Bits & Pieces (Benny Imura 5)

Silence.

Rags did not dare breathe.

A single ray of cold moonlight slanted down through one of the high windows. She rose slowly. So slowly, gripping the knife, holding the flashlight in her left hand, thumb on the button. Ready to flick on the light and stab in that moment of blinding surprise.

She tried to remember if dogs could see in the dark. If so, did that make them more vulnerable to sudden bursts of light?

Rags had no idea.

She moved very slowly down the edge of the case and peered around.

What she saw made her freeze into a pillar of ice.

The big dog sat there. Right in the middle of the patch of light thrown down from the window. It was a huge male. Young and strong, but looking starved and a little wild. He sat upright and looked directly at her.

As if anticipating that she would come that way. Hearing, smelling, sensing. Whatever. Knowing.

And . . . waiting for her.

Watching her.

All that fur and muscle and size. Waiting. Like a statue. Patient.

But why? Why did he wait like that? Why not just come after her? If he could find her here, why didn’t he simply pounce on her and do to her what he’done to the scavengers?

Why?

Rags licked her lips and swallowed a lump that felt as big as a rock.

The dog cocked his head at her.

And with a soft, heavy thump-thump-thump, he began wagging his tail. Beating it against the dusty marble floor.

That was how it started.

5

Trying to discover the dog’s name went nowhere. She made her way through the entire alphabet, trying every dog name she could think of—Prince, King, even Fido. She was sure no one ever named their dog Fido unless they were trying to be ironic. She tried all the cool or semi-cool or corny names people she’d known used for their dogs. Sam, Max, Butch, Bo, a couple of dozen others.

The closest she got to a reaction was from Bo. The dog almost wagged his tail, but didn’t. As if he was waiting for more of the name. She tried Bob, Bozo, Bono. Nothing.

The dog had a collar, and there was a bone-shaped tag on it, but instead of a name, there was a message that didn’t tell her much.

PROPERTY OF THE

DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCES

CAPT. J. LEDGER

There was a serial number, a phone number, and a website.

In the end, because the dog wore that tag and because it almost reacted to Bo, she decided to name him Bones.

The first time she called him that, the dog merely looked at her with those strange eyes.

The second time she called him, Bones came.

And Bones he was from then on.