let her pass before he allowed himself to grin behind her back. Of all the trainers and handlers he’d ever known, this one was the most admirable—and the most hardheaded. She had a quick answer for everything and a dry wit that often surfaced at the most needed moments. Working in law enforcement was tough, particularly for men and women who were in it for altruistic reasons, and they often needed the kind of emotional release that laughter provided.
Sophie was out the door and halfway to her car before he stopped her. “Wait. You forgot something.”
“What?”
He’d already scanned their surroundings, satisfied they were safe for the time being. “You never once checked for threats. You just barged out the door as if you were the only person in town.”
“Like I keep telling you, Phoenix will let me know if there’s danger.”
“Sure. After he has his own nervous breakdown.”
The view of Sophie, chin held high, her eyebrows arched and her hands fisted on her hips, was so cute he could hardly keep a straight face.
“I’ll have you know he saved me at the depot this morning. If he hadn’t held back I might not have bent over and could have been shot.”
That was enough to ruin Ryder’s day. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about a connection?”
She shrugged. “Actually, it just occurred to me when you questioned his abilities.”
“You didn’t hear or see anything to make you duck?”
“Nope. The first I knew I was in trouble was when the bullets started flying. Which reminds me. How long do you think my SUV will be out of service? I like my car but it lacks a certain dignity.”
“If I had my way you’d be stuck in your office for the rest of the year. Or longer.”
It was the rapid way Sophie’s expression changed that focused his attention. She was clearly trying to maintain her bravado and failing miserably. What had he said or done to trigger such a transformation? Even shortly after the shooting that could have taken her life, she hadn’t looked this doleful.
Concerned, Ryder approached. “What is it? What just happened?”
“Nothing.”
He reached out, not quite touching her shoulder, and heard an unexpected growl at his feet. Wonder of wonders, the usually shy dog had stepped in front of Sophie and was prepared to defend her.
“Whoa.” Ryder withdrew. “Maybe there is hope for Phoenix after all.”
“There’s hope for all God’s creatures, given the right environment and enough love,” Sophie said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going.”
She let the dog jump in before she slid behind the wheel of her decal-covered car.
Because he assumed she’d take off as fast as possible, Ryder jogged back to his idling patrol unit, unlocking the door remotely. Titus was panting but comfortably cool thanks to a special air-conditioning system that functioned whether the car was moving or not.
It was easy to follow her to the small house on Second Street. Ryder stayed in his car and observed, just in case. The usual spring was missing from Sophie’s step. She was almost plodding, as if bearing a heavy weight on those slim shoulders. Seeing such a change come over her—and linger—had him worried.
Somehow, he had caused emotional injury to someone he admired, and for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what had happened. They’d been talking about her SUV and he’d made some sarcastic remark about wishing she were stuck in her office, but surely that couldn’t have been enough to instantly depress her.
Puzzled, Ryder kept watching and mulling over the problem until Sophie and the dog were safely inside. Whatever he’d done had also bothered the new dog so it must be something simple. Intuitive.
“I raised my voice?” he muttered. “I was just worried about her but...” But perceived anger had demoralized her. Perhaps Sophie’s mood had had less to do with what he’d said than it did with his forceful delivery.
So, who had verbally abused her in the past? And why were the residual effects lingering in her twenties?
A strong urge to climb out of the car and apologize was not easy to quash. Surely there would be a better time to speak with her in private and express regret. Besides, it might be too soon to approach after inadvertently hurting her.
That was what bothered him the most, even though it had been unintentional. He would never purposely harm anyone.
“Except for Carrie,” Ryder murmured. It would be better for all concerned if he were not present for the capture. His respect for the law was strong, yet he didn’t want to have to put it to the ultimate test.
Modern laws didn’t allow “an eye for an eye” biblical justice. God forgive him, he sorely wished it did.
* * *
Before releasing Phoenix, Sophie led him on a comprehensive tour of her house, allowing him to sniff to his heart’s content now that she was sure he was healthy. It was good to have a dog underfoot again, even if she was going to eventually have to relinquish him to a new partner.
She stroked the top of his head and saw his stub of a tail begin to wag. “That’s right, boy. I’m one of the good guys. You can trust me. Now let’s see if I can trust you.”
She unsnapped the leash. At first, the timid dog stayed close to her, not venturing far until he caught a scent and put his nose to the floor.
“You have natural ability and curiosity,” she said, keeping her voice gentle. “Good boy.” The stubby tail wagged faster. “I can get you over your fear. I know I can.”
So, who’s going to help me? Sophie asked herself. It had been a long time since she’d had such a strong flashback to her dysfunctional childhood, and even longer since she’d let it show enough to be noticeable. What was the matter with her? Chief Hayes—Ryder—was liable to think she was as unstable as the new dog.
“I’m not. Not at all,” she insisted. “There must be lots of people who don’t like to be yelled at.” And, to be totally honest, Ryder had not actually shouted. Maybe it was his reference to her being stuck in her office, combined with a harsh tone, that had pushed her panic button. As a child she’d spent long hours hiding in her closet and had even crawled under the bed a time or two, seeking escape from her parents’ anger. By themselves, her mother and father were generally amiable, but put them together and they didn’t seem to know a civil word.
“Which is why I love dogs,” she reminded herself, smiling at her new boarder. “Come, Phoenix.”
His ears perked up and he stopped to look at her. Pleased, she repeated, “Come,” and turned to walk away. To her delight, the mottled gray Aussie trotted along behind. By this time his short tail was wagging his whole rear end.
“Good boy. Sit,” Sophie commanded. Phoenix plunked down so fast it was a blur. She made him wait while she entered the kitchen, then released him to join her.
“You are going to be
