Chapter Four
Harley
When we left the hearing or meeting or whatever it was, Zade had explained that we would be staying with the head detective, Rafael, for the night instead of driving home. In bed by two in the morning, I was wide awake at nine o'clock but no one else was. I managed to get dressed without disturbing Zade and Levi, who were sleeping in the bedroom next to mine. Grabbing my shoes, I waited until I was outside in the bright morning light to put them on. Then, with a curious glance at a man who seemed to be on guard duty, I decided to follow a path that led into the woods.
I wandered in the shade of the ancient trees for a while before the gentle babbling of running water caught my ears. Stepping off the path, I began to search for the source but somehow managed to get tangled up in a blackberry patch. I was struggling to free my pant legs from the thorns when I heard a sound behind me and felt the branches give way. Turning around, I was startled to see a large dog holding the offending branch in his mouth.
"Thank you!" Quickly I stepped past him and out of the bushes. As soon as I was free, he released the branch slowly and then picked his way back out to sit beside me. "I didn't realize those things had thorns." When he lifted his front paw and began worrying it with his teeth, I realized something was wrong. "Did you pick up a thorn?"
I've never been afraid of dogs, and, obviously, this one had just done me a favor as odd as it seemed, so I moved closer, talking as I did. "Why don't you let me take a look, pup?" I lowered myself slowly to my knees and reached my hand out. "I won't hurt you."
The large animal whimpered once, but allowed me to clasp his paw and bend it back. "There it is," I said softly, clutching the wide end of the thorn between the ragged fingernails of my thumb and index finger. Pulling quickly, I popped it out and released his paw. "Is that better?"
The answer must have been yes, because he stretched up and licked my cheek, making me laugh. "There, there, pup," I snickered, gently pushing him down. "That's mighty forward of you."
The dog's long tongue lolled out, making it look as though he laughed with me. "Well, I guess I should get going." I wrinkled my nose in the direction of the bushes. "I wanted to find the stream, but with my luck, I'll end up stranded without a knight-in-furry-armor to save me."
The dog took a couple of steps away from the bushes and then looked over his shoulder at me, woofing lightly.
"You want me to follow you, huh?" Wondering if he was leading me to a master who needed help, I started forward. "Lead the way."
When my new friend stopped, it wasn't because he'd led me to an owner needing assistance. Instead, we were on the bank of the river I had been looking for. Astonished, I stared at him. "Do you really understand what I say or is this a coincidence?"
Looking away, he dropped to his haunches and raised one hind foot to scratch at his ear.
"I must be losing my mind," I muttered, sitting in the lush grass with a sigh. "It's so beautiful here."
The dog trotted over and dropped unceremoniously next to me, letting his huge head land in my lap and nudging my hand with his nose until I took the hint and began to stroke the soft fur on his head.
We sat like that for a couple of hours as the sun climbed higher in the sky. It wasn't until the dog's ears perked up that I heard a voice in the distance calling my name.
"Oh, damn." I gently eased the dog's head off my lap and stood, brushing the dirt and leaves from the seat of my jeans. "I better get back."
The dog stood and dropped into a low stretch before taking up a spot on my right side.
"Don't you have a home?" I rubbed his ears as we walked. "Such a beautiful boy, someone must be missing you."
The voices were getting louder, more frantic, but still a ways off when the dog suddenly raised his muzzle and howled.
Oddly, the voices stopped. When I reached the clearing that housed Rafael's compound – really, I couldn't figure out what else to call it unless it was a commune – twenty or so men were standing together in groups of three and four and they all appeared to be waiting for me.
"Thank goodness you're okay!" Levi exclaimed, hugging me. "We were so worried."
"I'm sorry," I said softly, guilt seeping in. "I didn't mean to worry you. I couldn't sleep and decided to go for a walk."
"That's okay," Zade said calmly. "No problems?"
"Not really. Not the way you mean," I corrected. "I did get caught in some berry bushes, but the dog helped to free me."
"Dog?" Levi looked amused. "Where is it?"
"He was right here," I said, confused. "Really! I didn't imagine him." Doubt started to creep into my mind as I looked around and my voice fell to a whisper. "Maybe I did."
"I don't think so," Rafael said kindly. "Was it a big black mutt with floppy ears?"
"If it was real.." I started, relief flooding through me as the dog loped out of the woods and ran straight to my side, butting his head against my chest. "Oh! There you are!" Without thinking, I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tight as tears leaked from my eyes into his fur.
"Hey, you're okay," Zade said, patting my shoulder. "You didn't imagine anything. Why don't we go get some food?"
"Can.. can he come?" I asked hesitantly. "He's probably hungry."
"More like thirsty," Zade huffed.
For some reason that made Rafael snort a laugh, but he nodded, answering for Zade. "Of course, he can, Harley. Colby is throwing together some stag hash from a recipe an old friend sent us. There's plenty for everyone."