AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER NINE
AFTER HAVING SUPPER with Jane at the little Chinese restaurant in town, Sara drove back to her apartment. She’d barely stepped out of the SUV when she heard the back door of the Shuellers’ house slam.
“Sara!” Zoe came running through the trees in the backyard with Timmy in her arms. “Josh is missing!”
“What?” Sara spun around, dread knotting in her stomach as a hundred grim scenarios flashed through her mind. “When? For how long?”
Zoe’s face was pale, her eyes reddened. “H-he took Harold for a walk. Apparently, the dog got really mean downtown, went after a couple of boys who were teasing Josh, and scared everyone to pieces. People said Josh started for home, but no one has seen him since.” She took a quavering breath. “What if Harold attacked him? He could be bleeding to death somewhere. Bob has been driving all over town looking for him, and so have Josh’s uncles. He’s been gone almost two hours!”
“Did you call 911?”
“Half an hour ago.” Zoe reached into her back pocket for a tissue, then blew her nose. “The d-deputy said I should stay here in case Josh shows up, but waiting here is driving me crazy. I’m so scared!”
Sara reached out and took Zoe’s hand. “Believe me, Zoe. Harold would never hurt Josh. If he became defensive, it was only because he was protecting your son.”
“Then why isn’t Josh home? It’s nearly dark!”
“I don’t know. I do know that Harold would guard Josh with his life, and if Harold is with him, he’s okay.” Sara thought for a moment. “Does Josh have any special places he goes if he’s upset?”
Zoe’s lower lip trembled. “H-home.”
“I told him not to leave the yard,” Sara said gently. “Maybe he figured he was going to be in trouble.”
“Bob already went to the school, and we’ve called everyone we know.” Timmy whimpered as Zoe wiped away her tears. “Where can he be?”
“I’m going out to look for him, too. Where have the others looked?”
“D-downtown. The schoolyard...the playground behind our church.” She tipped her head and rested it against Timmy’s, her shoulders bowed in defeat. “They’ve been up the trail behind the Sanderson plant...all through the residential areas. Nathan called a bit ago to tell me that almost two dozen people are out looking.”
Sara lifted her key ring and tried to hide her own fears. “Harold always responds to this whistle. We’ll find your son.”
Taking the whistle off the key ring, Sara climbed back in the SUV and began cruising the streets of Ryansville, starting at the center of town and working in ever-expanding circles.
At each street corner, she stopped and blew the high-pitched whistle, then waited for an answering bark or the sight of Harold’s powerful gray form approaching with Josh in tow. Nothing—except the occasional barks and howls of other dogs in town.
After thirty minutes, she ended up on the south side of town, where she’d parked the night she’d hoped to meet Earl.
After this, she would check the trails above the Sanderson facility. But would Josh have headed to this dark and isolated area? It didn’t seem likely.
She blew the whistle. Waited. Then tried again, louder.
From somewhere down in the trailer court, a beagle bayed and some sort of terrier barked shrilly. Amid the cacophony was another, more distant sound—Harold?
She tried again and this time heard him more clearly. Yes! But why on earth was he so far back in the woods? Reaching for her cell phone, she dialed Zoe’s number and told her to call the deputy’s office.
Then she grabbed the flashlight in the glove box, checked the concealed holster at the small of her back, and stepped out into the darkness.
