We slipped out the rear door into the shadowy alley behind the animal hospital. The cool air had the usual smells of the city, but it also had hints of salt water and trouble.
Gray scanned the narrow space. “Let’s head left to the end of this alley, cut right, and?—”
She didn’t get a chance to finish. Two guys in dark jackets stepped from behind the dumpster, blocking the path. They were kind of scrawny and thin, but they presented a united front, and we weren’t sure what they wanted. The dog? Our money? Our lives?
Gwen gave a startled yelp and then frowned. “What the heck? Is it your job to lurk behind dumpsters and scare women? What are you doing back here?”
Another man came around from the front. It was the bald guy in the black raincoat, Richard, who’d tried to get into our hotel room. “We’re here for the dog, ladies,” he said, spreading his hands slowly as if he didn’t want to spook us. “Just hand her over and we each go our separate ways. No trouble.”
Ginger pressed against my legs, trembling.
Basia stepped forward without hesitation, every inch of her posture screaming don’t even think about it. Despite being seven and half months pregnant and about five-three, she looked formidable.
“Forget it, Baldy,” she snapped. “You think it’s okay that you tried to break into our hotel room to get what you want? You’re a criminal and a loser. No way are we turning her over to you.”
“You better,” he said, making his first mistake. His hand shot out, gripping the fleshy part of her upper arm. Not violently, but with the kind of confident entitlement that assumed compliance.
That was his second mistake.
“Hey!” I snapped. “Take your hands off her.”
He shot me a hard look. “As soon as you hand over the dog. Quietly. That’s all we want.”
Before I could respond, Basia moved. She lifted her foot and brought it down, hard, directly onto the instep of his shoe. It was her signature move, the one she’d once used to escape a man twice her size in the jungle. Back then she’d been wearing a heel. Tonight, it was just a tennis shoe. Regardless, the result was identical, except this time the bruising probably wouldn’t last as long. But it got the desired effect.
Baldy howled and released her instantly, limping in small circles trying to manage the pain. Basia crossed the distance to me in two strides, planting herself squarely between Ginger and anyone foolish enough to try her again. One hand rested protectively over her stomach, but her eyes were pure steel.
“Don’t ever touch me again,” she said evenly. “Do not touch my friends. And especially do not touch this dog.”
“But it’s my dog,” Baldy protested. “Now give her back or…you’ll be sorry.”
Dr. Partridge and Dusty suddenly opened the back door behind us. “What’s going on here?” Dr. Partridge said angrily. “You have a lot of nerve threatening my clients. On my property, too.”
“Lady, it’s our dog,” Baldy repeated. “Calm down. We’re just reclaiming her.”
“At this moment, that dog is my medical patient brought in by these ladies, and if you think this dog is yours, then you can file the appropriate paperwork tomorrow at a licensed intake facility like everyone else. Until then, the dog is in my care until I release it. Now, get off my property.”
“No,” Baldy said, putting his hands on his hips and scowling. “I’m not leaving without my dog.”
We started backing toward the clinic door. Baldy jerked his head to the side, and the two other guys started to flank us. Although it appeared they were trying to intimidate us, it wasn’t terribly ominous. The two guys were scrawny and looked super anxious. The one closest to me, skinny with glasses and a black knit cap, was visibly shaking. I was sure I could easily take him alone while Gray took care of the other guy.
But we’d never all make it inside with the dog, and even if we did, it seemed like they wouldn’t leave until they had Ginger, as they seemed desperate enough to try and break into the vet hospital to get her. I doubted these guys could even manage that, but I couldn’t discount that they might recruit professional help. That would put the vet and her tech at risk, and for what, I wasn’t even sure yet.
“Everyone, stop,” I said quietly holding out my hands. “You can have the dog.”
“What?” Basia said in disbelief, turning those steely eyes on me.
“Lexi, what are you doing?” Gwen said sharply.
Gray just shot me a puzzled look. I gave her a steady look as my response, and she shrugged her shoulders slightly, giving me the benefit of the doubt.
“Just let me say goodbye.” I knelt and hugged Ginger. While my fingers were in her fur, I quickly unclipped the leash from the collar and put my mouth near the dog’s ear. “Run but stay close to this area. I’ll call for you when it’s safe.”
I hugged her one more time and stood slowly. “Okay, you can take her.”
Baldy stepped forward warily. He reached for the leash, and at that exact moment, Ginger bolted, leaving him holding a dogless leash. She shot between his legs at lightning speed, a golden flash zipping through the alley. Baldy grunted, lost his balance, and stumbled into one of his colleagues. The two of them crashed into the dumpster in a symphony of metal and curses.
Ginger vanished into the dark.
