to indicate the car.