Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“Good to see you too, boy,” he muttered dryly. Patting Pax on the head, he followed the dogs to where Leena disembarked from the tractor. Her black pants clung to her form and he whistled.
She turned and waved as she tugged up the collar on her green coat. “Morning.”
“You snuck out of bed.”
“Trust me, as sore as I am, there was no sneaking. I basically groaned with every move I made. I’m surprised I didn’t wake you but then you’re still recovering from your injuries.”
He let the comment go. It bothered him he’d not known she’d gotten up. “What are you doing?”
“Daily workings. I don’t want there to be too much snow to plow. So this way it keeps it manageable. I have to bring the dogs back in. I think they’ve been out long enough.”
“They seem happy enough.”
“The boarding ones. Not mine.”
He fell into step beside her and with a comfortable silence between them, they went to the kennel. As she continued on to the training center, he returned to the house and printed off the files Davis had sent him and got to reading.
Chapter 8
“Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.”
~Orhan Pamuk
* * *
“Cascade Kennels. How may I help you?”
“Leena?” There was a pause. “Mitch Guerreo from down by Fort Lewis. I work with the K-9’s here.”
“Yessir? How can I help you?” She’d almost met him once a long time ago back when he’d been an active handler for the Army. That was still when her father had been alive, so she wasn’t sure the man was still active, but it didn’t matter, if she could help, she would. She recognized the name.
“I have a dog here that I thought immediately of you when he came in. Do you have time to look at a file? I can email it right away.”
There wasn’t any way she could ignore the hope lining his tone. “Of course. Email it immediately and I’ll read over it then give you a call back.”
“Thanks, I’m sending it to the email from your website now.”
“Call you back when I’m done.”
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. Thank you.” The line went dead and she returned the handset. The house was quiet, John was working out in her training facility, stating the running would do him some good. The dogs were crashed having been out for a few hours earlier this morning while she did kennel work.
She couldn’t lie, she was intrigued. The thought of being able to help dogs regain what they had lost…for her that was one huge ass gold dipped, diamond studded carrot. That and helping them reach the peak of their potential.
Leena dampened her lips and headed for the kitchen. Fixing herself a tall lemonade, she carried it to her office with her. She drank while waiting for her computer to boot up. Then she sat there and read the file. Two more lemonades and five pages of notes and Leena knew this dog was coming to her.
She dialed Mitch back and waited, thumping her eraser on the desktop.
“Guerreo.”
“Mitch, Leena Parsons.”
“Leena, thanks for calling me back. What’d you think?”
“I think this dog, Hugo, needs to be here as soon as it can be arranged. For a dog to have gone through what he has and for him to be acting as he is, I don’t like it. I have the time to give him the attention and work he needs.”
“So you’ll take him then?”
“Absolutely. Everything about this intrigues me. Belgian Tervurens are terrific dogs and this one has been through hell. Time for him to find some peace.”
“Damn glad to hear you saying that. I have a few more rolls of red tape to get through, they want him here for the quarantine. But I’m trying to show that since you’re a kennel, you can do that as well. You know how the military isn’t a fan of letting go of their property.”
“Let me know when to pick him up. I’ll have a run ready for him and will check in periodically with you to check on the progress.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank me when Hugo is back to how he should be.” Pax bounded into the room and she petted him while turning in her chair. “I look forward to hearing from you.”
“Be calling soon.” Mitch hung up and she followed suit, just as a sweaty John walked in the office.
“How was your workout?” She ran her gaze over him and her heart pounded harder as her nipples tightened. How was it that some looked so good after working out and others—like her—only managed to look a hot mess? Wasn’t fair but she would take advantage of the view offered.
He smiled as he propped a shoulder against the doorjamb. “I needed it. You did a damn good job of taking care of me. I’m almost back to one hundred percent.”