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I had about a moment to register the puzzled look on her face before Henry came charging forward, just like I expected he would.
Immediately, I noticed he was enthusiastic and happy. His tail was wagging, and he was delighted to have company. It was the same thing I’d watched him do over the course of the last week whenever anyone walked up to the house, even the people Pax had managed to get pictures of in the dog park.
Yep.
Everything was going just as I’d hoped it would.
I crouched down and started showing Henry some attention, using my free hand. “Hey, buddy.”
Henry was beyond excited, so I started to wonder if what I had planned was even going to happen. Pulling my other hand out of my pocket, I revealed the top from Lamise’s pajamas to him. The moment the shirt was in front of him, he froze and started to sniff it.
Within seconds, he was even more rambunctious than when he’d first greeted me. It was all I needed to know this was Lamise’s dog.
Of course, that was only solidified when the woman at the door said, “Henry, please leave the man alone.”
At least they’d continued to call him by the same name.
Refusing to let him out of my sight, I decided to continue scratching his head as I spoke to the woman. “Oh, it’s okay. I don’t mind.”
She offered a slight nod and asked, “Was there something I could help you with?”
“Actually, yes. I apologize. I came to the neighborhood about a week ago, and I saw you out walking him. I wanted to introduce myself to you,” I answered.
Her head tipped to the side, curiosity washing over her. “Oh. I didn’t realize any of the houses in the neighborhood were up for sale. Which house did you buy?”
I shook my head, a smile still plastered on my face. The last thing I wanted was for this woman to think I was a threat. As I stood, a signal to those who were ready to head in, I kept my body bent slightly, so I could continue to give the impression I was still offering head scratches to Henry when the truth was that I needed to be able to keep a firm hold on him.
“I didn’t buy a house here,” I informed her.
“But you said you just came to the neighborhood about a week ago,” she reminded me.
Grinning, knowing the Steel Ridge PD would be arrivingat any moment, I explained, “Yes, I did. I didn’t say I bought a house, though. I simply happened to come into the neighborhood last week. And I was stunned to see you walking with my girlfriend’s dog.”
The smile was gone from my face, and it was all I could do to keep Henry from knocking me over. He couldn’t stop sniffing the shirt in my hand.
“Who are you?” she asked as she stepped forward. “Give me my dog back.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I told her.
It was in that moment, the woman’s eyes left mine and shifted to the side. She saw the police making their approach. Fear washed over her, and she tried to step back into the house, calling out to someone as she did.
Before she could close the door, Steel Ridge police officers stepped forward, presenting her with a search warrant as I moved back from the house with Henry. With Lamise’s shirt in my hand, he willingly came. I moved him farther and farther away from the house, giving the officers the space they needed to do their job while keeping both myself and Henry safe from whatever might go down inside the house.
Ultimately, I led him toward my vehicle, where I allowed him to wait in the warmth. Henry seemed content to be there, especially since I put Lamise’s pajama top in there with him.
Finally, after what felt like hours, I’d managed to speak with Detective Shaw. He’d brought me up to speed on where things stood, and I informed him that I’d be heading out to bring Henry home. He knew to call me if and when he had more information, since this case wasn’t quite over just yet.
It was quite the exercise in patience as I waited for theofficers to get done what they needed to do. All I wanted was to take Henry and get out of there, so I could get back to my house and give Lamise something to smile about.
It wasn’t everything she deserved to have, but it was a start. And for now, that was going to have to be enough.
Lamise
I’d just put in a load of laundry when it happened.
My body tensed, and I immediately started moving toward the stairs when I heard the door opening.
It was in the middle of the day, Rhys had gone down for his afternoon nap, and Banks was at work.
