Page 36 of Missile Strike

“You don’t have a leash.” Danny hooked a finger through Trip’s collar. “And you aren’t going anywhere without me until I establish how he got out in the first place.”

An argument rose to her lips, then died. He was right. The adrenaline spike from her fear over Trip’s disappearance was fading, but another worry took its place.

A stranger may have entered her home. The thought sent a chill skittering down her spine.

Meanwhile, Trip followed Danny like a lovesick puppy as he returned to his car and popped the trunk. He pulled out a tarp and laid it on the back seat. “Trip, up.”

“Why is he listening to you when he doesn’t even know you?” Isabella slid into the passenger seat. And yes, she sounded disgruntled, but she didn’t care. Trip was her dog, not Danny’s.

Danny got into the car. “Because he’s smart enough to know I mean business.” He shot her a look. “Unlike his owner.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He didn’t answer until they’d pulled into her driveway. “It means you need to trust me, even if you don’t like the reason I’m here.” He reached past her and opened the glove compartment, removing a pair of blue nitrile gloves. “Stay in the car with Trip while I check out your home.”

Was he mad at her? The big jerk.

When he got out, she leaned over the driver’s seat before he could close the door. “I called you, didn’t I?”

Danny stopped. Bent just enough to peer back inside the car. She could have sworn his expression softened. Just a little. “Yeah, you did.”

Isabella’s pulse beat double time when he reached beneath his untucked shirt and withdrew his gun. Danny crouched to examine the door handle, then slowly pushed open the door before slipping inside.

Her lips had gone dry. She licked them. Why was she on edge? She’d already searched the entire house. Other than the door being open, everything looked exactly as it had when she left for work this morning.

Hadn’t it?

Now she wasn’t sure because she’d been too busy looking for Trip to take in the condition of her home.

Danny reappeared a few minutes later.

She stepped out of the car. “What do you think?”

“Nothing obvious,” he said. His lips flattened. “But that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Everything appeared normal when I got home, other than the open front door.” Even she could hear the hopeful note in her voice.

He looked far from convinced. “Let’s get the dog cleaned up.”

They wrangled Trip into the backyard. Danny hosed him down while Isabella ran upstairs to get a towel to dry him off. She took another quick look around to verify that nothing was missing.

And yet, something felt…off.

She gave a hard shake of her head. It was a toss-up as to who was more paranoid—her or Danny. If someone had broken in, there’d be evidence—opened drawers, scattered belongings, missing jewelry. The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed. Her front door must not have been closed properly. If anyone had been in her house, she’d see evidence of it.

By the time she stepped into the backyard, Danny had finished washing Trip. He turned off the hose and reached for the towel.

“Watch—”

Trip did a whole-body shake, sending droplets of water flying in every direction.

“—out.” Isabella finished.

Water beaded on Danny’s face and hair, his shirt and shorts covered in wet blotches.

A snort escaped her, followed by a giggle.

Danny cracked a grin. Her giggle broke into a full belly laugh.