Page 18 of Operation Protector
“You met Parker on one of their cases?”
She nodded, confirming his earlier guess. “And the team matchmaker,” she said, nodding toward the dog, “decided then and there Parker and I needed to be together.”
Ali laughed at that. “The team matchmaker?”
“You laugh now, but just you wait.”
Colby wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean, but he was too transfixed by the delighted look on Ali’s face to speak.
The detective got to her feet, looking at Quinn and Hayley now. “All right, I’ll do a bit of research, find what you askedabout. If anything changes, you need more, or need me to step in, you’ve got the number.”
“Thanks, Carly. Say hello to Parker for us.”
“Oh, I’ll do more than hello,” she promised with a wink.
“That,” Hayley said with a grin after she’d gone, “is a happy woman.”
“And Parker’s a happy—and lucky—guy,” Colby said.
“What was that about Cutter being a matchmaker?” Ali asked.
“He just knows when two people should be together, like she said,” Hayley answered.
Colby was sure he looked as doubtful as Ali. Enough that Quinn grinned at them. “He started with me and Hayley, and he hasn’t let up since.”
If there was anyone Colby would have thought wouldn’t buy into that kind of fanciful idea, it was Quinn Foxworth. And as if he’d read the thought, the man laughed.
“Yeah, I know. And I was a very, very tough sell. I mean seriously, a dog? But if you still don’t believe after nearly twenty times without a miss, you’re not hard to convince, you’re blind.”
He shifted his gaze to his wife, who had walked over with Ali. The wife he so clearly loved and apparently would not have were it not for that dog who was now sitting watching them intently.
“You get a plan worked out?” Quinn asked.
“We did,” Hayley confirmed.
“All right.” He shifted his gaze to Colby. “Big question I have to ask. Do you know if there are any weapons in the house? Does she own any?”
Colby blinked. “Uh… I don’t think so.” His mouth twisted. “She considers herself above such things, but I know the Hollens have armed security when they need it.”
“Typical,” Quinn said, then shifted back to his wife. “So what’s the plan?”
Hayley looked at Colby. “First of all, to ease your mind, Cutter is now acting as Ali’s for the duration. He’ll keep her safe, and Grace.”
He couldn’t deny he was relieved. But also puzzled. “But he hasn’t even met Grace.”
“But he’ll have her scent,” Ali said, “and Hayley says that’s enough.”
“How…?”
“I have a sweater she forgot last time she snuck over here.”
“We’ll give Cutter a good sniff,” Hayley said, “and that with the command ‘protect,’ he’ll know what to do.” She smiled. “Not that he wouldn’t even without that. The ‘protect the children gene’ is built in, from what we’ve seen.”
“So I’ll go over with him, pretend he’s mine. She doesn’t hate dogs, does she?”
“No. As long as they don’t track dirt into her house, she doesn’t react much to them.”
Ali wrinkled her nose. Colby almost smiled. “I’ll still try to make nice with her,” she said. “Grace told me she likes fancy wine?”
