Rusk stood still for a moment as if confused by the other dog’s desertion.
“Here,” Colt called out.
Rusk raced to his side.
Once they had the dogs back on their leashes, they headed for the building. The training center of the federal building had a large, enclosed ring with ramps, tunnels and window cutouts for training. Kennels lined one wall.
“Hey, Maren,” a man in his sixties approached. He was tall and fit, with salt-and-pepper hair, a dark beard and mustache. He wore a green polo shirt with the task force logo on the breast pocket and khaki pants.
“Good afternoon, Dev.” Maren gestured to Colt. “This is DEA Agent Colt Dawson. Colt, Dev Singh, our lead trainer. Though he’s retiring soon.”
Colt shook the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Dev’s focus turned to Rusk. “Hello, handsome.” To Colt, he said, “Can I?”
Colt nodded his permission for Dev to interact with his partner. “This is Rusk.”
Dev crouched and let Rusk sniff his hand before scrubbing the dog behind the ears. “Will you two be joining our training today?”
Haven pushed forward for some pets. Dev laughed and scrubbed her behind the ears with one hand while also scrubbing Rusk. Colt was glad to see the two K-9s sharing. It meant they wouldn’t be as likely to resource guard if they spent more time together.
Maren shook her head. “We’re here to talk to Emmett. Can we leave the dogs down here for a bit?”
“Of course.” Dev stood and swept a hand toward the row of crates. “Pick any kennel.”
A high-pitched yapping had Colt spinning in time to see two German shepherd puppies run into the ring. Another trainer who looked to be in her late teens, wearing the same sort of outfit as Dev, hurried behind them.
“Those two are running me ragged,” the young woman said as she shooed the puppies into the ring and shut the gate.
“Hi, Jessie,” Maren made the introduction. “Jessie is a part-time high school volunteer.”
With a wave, Jessie slipped into the arena to chase after the pups.
Colt smiled at the young woman. “Is it normal for that one pup to have a bent ear?”
“No,” Dev answered. “We’re hopeful Trooper’s ear will straighten as he ages. These two are brothers donated by Dodger Andrews.”
Colt recognized the last name. The man was a benefactor of K-9 training programs in the area. “Any relation to the missing pregnant woman?”
“Her grandfather,” Maren supplied.
After settling their K-9 partners into separate crates, Colt followed Maren up a couple of flights of stairs to an office area. A large conference room sat off to one side with a huge screen dominating one wall. A long oval table and multiple chairs stood waiting.
Maren headed down a hallway to an office, prompting Colt to keep up. The nameplate on the door read FBI Supervisory Special Agent Emmett Dane.
She knocked and then stepped inside.
A tall, broad-shouldered man rose from behind his desk. Serious blue eyes regarded them with surprise. “Maren, I wasn’t expecting you.”
Maren moved forward. “Emmett, this is DEA Agent Colt Dawson.”
Colt shook hands with Emmett.
“Your boss speaks highly of you,” Emmett said. “Glad to meet you.”
Emmett turned to Maren. “How’s the search for your sister going?”
She explained about the attack on her vehicle and what the gunman had said before Colt shot him and he fled.
