Chapter 4
“I would listen to him, if I were you,” Addie said from behind the manager.
He turned and glared at her. “Neither one of you are taking this dog until I know for sure what the hell is going on,” he snapped. “The dog is a menace.”
“The dog is not your problem,” Tucker snapped back.
He glared at him. “Says you.” And he stormed off.
Tucker looked down at the dog and said, “So will you behave yourself without a leash, or do I need a collar and a leash for you?” He snapped his fingers and said, “Heel.”
Immediately she stood up, walked around, and came to stand at his side.
He gave her the second order. “Sit.” Immediately her butt smacked down hard on the floor. “Now,” he said, looking over at Addie, “we need to get this dog out of here.”
“Well, it’d be nice to think we’d go out the back, but it’ll be locked,” she said.
“I have no intention of going anywhere but out the front.” And, with the dog at his side, staying close under his orders, they walked out to the front area.
Wendy took one look, opened her mouth, and Tucker said, “Don’t even start with me. He’s on the phone to the governor right now, and the governor’s got more than enough to say about this expensive dog being put to death for a trumped-up charge.”
Wendy’s mouth snapped shut, and her gaze widened. She looked over at the connecting door and said, “I have to get his permission.”
“You do that,” he said. “You’ve got about three seconds.” And he stood here with his arms crossed, the dog waiting at his side.
Wendy got up and bolted into the other room. She came back a few seconds later, and she just held out her hands and said, “I guess you can go.” She sounded completely bewildered.
“Yeah, I guess so,” he said. “And when his little girlfriend phones him to see if the dog was put to sleep, tell him I’m on her case too. There will be charges on her end after this.”
Wendy’s gaze went to Addie, then back to him again. “Are you talking about Bernie?”
“Yes,” he said, “liars and cheats don’t get away with this kind of stuff. An innocent life was almost taken today.”
“But … the dog bit her,” Wendy wailed.
“No,” he said, “I spoke with her doctor who confirmed Bernie was lying.”
At that, Wendy sat down hard and just stared at him.
He didn’t give her a chance to say anything. He turned and walked out.
Addie walked over to Wendy and said, “I’m sorry this is such a mess.”
“But are you serious?”
She nodded. “We haven’t gotten to the bottom of everything at the moment,” she said, “but the dog is a trained arson dog, and she needs to go out to a fire scene that matters to the governor.”
“Jesus,” she said. “You stay safe, huh?”
“Yes, and don’t call my sister,” she said. “Enough people are in trouble already.”
Wendy swallowed hard and said, “How did you know?”
“I know,” she said, “that she has this ability to make people do what she wants them to do and that they’re the ones who always get in trouble.”
Wendy turned and looked back at the door where the boss was and looked up at her. “He’s involved too.”
“I know, and you can bet that Tucker will make sure your boss gets in trouble too,” she said, nodding toward the front door where Tucker had disappeared.
“Bernie and the boss were friends in high school. You can’t tell it by looking at him now, but he was the quarterback.”
“Won’t matter. Tucker won’t take any of this kindly. He’ll have your jobs, and he’ll have your heads on a platter, if he gets his way.”
Wendy shrieked. “I can’t afford to lose my job.”
“Then keep your head down,” Addie advised her, “and stay out of trouble. Enough is going around right now.” And, with that, she turned and headed outside. As she got out there, Tucker already had the dog in the front of the truck, and he was starting to reverse. She hopped up to the driver’s side window and said, “Wait.”
He looked at her impatiently.
“You can’t just do that and take off,” she said in exasperation.
He grinned. “Why not? I got what I came for.”
“Great,” she said with an eye roll. “That’s not helping me any.”
“No, but it’s helping the dog a whole lot,” he said. “That should make you happy.”
“It does,” she said, “but I also have to deal with my sister.”
“Tell your sister that I’ll deal with her,” he said in an ominous tone.
She winced. “Threats? Really?”
“Look. Your family’s been on mute for too long. Time someone spoke up. And I’m mad enough to speak the truth and to take the heat from your psycho sister. I could be nicer,” he said, “but can’t say I’m feeling that way right now.”
“I don’t have anything to do today,” she said, hesitating, then burst out with, “Can I come with you?”
He stared her a moment, looked down at Bernie, and asked, “What do you think, Bernie? Should Addie come with us?”
Bernie barked at both of them. Tucker laughed and said, “Well, I have to be back tonight anyway, so if you’re sure?”
“I’m sure,” she said, not really knowing why but determined to go. “However, I don’t want to leave my car here. They lock the fence around the pound at night. My place is not too far.”
“Drive home,” he said. “I’ll follow behind and pick you up. Then we’re heading to the condo complex where the fire was.”
“Good,” she said. “I want to see what the dog can do.”
And, with that, she raced back to her car, hopped in, and this time he followed her as she drove the short distance to her residence. She hopped out, grabbed her purse, and waited for him to pull up alongside. She hopped into the front seat, Bernie giving her a joyful greeting. Addie laughed and chuckled as she hugged Bernie and said, “Oh, my goodness. It’s so good to see you outta there.”
“What did you tell Wendy?”
“I told her to not get involved any more than she needed to because there would be hell to pay over this.”
“She’s involved too, isn’t she?”
“So is her boss—the high school quarterback, if you can believe it.”
“Not,” Tucker said, shaking his head.
“But he and Wendy are involved due to my sister’s shenanigans.”
“Isn’t that enough?” he said, and his tone booked no argument.
“Yes, and no,” she said. “I’ve seen it happen time and time again. They’re only guilty of being my sister’s friend.”
“Your sister’s guilty of a hell of a lot more,” he said, his voice hard.
“Absolutely,” she said, “but I still don’t want you to punish her too badly.”