Chapter 7 #2
“I’ll see what I can do,” Lyle said and followed the deputy back inside, thankful that the deputy had opened windows to dissipate the smell.
Still, his eyes watered as James led him to the back bedroom.
The smell was worse in there and the carpet damp.
He knelt on a couple layers of cardboard that James had found and peered under the bed.
“Oh, you sweet girl,” he said softly. “I know you’re scared, but I’m here to help you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out some food, holding out his hand. It was pretty obvious that she was hungry. Her nose twitched, and Lyle held still with the food.
Slowly the little white dog came closer, and he gradually pulled back, coaxing her out. As soon as he was able to lift her, he let her eat the food out of his hand as he carried her toward the door. Mitchell had a carrier for her, but Lyle shook his head.
“She’s shaking,” James said.
Lyle nodded and held her gently, not willing to let her go right away. Once she calmed, Lyle put her in the carrier, talking to her gently as he put her in the back of the truck. Then he made sure she had water and a little more food before Mitchell raised the tailgate.
“I’ll take these back to the rescue. Thank you both,” Mitchell said.
“I’ll lock the house and see to it that you get the paperwork you need so the dogs can be adopted out,” the deputy said before striding up the walk toward the house.
“We’ll meet you at the shelter,” Lyle told Mitchell. “I need to see that they’re going to be okay.”
“I’ll meet you there,” Mitchell agreed, and all three of them got into their vehicles. Lyle followed Mitchell, with James behind him.
“Were you all good?” Lyle asked as he drove. The dogs all had their seat belts on and sat across the back seat, scrambling to look out the windows. “I need to help James and Mitchell.” God, was he going crazy, talking to the dogs?
He parked in the shade when he arrived at the shelter and lowered the windows once more.
After saying goodbye to the dogs, he hurried to the truck and began unloading the carriers, taking in the two that needed Mitchell’s immediate care first. He and James unloaded the others and transferred them to enclosures with water and more food, keeping them separated from the rest of the dogs.
“How long before they can be adopted out?” Lyle asked.
“Mitchell determines that. In this case, probably about ten days. They were in such bad conditions and two of them are sick, so he’ll want to make sure the rest are healthy.” They got everyone settled before joining Mitchell.
“I’m taking these to the clinic. I need x-rays, and I believe that the little poodle mix is going to need surgery. She’s in bad shape.”
“We’ll stay here and keep an eye on everyone for a while. Then Lyle is going to need to take his dogs home.”
“Okay. Thanks. You can take your dogs for a walk over in back of the house. They can run a little.” He transferred the two sick dogs back to his truck and pulled down the drive.
“He’s really something.”
“Do you want me to walk to dogs?” James asked, and Lyle handed him the leashes.
James got them out of the car and then walked the little pack across the grass, the dogs pulling in all directions.
He probably should have warned him, but James seemed to get the hang of it and managed to get the dogs to the grass, where they sniffed and did their business.
The phone rang, and Lyle went inside to answer it.
A couple wanted to stop by, and Lyle explained that they would be there for another couple of hours.
He wished they had stopped somewhere to get something to eat, but he pushed his rumbling belly down and pulled up the information they had on the dogs available for adoption.
“These guys loved the grass,” James said from the doorway. “I’m going to get them back in the car.”
“Okay. There’s a couple stopping by,” he told him, and sure enough a car pulled in a few minutes later. It wasn’t the people who had called, but the guy looked around a bit before coming up with questions.
“Have they had all their shots?” the man asked.
“Yes. Shots and neutering are part of the deal. That is all done by the vet who owns and manages the rescue. What sort of dog are you looking for?” He didn’t like the look in his eyes but dismissed it.
“I thought I’d take a look around.”
Lyle peered around the corner to where James was getting his dogs into the car. He turned back to where the man was walking through the enclosures.
“I love these dogs.”
“Is there one that you particularly like?”
“I can’t decide. So I think I’ll take these two.
” One was a pit bull and the other was a little mutt.
His tone was the same one he might have used to choose his underwear.
That set Lyle’s radar pinging. Pit bulls had a reputation for fighting dogs, but Henry was as sweet as could be and Pinky was as gentle as they came.
Plus once he chose them, he showed no interest. There was no loving, no gentle care. Like this was business and nothing but.
He plastered on a smile. “That’s wonderful.
There are some forms that you need to fill out, and then I’ll give them to Mitchell to review.
” He handed him the forms. “Please make sure we have your phone number so we can call you once Mitchell has given his approval.” He figured there was no way in hell that would happen.
There was something very off about this guy, and he hoped Mitchell had cameras in this area.
The man did not look happy, and he made a show of filling out the forms. When Lyle purposely went to check out a couple of the dogs, he noticed that the man had left. After a few minutes he looked outside. The man’s car was gone.
He returned to the desk and grabbed his phone, texting Mitchell. He got an answer that he was on his way. “What’s going on? I put the dogs in the car and locked the doors.”
“Do you have video here?”
“Sure. Why?” James asked, Lyle explained about the guy who had been in.
“He looked at the dogs as though they were nothing. I gave him forms, but he just left, and I want to make sure Mitchell doesn’t let him take any of the dogs. I think he’s one of those men from a fighting ring or something.” Just the thought had him shivering.
“Okay. I’ll tell Mitchell and have him look at the tape.”
“He left in a hurry. Are all the dogs safe?” It occurred to him that if this guy was after dogs for fight training, then he might come back and try to steal the dogs he wanted.
“We need to tell Mitchell that he may try to break in. People like him just don’t really care about anything other than what they want. ”
James hugged him. “You did really good. Mitchell deals with people like that all the time, and he’ll know what to do.” He checked his phone. “Mitchell is on his way back.”
“Oh, good.” He leaned against James as another car pulled into the drive. He hoped it was Mitchell, but it seemed to be the man he’d spoken on the phone with earlier and his family.
James released him, and Lyle wished he could have held him longer, but he put on a smile and walked the family through the enclosures.
James walked with them, and once they had picked out their dog and finished the paperwork, he told them goodbye and waited for Mitchell to return before getting ready to leave.
When Lyle returned to his car, three happy doggie faces greeted him, but Daisy wasn’t there.
His pulse raced as he looked again, counting and recounting, but only three adorable faces looked back at him.
How in the hell did she get out? “Daisy,” he called and ran back into the shelter, calling and checking the aisles.
But he didn’t find her. With each passing moment, all he could think was that the man who wanted two dogs had taken one of his on his way out.
God, what if she was going to be used as bait for fighting dogs?
Just the thought was enough to make his blood run cold.
He hurried back to the car and checked around it and under it. “James,” he cried and waited until he came around the side of the building. “Where’s Daisy?” He was in a full-on panic now.
“Don’t worry. We’ll find her. She must have slipped out when I put the dogs back in the car.
” He seemed so calm, and for a second Lyle hated it because he was panicking more and more by the second.
“Go that way around the house, I’ll check outside the barn, and we’ll meet up here.
She isn’t going to go far. Maybe she’s just exploring. ”
“Yeah… okay.” Maybe she was exploring how to give him a complete heart attack.
Still, he hurried around the house, watching for her brown-and-white coat, checking anywhere she might have scampered out of sight.
As he rounded the last corner, he was beginning to worry even more that she was gone.
Just the thought of anything happened to her was enough to—
“Lyle,” James called, and he looked up to find him carrying Daisy in his arms.
“Is she okay?” he asked, racing over to both of them. James transferred a panting Daisy into his arms, who looked up at him with her huge black eyes as if to say, “What’s all the fuss? I was having fun.”
“She’s fine. I found her around the side of the barn. She was sniffing and seeing what was there. It’s my fault. She must have wriggled out as I was getting Dash untangled from his leash.”
“As long as she’s okay.” He buried his nose in her fur and lightly stroked her as he put her in the car.
“Why don’t you go ahead and take them home? I’ll stay here and take care of things until Mitchell gets back.”
“Are you sure?” Lyle asked, relieved. Bringing the dogs had been a bad idea. Yeah, they got to run and stuff while they were out on a leash, but mostly they spent time sleeping in the car, and they could have just as easily done that at home.
“Just go on, and I’ll see you later.” He smiled before hurrying back toward the shelter. A still shaken but mostly relieved Lyle got in the car and drove home.