18. Throw A Dog A Bone
CHAPTER 18
Throw A Dog A Bone
G arrett’s gut was in knots. Because Marcus was a badass, he’d managed to not only get the FBI to allow them to join the perimeter and advance team, but they’d been allowed to listen in on the audio.
His four buddies had arrived, and the six of them were currently squished into Marcus’s truck. They were all armed and wearing body armor, so it was a hell of a tight fit for a couple of hours. But they’d been through worse overseas, and no one complained.
Listening to Kimi have to deal with the fuckhead Chuck had his blood boiling. At least Jason lived up to the initial impression Garrett had of him. A decent man with no tolerance for bullshit or creeps. He could tell from the conversation that the man had been willing to dump the op if he thought Kimi was in any danger.
He still wished he was there instead. He’d tried to talk his way into a bodyguard position for Jason and Kimi, but that had been shot down because no other bodyguards were attending.
Shirisha’s voice came over the speakers. “Implement Snoopy. All teams cleared for movement. Let’s get these bastards. Go.”
Marcus had shifted into drive the moment the radio crackled to life, and the truck rolled into the street and passed the car they were supposed to follow. Arrow didn’t mess around, and he sure as hell didn’t lead from the back.
They turned onto the designated road and blew past the guardhouse with at least six vehicles on their tail. Other teams were moving in from different sides, providing support from all directions. Helicopters would be in the air soon.
Another team would take out the guards, so he didn’t worry about watching his six. Marcus parked to block cars from leaving, and the following vehicles did the same.
Garrett hefted his weapon and moved in tandem with his team and in a coordinated move with the other teams around them.
All around them, the FBI agents announced themselves and called for everyone to put up their hands, get on their knees, and drop any weapons.
Dogs barked from several directions, but he couldn’t deal with helping them out yet. Not until he had Kimi with him.
Following the conversation he’d heard earlier, he headed past the arrows and then left. Most of the crowd looked sullen and pissed, but they complied with the instructions and held up their hands.
Some protested, and a few pulled weapons, but Garrett ignored them all, and kept moving.
Kimi’s scream for help reached him, and he picked up his pace to get through the crowd. Once he rounded the corner, his blood froze. Jason lay on the ground, blood spreading in a pool around him from what looked like a nasty gut wound. Beyond him, Chuck stood holding Kimi in front of him like a shield with a bloody knife at her throat. The man’s eyes were wide with fear.
Garrett locked down his emotions. He sent the panic and the terror to a box in the back of his mind and let his training take over.
Around him, the background noise receded, and his focus narrowed to the pair in front of him. He knew his team would spread out, and some would get behind Chuck.
Garrett needed to get the man’s focus on him and keep it there. “Chuck. Put down the knife. Now.”
Chuck’s glazed eyes found him. There’d been no evidence of drugs or alcohol impairment during the tour of the facility, so Garrett figured it was fear. The bastard was right to be afraid. “You have two choices. Leave here in cuffs or a body bag. What’s it going to be?”
Chuck tightened his grip on Kimi and hauled her back against him. “If I don’t get out of here, this bitch dies with me.”
No chance, asshole , but Garrett didn’t say it out loud. Instead, he moved closer with his gun aimed at Chuck’s forehead. He stepped in front of Jason to protect him from further harm. The guy had earned himself a friend for life by protecting Kimi.
Garrett wanted to drop his eyes to check on her, but with the knife pressed at her throat, he didn’t dare. Chuck was a big guy, but he crouched down so that Kimi shielded as much of his body as possible. It would only take a flicker of movement to cut her artery.
Chuck’s gaze roved the compound and whatever he saw had his eyes widening further. More fear. “Put your hands up, Chuck. You’re not getting away.”
A tap on his ankle almost had Garrett flinching. It had to be Jason. Garrett didn’t shift his weight but tapped his toe to let Jason know he had his attention.
Jason tapped five times.
A pause, then four taps.
A countdown. Garrett readied himself to move.
Three.
Two.
One.
Kimi stomped on Chuck’s instep and dropped to the ground in the same motion.
Garrett leaped forward and shoved Chuck to the back, following him down and grabbing the wrist that held the knife. He slammed the man’s arm to the ground twice before Chuck let it go.
Three gun barrels appeared in his sight, all aimed directly at Chuck’s face.
“We’ve got him, Scooby. Go.” At Oz’s voice, he released the pressure on Chuck. He turned to find Kimi had moved to Jason’s side with Slick and Falcon. A man wearing an FBI vest and carrying a medical kit ran toward them.
Jason had rolled to his side. Kimi had her hands covering the knife wound in his gut. Garrett dropped to his knees beside Kimi and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She looked at him with glossy eyes. “Thank you.”
He kissed her temple and simply breathed in the fact that she was alive and unharmed.
The medic knelt beside Kimi. Jason’s—Brandon’s—eyes flickered open. “I’m okay.”
The medic snorted. “You got a medical degree tucked in there with your acting credentials, Laraway?”
Brandon’s grin changed to full flirt mode. “I’ve got lots of great things tucked away.”
The medic laughed. “Nice distraction, hot shot, but we’re going to rely on our expertise this time. Someone has the knife?”
Arrow held it up in an evidence bag. “Right here. I’ve called for someone to do a test on it asap.”
Because it might carry bacteria or poison. Unable to help himself, he kissed Kimi’s temple again.
Another medic arrived and took over Kimi’s job of putting pressure on the wound. “We know Brandon’s blood is clean, but get those hands washed and sterilized.”
“Status.” Shirisha’s voice was calm but tight.
“I’m good, boss.”
She raised an eyebrow. “How about an opinion from someone with a medical degree?”
Brandon smiled, but his voice was shaky. “What’s with the obsession about medical degrees?”
The first medic smiled. “The wound is deep, but it’s on the side of the torso and doesn’t appear to have hit anything vital. Probably hurts like hell, though. We’ll get him to the hospital, and do a more thorough check and get him stitched up. He’ll be good to go.”
Kimi sagged against Garrett. “I’m so glad. Thank you, Brandon. Thank you for everything.”
He grinned at her, face pale. “You’re welcome, Kimi. You did a great job. Thanks for the date.”
She leaned into Garrett’s shoulder. “You sure know how to show a girl a good time. ”
When he laughed, it turned into a gasp of pain. More people showed up with a gurney and whisked him away. Shirisha called for Art Kane, the other FBI agent they knew, to help Kimi find a place to clean up. Garrett kept his arm around her shoulders as they followed the agent.
In the office section of the warehouse, they found a clean bathroom, and he followed her inside. Without a word, she scrubbed and scrubbed until he thought she was going to expose bone. She then used the sanitizer the medic had given her. Finally, she shrugged out of her jacket and tossed it onto the floor, probably worried about it being covered in blood. When she was done, she rested her hands on the side of the sink and hung her head.
Garrett placed his palms on her shoulders and massaged gently. A large shudder shook her body, and he turned her gently and wrapped her in his arms.
She whispered. “I thought he’d killed Brandon. I thought he was going to die, and with no tools, I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”
He tightened his hold and kissed her hair. “He’s going to be okay. We’ll find out more once he’s in the hospital, but he wouldn’t have been flirting with that medic if he was badly off.”
Her laugh was shaky. “I hope you’re right. He’s a good guy.”
Garrett nodded. “He is. And if he needs anything, we’ll make sure he gets it.”
She nodded and let out a sigh, then pushed back to look up at him. “I’m so glad that part’s over but I can’t fall apart yet. I need to help Terese with the dogs. We’re going to need every dog person to help with them. How do you feel about helping? Or would you rather help the FBI with the other cleanup?”
Garrett leaned down so they were at eye level. “Thanks to you, I’m okay. I’ll help you with the dogs. We’ll get them all checked out, but I need to be with you. My heart’s not steady enough to have you out of my sight yet.”
Kimi’s eyes filled with tears, and she smiled. “Perfect. Because I’m not sure I can function without you there with me. Thanks for being here. Thanks for having my back. I knew you were coming. I knew you wouldn’t let Chuck hurt me. Once I saw you, I knew it was all going to be okay.”
He swallowed hard against his own emotion and rested his forehead on hers. “I was kind of a mess until I saw you, too. I love you, Kimi, and once I saw you, I knew it would all be okay.”
Her smile lit up his heart. “I love you, Garrett. So much. I thought it was too early to tell you, but I’ve been falling for you since I saw you in my paddock with Onigis.”
That made him smile. “When you pulled a rifle on me?”
She laughed. “At that very moment.”
He cupped her face. “Me too.” The kiss went too far for a bathroom in a compound, but he couldn’t stop. She loved him back.
Someone knocked on the door. “Everything okay in there?”
They broke apart, smiling. “All good. We’ll be out in a second.”
Then he kissed her one more time. “Let’s go check on the dogs.”
K imi held Garrett’s hand as they moved toward the area of the compound where the creeps had chained the dogs. Her heart ached for them, and she knew Garrett’s would be the same.
Terese, the FBI forensic veterinarian, waved them over to where she’d set up a triage center. “I’m glad you’re here. I didn’t want to start working with these poor guys until some of the chaos had settled. The extra noise and bustle had to be making them anxious. Now that most of the assholes are in custody, or at least away from here, we can start checking on their well-being.”
Kimi nodded. “We’re ready to help, although I’ve never done a forensic examination, so you’ll have to guide me through what you want us to do.”
“We’re not veterinarians, but is there anything we can do to help?”
Kimi turned at the sound of Heath’s voice. Marcus, Levi, Sean, and Troy stood waiting to help. “You’re all here? You all came to help?”
They nodded, and tears filled her eyes again. She closed them and swallowed hard. No falling apart yet. “Thank you. I don’t know how to thank you for coming here.”
Marcus grinned. “You just did. How can we help with the dogs?”
Terese smiled. “Thank you. There are some things we need a vet to do, but there are other tasks you can help with. The dogs all appear to be quiet but approach with caution and in teams. At the first sign of aggression from a dog, I need you to back up and de-escalate. These guys have been through enough, and we don’t need to add an attack on a human to their resumes.”
In the end, everyone worked in pairs with a whiteboard and camera. They recorded the date, location, dog’s name, and the number assigned by Terese on the whiteboard. They were to take photos of the dog with the board and record any injuries, wounds, or abnormalities. If any of those showed, they needed photos from all angles and closeups of any problem areas.
Kimi and Garrett were assigned to Missile. The gray and white pit bull was probably a couple of years old. He eyed them as they approached with a weary gaze.
When they were a few inches beyond the reach of his chain, they sat on the ground and maintained eye contact.
Kimi swallowed hard and spoke. “Hey there. We’re going to give you a new name, buddy. We’ll write the one they gave you on the board for official purposes, but I think we’ll start your new life right now. It’s going to be a good life. We’re going to make sure you’re healthy, and we’re going to find you a good place to live. No one is going to make you train any more. You’ll be safe and cared for.”
She blew out a breath, and Garrett squeezed her in a hug as he asked, “What do you think Nina would call him?”
Kimi smiled. “Good call. Is it too late to text her a picture and ask?”
Heath was working with an agent nearby, so she asked. “I know she figured out some of what we were doing tonight, so she might still be up. I’ll text Addy and see. In a minute, he nodded. “They were up waiting to hear if we were all okay. Go ahead and text her.”
Kimi took a photo and added the request. Need a name for this guy. He’s about two years old .
It only took a few seconds to get the answer. Astro . He looks like the dog on the Jetsons.
For a kid who didn’t actually watch much TV, she had an excellent knowledge of cartoons and pop culture, past and present. Kimi texted her back. Perfect. Thanks, and good night.
“Okay, Astro, I’m going to move in now. I’m not going to hurt you. I need to take some photos and check you over. How do you feel about that?”
When Kimi stood, Astro got to his feet as well. So did Garrett.
They continued to take turns talking to Astro as they moved in. The dog’s tail didn’t wag, but he didn’t show any aggression.
Garrett spoke softly. “Good boy, Astro. You know we’re on your side, don’t you?”
Garrett took photos from all angles, and then Kimi moved in closer again. “How do you feel about me touching you, Astro? Is that okay?”
She held out her hand, and he sniffed at her, then butted her hand until she petted his head. Smiling, she took her time, slowly moving her hands over his body, getting him used to her touch and checking for injuries.
Many of his muscles were too large from overwork, and she worried about the long-term effects. Life spans for fighting dogs weren’t great. “But we’re going to make sure your remaining years are peaceful.”
Astro whined at Garrett until he squatted down and petted him as well. “You’ve been craving positive attention, haven’t you, bud?”
Garrett’s voice was thick, but he was handling it. Knowing the dogs would have better lives from this moment on made it all far easier to deal with.
It took time, but eventually, thirty-two dogs were checked. Only one had been aggressive and they realized he had breaks in two of his legs. They’d tranquilized him so they could transport him without pain to the nearest veterinary hospital.
They didn’t take any chances, though, and took their time loading the dogs one by one into kennels. Again, none of the dogs reacted with aggression, although a few showed some fear. Gentle words and small treats helped. The kennels were all lined with soft mats, and each included a durable chew toy .
The transport vehicle had solid walls separating the kennels. These dogs weren’t used to being next to each other unless they were in a fight, so they didn’t want them to see each other.
Kimi had to blink back tears as Astro was loaded onto the transport. She wanted to take him back to her place, but at the moment, the dogs were evidence in the case.
Garrett hadn’t left her side throughout the long night, and she leaned into him as the transport vehicle drove away. Terese thanked them all for their efforts and left to follow the dogs.
Their friends from Phail were chatting with Shirisha, so they joined them. The agent smiled. “Got word from the hospital. Brandon’s wound is clean and stitched up. He’ll need to take it easy for a while, but he’s going to recover completely.”
“That’s fabulous news. I’m so glad.”
“I am, too. He’s an excellent agent and an even better man. Thank you again for your help tonight. All of you. I may have some questions for you over the next bit, but your role in this is pretty much over. We’ve got an overwhelming amount of evidence to break this ring permanently.”
Best news of all.
Kimi returned the burner phone they’d given her and looked down at her clothes. “Sorry about the outfit. I tossed the jacket in the bathroom garbage because it was covered with Brandon’s blood. I can retrieve it and get it all dry cleaned for you.”
Shirisha laughed. “No thanks. Toss it. Or keep any of it if you want. With the amount of dirt and dog drool on you, I think the rest of the outfit’s toast, anyway.”
Relieved she’d be able to throw out the clothes without guilt, they said their goodbyes and headed to the vehicles. They still had a ninety-minute ride before she could shower away this day.
But they’d all survived it, and the dogs were in a better place now. All in all, a very good day.