29. Xander #2
“Luna was purchased and bred with the intent for her puppies to be trained for a specific purpose. Doberman Pinschers are perceptive, smart, and loyal. They’re also fearless, protective, and excellent family dogs.
With early socialization and the proper training, they’re completely trustworthy with anyone they see as family, including children, yet they’ll protect against a threat with their lives. ”
“Protection dogs?” Brody asked, clearly deep in thought.
“Not in the traditional sense of the military and police dogs I train here. These puppies, once they grow up, will be going to people or places that could use dogs that are friendly with guests but would be another level of security for them.”
“So, you’re breeding sleeper dogs?” Boone’s curiosity apparently caused his mouth to overrun his silence.
“I’m simply training dogs whose very breed was developed for purposes such as this.
I’m not creating covert operatives.” Her wince told me all I needed to know.
Gretchen hadn’t been a part of any of the meetings or gatherings we’d had, but she obviously knew of Matteo’s involvement. At least, the general idea.
“Anyway, Luna is the first dog brought over, but she isn’t slated to be the last. I have another—a plush-coated German shepherd that’ll be coming over from the Netherlands next year, and I’m researching some breeders here in the United States as well.”
“How many dogs is he trying to develop?” I couldn’t help my interest, and I wondered if the pups might need a foster home-type situation when they were old enough.
If Andrie wouldn’t go for a full-time dog right now, maybe she’d be open to a temporary one?
The thoughts I had the other day in Andrie’s new office came back full force.
I couldn’t get a job at Accardi Tactical, but maybe I could find another way to go about helping protect people.
Luna, finally done with me, slid off my lap and stretched before returning to Gretchen’s side, allowing me to stand. Gretchen fed the dog the last bite of her sandwich, smiling when the dog gingerly took it from her hand.
“As many as I can handle.” She rose, snagging her mostly eaten bag of chips from Boone as she did so.
“However, that won’t be very many. This is a side project, and the litters are big.
Plus, each dog will need considerable attention, and I can’t exactly hire additional help without explaining to Gideon why he’s paying for a K-9 handler who isn’t actually working with the military classes.
Megan, my assistant, is going through a bad break up, and while she’s a sweet kid, she’s not the most reliable person.
Getting someone who can pass through the background check and is willing to do the shit part of the job—pun intended—as well as the glamorous stuff.
Well, it’s harder to come by than you think. ”
I wouldn’t have thought much about her plight if it wasn’t for Brody’s stare. Boone tilted his head for a second, his attention going back and forth between us a few times, before looking over to Gretchen. Then he broke out into laughter.
“Oh, no.” I shook my head as I realized I’d been set up.
Jamming my hands in my pockets, I rocked back on my heels, ruthlessly pushing down the spark of interest that had kindled.
“I’m hardly a good candidate. I’ve barely been around dogs.
And I doubt my background would pass muster for Accardi Tactical. ”
Gretchen, catching on, whirled around to fully face me, hope on her face despite my words. “Do you like them?”
“Dogs?” I shrugged, not wanting her to see how much the idea appealed to me when I knew there wouldn’t be a way to make it work. “Who doesn’t? But—”
“Are you willing to learn? It’s hard work and requires a lot of time and dedication. They require consistency, fairness, and affection.”
Luna padded over to me, sitting expectantly while I slowly extracted a hand to give her the petting she clearly felt she was due. I felt myself weakening as I stroked her short silky coat. “The background—”
Brody cut me off, smirking. “Oh, I’m sure there’s a way around it. After all, you were exonerated from your ‘crime,’ so technically, the manslaughter charge isn’t on your record.”
“It wasn’t the only crime on there, if you care to remember,” I drawled, though even I could hear the interest in my voice.
I still had a litany of charges, even if none were as severe.
And while most were supposedly on my juvenile record and sealed, I had no doubt the typical A.T.
background search would open those in a heartbeat.
I needed to blend in with the Iron Wraiths on paper without having anything severe enough to trip up Andrie’s military and federal contacts.
Well, not enough that it couldn’t be swept under the table.
“An independent contractor or company would allow for more leniency on our part of the hiring process,” Boone added helpfully.
“We use them all the time for our janitorial staff and even the new café workers. After all, you wouldn’t technically be an employee of ours.
It also would work with getting Gideon’s approval—not that I think that would be an issue to begin with.
But Xander could work for this separate outfit and still have all the clearances he’d need to work here.
Plus, I’m sure your ‘boss’ wouldn’t mind you helping out the normal classes and K-9 upkeep as needed.
Also, anyone with clearance would certainly have an easier time visiting the office more often, seeing as they’d be staff and all. ” The last part was added innocently.
I’d been slow on the uptick, but I was fully aware now.
It wasn’t an off-the-cuff offer that hadn’t been fleshed out.
Either it had come down from this Harrison—who I had a sneaking suspicion was Thoth—Lessia, or Matteo.
Possibly even a mixture of the three. Matteo would get someone in the same building as his woman.
Harrison got a plant who could work his pet project in plain sight of the regular staff while reporting to and working for him and him alone.
And Lessia … well, I wasn’t sure what her motivation would be, but I was sure if she was involved, there was one.
Regardless of who it had originated from, it was an offer I wasn’t about to reject. “It just so happens I’m looking for a more permanent job than helping out my brother at his bar,” I started to say as Gretchen’s smile grew. “But I’m committed to helping Andrie right now,” I finished.
Undeterred, Gretchen’s excitement and relief were all but tangible. I wondered how much she was taking on between the upcoming litter, expanded classes, and her assistant’s split attention—not to mention her young daughter’s surgery.
“It’ll be a few weeks before Luna delivers—not that you have to wait that long to start. But I have a feeling your paperwork won’t be finished processing until whatever you’re working on with Dr. Andrie is complete.”
Somehow, I thought so, too.