hard.
Jillian gasped and opened her door. She ran toward the dog and knelt beside him, running her fingers over his coat. Colton followed, his mind churning, eyes watchful. “I thought you said he shot the dogs.”
“He did. I don’t understand . . .” She stopped and pulled back. Blood covered her fingers.
Colton examined the wound himself and pulled a small dart from Ernie’s side. “Tranquilizers.”
Hope blossomed on her face. “Then he’s going to be okay?”
“Yes. Get back in the truck and stay down. I don’t want you out in the open until we find this guy.” Colton murmured soft words to his canine buddy as he picked him up and put him in the back of the truck.
Two county cruisers pulled into the drive and came toward them, lights flashing, but sirens silent. The first car came up beside him. Colton had given Hunter a description of his truck to pass on to the officers. Colton flashed his badge and said, “Follow me.”
He and Jillian climbed back into the truck and headed the last few yards down the drive. Colton stopped and looked at Jillian. “Stay here, lock the doors, and keep your head down.”
He didn’t give her a chance to argue with him. He got out of the truck, pulled his gun, and walked toward the open garage.
He heard the officers bringing up the rear. Turning, he said to the closest one, “Check the perimeter, will you?”
“Sure.” The officer took off and Colton and the second cop, whose name tag read T. Vincent, cleared the garage. Colton led the way to the door that would open into the kitchen. It was cracked. He pushed it open with his foot, gun ready.
Everything looked just as he’d left it only a few hours ago. Theychecked the pantry, behind the furniture, anywhere someone could hide. “Clear,” he finally called. He could see Bert through the den window still and motionless in the backyard near the trees. Concern tugged him, but the dog would have to wait. And where was Jonah? The man hadn’t answered his cell.
The officer headed for the stairs with Colton right behind him.
It didn’t take long to clear the second level. Colton descended the stairs and walked out the front door to find the first officer carrying Bert toward the truck.
Colton’s concern blossomed. “Thanks.”
“I think he’s all right. Just still woozy. He’s got a dart in his side.”
“Yeah.” Colton took the dog from the officer and placed him beside Ernie in the back of the truck. Ernie whined and pawed at his companion. Bert lifted his head, then dropped it. Colton would get them to the vet as soon as he had everything wrapped up here.
Jillian opened the door and climbed out. “He got away, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. He’s gone. Probably had a car parked somewhere close by—”
“And Jonah?”
“We’re searching the wooded area and the—”
“Hey, Colton!” He turned at Hunter’s shout. Hunter stood from his kneeling position next to a tree. “It’s Jonah. He’s alive but unconscious. I’ve called for an ambulance.”
Colton rushed down the sloping hill to the tree line. Jillian followed him. Hunter held up a dart that matched the ones from the dogs. Relief filled him. His friend would be all right.
Colton placed his hands on his hips and looked around. “It’s pretty remote out here, but it’s summer and there are people around. Let’s get officers questioning everyone.”
Jillian frowned and muttered, “I should have shot him.”
He jerked and looked at her in surprise. “What?”
“I could have, after I hurt him. But I didn’t. I should have.”
Officers nearby exchanged glances and raised eyebrows. Coltonlooked at them and shook his head. To Jillian, he said, “You said he was hurt. How bad?”
“I almost had him knocked out cold. He’s got a head injury. I hope he has a massive concussion.” She drew in a breath. “I had to act fast. The attic stairs were down in the garage. I saw a can of oil, grabbed it and greased the metal brackets
Jillian gasped and opened her door. She ran toward the dog and knelt beside him, running her fingers over his coat. Colton followed, his mind churning, eyes watchful. “I thought you said he shot the dogs.”
“He did. I don’t understand . . .” She stopped and pulled back. Blood covered her fingers.
Colton examined the wound himself and pulled a small dart from Ernie’s side. “Tranquilizers.”
Hope blossomed on her face. “Then he’s going to be okay?”
“Yes. Get back in the truck and stay down. I don’t want you out in the open until we find this guy.” Colton murmured soft words to his canine buddy as he picked him up and put him in the back of the truck.
Two county cruisers pulled into the drive and came toward them, lights flashing, but sirens silent. The first car came up beside him. Colton had given Hunter a description of his truck to pass on to the officers. Colton flashed his badge and said, “Follow me.”
He and Jillian climbed back into the truck and headed the last few yards down the drive. Colton stopped and looked at Jillian. “Stay here, lock the doors, and keep your head down.”
He didn’t give her a chance to argue with him. He got out of the truck, pulled his gun, and walked toward the open garage.
He heard the officers bringing up the rear. Turning, he said to the closest one, “Check the perimeter, will you?”
“Sure.” The officer took off and Colton and the second cop, whose name tag read T. Vincent, cleared the garage. Colton led the way to the door that would open into the kitchen. It was cracked. He pushed it open with his foot, gun ready.
Everything looked just as he’d left it only a few hours ago. Theychecked the pantry, behind the furniture, anywhere someone could hide. “Clear,” he finally called. He could see Bert through the den window still and motionless in the backyard near the trees. Concern tugged him, but the dog would have to wait. And where was Jonah? The man hadn’t answered his cell.
The officer headed for the stairs with Colton right behind him.
It didn’t take long to clear the second level. Colton descended the stairs and walked out the front door to find the first officer carrying Bert toward the truck.
Colton’s concern blossomed. “Thanks.”
“I think he’s all right. Just still woozy. He’s got a dart in his side.”
“Yeah.” Colton took the dog from the officer and placed him beside Ernie in the back of the truck. Ernie whined and pawed at his companion. Bert lifted his head, then dropped it. Colton would get them to the vet as soon as he had everything wrapped up here.
Jillian opened the door and climbed out. “He got away, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. He’s gone. Probably had a car parked somewhere close by—”
“And Jonah?”
“We’re searching the wooded area and the—”
“Hey, Colton!” He turned at Hunter’s shout. Hunter stood from his kneeling position next to a tree. “It’s Jonah. He’s alive but unconscious. I’ve called for an ambulance.”
Colton rushed down the sloping hill to the tree line. Jillian followed him. Hunter held up a dart that matched the ones from the dogs. Relief filled him. His friend would be all right.
Colton placed his hands on his hips and looked around. “It’s pretty remote out here, but it’s summer and there are people around. Let’s get officers questioning everyone.”
Jillian frowned and muttered, “I should have shot him.”
He jerked and looked at her in surprise. “What?”
“I could have, after I hurt him. But I didn’t. I should have.”
Officers nearby exchanged glances and raised eyebrows. Coltonlooked at them and shook his head. To Jillian, he said, “You said he was hurt. How bad?”
“I almost had him knocked out cold. He’s got a head injury. I hope he has a massive concussion.” She drew in a breath. “I had to act fast. The attic stairs were down in the garage. I saw a can of oil, grabbed it and greased the metal brackets
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