these guys were looking for. I’d also look at the record of school visitors. See if one person stands out as having visited an unusual number of times, or for odd reasons. I hate it when I get curious about something. I can’t seem to put it down. It grates on me and, right now, a few things just aren’t adding up.”
“Well put this down. If you need to do something about it talk to whoever gets the case. I don’t want you mixed up in this.”
I tried to put it down. I really did, but as the story hit the news on TV and the newspapers, word got around and everybody speculated about it, about the identity of the gunman who had escaped. As anger flared in the community about who would do such a thing, my mind started forming a plan. Although I wasn’t supposed to get involved, I decided to see Tom, the detective in charge of the investigation. We talked for an hour and he agreed my ideas were worth a try. Then he made a suggestion which took me by surprise.
“In my experience, people like being around dogs. They won’t open up to an officer on the school grounds but they will talk about anything while they are petting a dog. I think you and Carla Sandoval should take a dog over to the school and just patrol. When kids ask to pet the dog, let them. And while they are at it question them. Kids know everything and they aren’t afraid to talk. You can at least get a feel for how the school is coping after the shooting.”
Chapter 2
“I don’t think I can do this,” I said nervously.
“You asked for it,” Miguel Cabrera reminded me.
“I know. If I run screaming out of the kennels, can I come back?”
“You’re not going to run. You’re going to buckle down and stay. He’s not even going after you. He’s coming after me. You’re just observing.”
“Okay, let him go.”
Carla Sandoval unclipped the leash and the big, black and tan German Shepherd bounded across the field. My flight mode kicked in, but I beat it down, willing my feet to be still. The dog leapt at Miguel. He pulled and tugged at the protective padding until he brought the officer down and then Carla called him off with a simple but firm command, “Ricco, come!” The dog returned to her and sat at her feet.
There were some advantages to knowing most of the Joshua Hills police force by name. They all knew Rusty and most of them had met me. Many of them had participated in the raid when I was rescued from Teague Stern’s dog-fighting pit. I asked the K-9 Unit if I could spend some time in their kennels and observe the dogs at work. I thought being around well trained but fierce dogs would acclimate me, so here I was. Every time a dog was released I wanted to run for the hills. Every time a dog barked I jumped in fear.
Carla released Ricco again but this time Miguel pretended to be a fleeing suspect. Ricco chased him down and tackled him. I remembered what it felt like to be tackled by a large, fierce dog.
After an hour’s worth of training, they took a break.
“I think you need to spend time with a big friendly dog,” Miguel suggested. “Do you know where there’s one you can borrow for a few days?”
I thought for a minute. Amos.
“Yeah, maybe, I’ll have to ask. Do you think it will work?”
“It can’t hurt.”
Yeah, right.
Kelly Green laughed, “You? You want to borrow Amos? You’re scared to death of him!”
“That’s the point. I want to get over it. Maybe if I spend some time with him I’ll convince myself it’s silly to be scared of dogs. There was a time when they didn’t bother me and Amos is a great dog. He listens and plays fetch. If there was a big dog that could help me get over this fear it would be him.”
“Amos is a pest. Can you live with a pest?”
“Do you mind if I train him a little, if I manage to get over being scared of him?”
“You are most welcome to try. So far he sits for two seconds and he steals stuff. That’s what makes him a pest. He’s even named after a pest.”
“Amos? How is he named after a pest?”
“His registered name is Amos Quito. We had to pick a name that wasn’t taken yet. He was a pest. The name fit.”
“Leave it to you to give your dog a bad pun for a name. He doesn’t draw blood does he?”
“He hasn’t since he was teething, so it’s been a while. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“So, what do you say?”
“Sure, you can borrow Amos. It’ll give us time where we don’t have to guard our possessions twenty-four/seven. I suggest hiding dinner in the microwave until you are ready to eat and locking your shoes in a closet. And guard the stovetop while you are cooking. He’s set himself on fire a few times.”
Oh great. Well, if I spent my time training him, I certainly wouldn’t have time to be scared of him. It sounded like he just needed a firm hand.
“Will he run away if he’s not on a leash? I don’t have a fenced yard.”
“He won’t run away but he might wander off. You’ll have to keep an eye on him and call him back to keep him close.”
“I think I better wait for the weekend to take him. Maybe Rusty will be here for backup.”
“Good idea.”
“See if Rhonda wants to come for dinner on Friday.”
“We’re having company Friday,” I announced at dinner that night.
“Oh?” Rusty answered.
“Umm, yeah, I hope you don’t mind. If you don’t want him to stay we can send him back.”
“Him?”
“I’m taking care of Amos for a while. Kelly and Rhonda are coming for dinner and Amos is going to stay with us.”
“Kelly asked you to keep Amos? He knows you’re scared to death of that dog!”
“Rusty, don’t be angry. I asked Kelly if I could borrow Amos because I thought having a dog around would help me get over being scared of him. It was my idea. Kelly will take him back any time we want him to.”
I watched out the front window as the big black Labrador retriever pulled Kelly to the front door while Rhonda followed behind. I opened the door and they came in. Amos tugged on the leash, eager to investigate this new place. Kelly braced himself against the tugs. Kelly was a big, strong guy. How was I going to manage a dog this size if Amos gave Kelly a hard time?
“Food and shoes hidden?” Kelly asked.
“Yup,
