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I banged the steering wheel with my fist. “Damn it.”
She’s fine. She’s just. . . I didn’t know where she was. And my hollow reassurances to myself did nothing to calm my racing heart.
A figure lay on the ground near what was left of the bench we’d sat on only a few days ago. I slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the truck.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
The bell sounded from the cab, where I’d left the door open and the truck running. I ignored it and sprinted ahead.
“Pepper.” I rolled over the heap and winced.
A dirty bearded face greeted me. Eyes that looked lost blinked open.
I let out a long sigh and patted the man’s arm. “I’ll get you some help, buddy.”
“Why’d you wake me up?” he slurred grumpily.
“I was looking for someone.” I perked up. It was a long shot but worth asking. “Have you seen a woman?” Crap. I had no idea what she was wearing.
A loud snore came from the ground. He’d passed out again.
I texted a friend who worked at a homeless shelter to get some help for the man and ran back to my truck.
I scoured the surrounding blocks of the shelter a few times but came up empty.
I wheeled to a stop in the alley behind Grey Paws.Please let her be back.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
My fist hurt from pounding on the door so hard.
Woof. Woof. Woof.
A frenzy of barking started from inside.
Impatiently, I waited for Miss Adeline to answer. I glanced up and down the alley, hoping to see Pepper in her overalls with a messy ponytail and that beautiful face.
I was still surprised at how quickly she’d grown to mean something to me.
The door creaked open. The barking grew louder.
Miss Adeline’s sharp eye peered at me through the crack.
“Is she back?” I asked in lieu of a greeting.
She held the dogs while I shimmied inside. Ash rocketed toward me. I knelt. She burrowed between my legs and nestled against me.
I rubbed down her sides, already comforted just being near her.
“She’ll be back.” Miss Adeline’s voice lacked the usual confidence and spark.
I prayed with all my might she was right.
“Walk me through what happened.” I needed to hear it again. To see if there was anything we’d missed.
“She told me she was going to walk a few of the dogs. I told her to take her phone and be careful. I don’t even know what time it was.” She shook her head and looked down at her feet.
“She has her phone?” Hope rushed through me like a tsunami.
