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He threw in some chocolate-glazed donuts Harper liked for free and waved her off to help the next customer.
Lydia checked out, and as she did so, she scanned the aisles back-and-forth, and then she studied the parking lot, looking for some evidence that the couple in the store had followed her out. But she didn’t see anybody of interest, made it to her car, opened the rear hatch with her lower leg, and set her groceries inside. She already had vanilla ice cream for the pie she was going to make for Harper at home. It was a warm late spring day, so she was glad she didn’t have to worry about it melting. She was going to stop by and take a look at one of her favorite nurseries on the way home.
She headed down Matanzas Creek Road to a boutique nursery that had been burned out in the fires several years ago but had rebuilt. They first began in the garage and driveway of the owner’s house, but eventually, they were able to convert the house to a full-on nursery with ample parking. They carried gorgeous varieties of seasonal flowers and shrubs, some vegetables to add to their population at home, and bulbs of all sizes and varieties when in season.
Lydia took Venom on his leash, and together, they walked through the row of fruit trees that had just began bearing tiny fruits, a couple of the pear and apple trees had blossoms barely brown enough to fall to the ground, fully fertilized and ready for the fruiting phase. She scanned the berry bushes and wondered if Harper would like her to get more blackberries but held off.
Over her shoulder, she noticed a car drive into the parking lot, and to her dismay, the male of the couple in the store got out of the driver’s side and started walking through the office, heading out toward the nursery beyond. He was coming toward Lydia. She bent over, giving Venom a heads-up. He alerted right away, ever attuned to that command.
“Ready, Venom?” she whispered as the dog looked up at her adoringly. “Watch. Guard Mama, okay?”
Venom looked deep into her eyes, then searched around him, and, within seconds, locked on the gentleman approaching them. He wore leather sandals. His feet crunched the crushed granite as he made it down the pathway toward them.
Lydia didn’t have to say anything to the dog. He had been given the alert, and as the gentleman got within twenty feet of them, Venom started to growl, and then he barked.
The man, just a little older than a boy, really, had dark hair long enough to wear in a ponytail. She noted a sleeve of tats on his arms and some large swaths of islander tats on his calves.
“Whoa, whoa! You got yourself a vicious dog there,” he said, appearing almost too casual. Lydia could tell he was legitimately scared, and for good reason.
“Oh, don’t mind him. He’s just hungry.” She grinned and saw her comment had the desired effect.
The man stepped back suddenly. “Hungry? So he wants to take a bite out of me, is that what you’re saying?”
“I guess he figures you smell good. Do you smell good?” she asked him. “You know Dobermans never forget a scent. Never.”
The stranger was going to say something, but Venom lunged in his direction, which was not what he was supposed to do. It took all the strength Lydia had to hold the dog back. If it wasn’t for the fact that he had a choker collar on, she would not have been able to.
“Venom. Venom, stop.” She avoided saying the part about that it was okay or that he’s a friend. She just told him to stop. So Venom did just that. He sat immediately and never took his eyes off the gentleman. Every time the fellow looked back at Venom, the dog showed his teeth and whispered a growl.
Lydia decided to wander a little more since Venom had already tracked the gentleman, and if she really needed his help, she would let him go and pin the guy somewhere. He was trained not to hurt, unless he was struck. At least until it was time for somebody else to restrain him. She wasn’t going to do that, of course.
They wandered back and forth through the fruit trees and bushy shrubs, but Venom looked around every tree and every bush they walked past, making sure he kept track of wherever the gentleman walked. Finally, after about fifteen minutes, he walked back through the office and out into the parking lot where she saw him get in his SUV, say something to his female passenger she recognized from the store, and take off.
She considered what Harper would do, had started to think like him. What had she learned? First, the couple probably had her license plate, so it would be easy for them to find where she lived if they had any kind of contacts in law enforcement or security. They knew two places she shopped, so perhaps she’d have to alter that routine. And she knew Venom had already recognized him as a possible threat and would do so again, because the dog never forgot a scent, and if he was instructed, he would do his ultimate to protect her. That wasn’t really her biggest concern.
Her biggest concern was what would happen if Harper and Venom were gone and she was left alone.
Chapter 2
Harper’s hulking framefilled the doorway as he swung it open, catching her midway between the kitchen and the living room area. She hadn’t heard him drive up. Venom was by her side and then dashed into Harper’s arms.
He dropped his duty bag with a loud metallic thud then let loose another backpack just inside the doorway just as Venom lunged up at him. He quickly knelt to receive the hundred-plus pound Doberman. Looking tired and dusty from a long trip, he gave her a wink, while he occupied the large pup and tried not to sprawl all over the floor at her feet.
“Venom, that was one of the best loves I’ve ever gotten. You’re such a sweetheart. Ever faithful, aren’t you?” he said as he hugged the dog around the neck and let him lick his face and neck and hands, Venom jumping and barking as he turned circles in front of and all around Harper, showing how excited he was for the return.
Remaining on his knees, Harper continued but spoke to Lydia, “You know dogs are the only animal around that the later you are the more excited they are for you to be home, right?”
“Oh, I think he’s excited about everything. He just likes having us around. But especially you, Harper, of course.
Harper stood and adjusted his back with a loud crack, left the bags, managed two long strides to cross the rest of the distance, and took her in his arms.
“How’s my girl? You miss me?”
She peeled herself from his frontside. “What the hell do you think?”
“Oh, so now she’s swearing. That’s my old Lydia.”
She laughed. “I’ve been spending time with Sally.”
