Harper waved her off. “Talk later. Breakfast first.” She grabbed her straw, her cheeks sucking in to taste the thick milkshake. Though when the cold sweetness hit her tongue, her gaze fell around the room, her imagination running wild. Wooden beams on the ceiling. Dark stone on the walls. Sleek metal tables . . .
* * *
Back at his house, Chase had let Houdini out of his cage for a quick bathroom break, then allowed him to roam the house while he showered and trimmed his beard in record time. He cleaned the hair off the sink then glanced up, staring at his alert gaze. Being thirty years old, he thought he had himself figured out. He knew his path in life and the man he needed to be to sleep well at night. He turned away from the mirror with a sigh and left the bathroom. Everything he thought he knew had suddenly crumbled apart before his eyes. Because of that, he had foolishly almost made the biggest mistake of his life.
Urgency drove him as he stood at his front door, dressed in clean jeans and a plaid button-down, while he slid into his cowboy boots. His hair was still damp from his shower, and his hands trembled with the adrenaline pulsing through his veins.
As he rose, he whistled, waiting for sounds of the little paws running against his hardwood floor. When those did not come, he called, “Houdini.” Intent on hitting the road, he took three steps to go in search of a puppy likely eating his socks, when there was a knock at his front door. A quick look over his shoulder revealed Darryl waiting on the other side.
Chase sighed, reining in the adrenaline threatening to snap. The universe seemed to be fighting against him. He made it to the door quickly, whisking it open. “Is everything all right?”
“Yup, it’s all good.” Darryl offered his hand and gave a gentle smile. “Sorry for dropping by this like unannounced.”
Chase returned the strong handshake. He left the front door open, stepping outside onto the porch. “It’s no problem.” His gaze fell to the bloodhound in the back of the car with POLICE written in big block letters and RIVER ROCK in smaller type underneath. The dogs wrinkly head leaned out the open window, tongue wagging. “He looks to be enjoying the day.” Chase gestured at the cruiser.
Darryl followed his gaze and laughed. “Yeah, that’s Tyson. We had some training earlier.” He moved to the post on the porch and leaned against it, crossing one foot over the other. “I was on my way home, but I thought it right I come by personally to give you the news that we caught the guy responsible for the puppy.”
“Really?” Chase’s adrenaline spiked for a whole other reason now. He folded his arms, resting his back against the doorframe. “Who is it?”
“Terry Borden. He lives about a mile out of town, and he and his wife breed Labradors at their house. It took us a while to track him down after going through the footage at the bar. But once we arrived at his house and saw the kennels with the other puppies, he fessed up pretty quick.”
Chase snorted. “Real tough guy.”
Darryl agreed with a nod.
Chase rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the quivering of his muscles. He would like a few minutes alone with Borden, showing him what happened to men who were cruel to helpless animals. “Did he give you a reason?”
Darryl’s gaze fell to Tyson before returning to Chase. “Apparently, he thought the puppy was dead, or so he said.”
“Bastard,” Chase spat.
The race of his heartbeat was not only due to his anger. He had somewhere very important to be. “I take it that Borden’s been charged?”
“Yeah.” Darryl’s radio began crackling. He turned the volume down. “We got him on one count of aggravated animal cruelty.”
“Will he get any time for that?”
“Without a doubt,” Darryl explained, pinching his lips together before adding, “The main reason he stood out and we began zeroing in on him was because he’d been charged with animal cruelty before. Since this is his second offence it’s a Class 5 felony. He’ll get a fine and then face up to three years of incarceration.”
Chase frowned. “That doesn’t seem long enough.”
“I can’t disagree with you there.” Darryl leaned on one leg, resting his hand on the top of his weapon. “On the flip side, they’ve been shut down for good. The other puppies were all taken to a local foster in the area.”
Relief washed over Chase. “Let’s hope that’s the last time a puppy is found in a dumpster.”
Darryl gave a firm nod.
Though now focusing on that miracle puppy, Chase’s mind circled back to what he’d been doing before Darryl got here. “Speaking of that puppy, he’s probably chewing on my furniture right now.”
“That is what they do best.” Darryl chuckled.
Chase stepped back into the house and whistled.
Silence.
The air chilled around him. “Houdini,” he called, hearing the slight hitch to his voice.
There was no scratching of little claws against his hardwood floor. A sudden unease crept over Chase. “It’s unlike him not to come when I call. Give me a sec. All right?”