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I gripped the handles and also picked up the cooler when she closed the lid. That earned me an annoyed look, but I ignored it and headed toward the open back door.
The dogs barked, led by Sadie who also stomped her feet. Ash stood and stuck her nose through the kennel door when I approached.
“Hey.” I set the cooler down and rubbed the top of her head with a couple of fingers. “I’ll be back soon.”
She seemed satisfied but didn’t back away from the gate. I marveled at how she recognized I’d carried her from her burning house and the attachment we seemed to have for one another.
Miss Adeline slammed the passenger door of the van. I tossed the bag and cooler in the back and turned to help Pepper with whatever else was needed. As used to moving quickly in an emergency as I was, I felt a bit out of my element. At the fire station, everyone had a duty when the alarm sounded. The tasks didn’t need to be thought about. They were ingrained. Automatic.
Here, I didn’t know what supplies we needed or the procedure. But these two did.
Pepper picked up a large crate by the back door.
“I’ll get it.” I attempted to take the awkward contraption from her but she refused, hefting it into the van.
She slammed the doors and hopped in the driver’s seat. By the time I climbed into the back, she already had the van in gear.
“How does this work?” I gripped one of the crates from my position on the floor to keep from sliding around as Pepper zipped through the streets.
“Oh they usually bring the dogs out in a peaceable exchange,” Miss Adeline said smartly. “They give us their dog beds and toys and bowls.”
The woman had a sharp tongue, but I wasn’t sure if this had to do with my missing dinner last night or because she was uptight about the rescue.
“Then this should go easy.”
She glared and the slight smile on my face evaporated.
“I’ve been to this track before,” she said, turning her attention to Pepper. “It’s been a long time, but I doubt it’s changed much.”
“Back entrance?” Pepper was all business, her gaze laser-focused out the windshield.
“No. If it’s the same as it used to be, the kennels are to the left once we get in the gate.” She tapped on the screen of a smartphone I wouldn’t have expected her to have. “They have races starting at six, so we should be able to get inside easily enough.”
“If we can’t?”
“We do like always and improvise.”
These two sounded like they were preparing for a battle. If someone had called to ask them to come get the dogs, why wouldn’t they turn them over easily? Apparently I had a lot to learn about rescues.
“What do you want me to do?” With an emergency, every situation was different, but things went better when you worked as a team. Today, I’d be on the receiving end of the orders, but I liked this captain much better than my normal one.
“Stay in the van,” Pepper snapped.
“No way.” I couldn’t sit by and do nothing. She shouldn’t expect that of me.
She flicked her cool gaze to me in the rearview mirror. I liked that she was in command and no nonsense, especially when it came to the dogs.
“You can get the crates open and ready,” she relented.
I scowled. I could do more than that. What if the situation was dangerous inside the kennels? I should be there to look out for them.
They’ve done this a million times without you.
Didn’t matter. I was on this rescue. I’d do my part . . . whatever that was.
After what seemedlike only minutes, the entrance to the track came into view.
Miss Adeline straightened.
