Page 24 of Operation Protector
Instinctively Colby winced, even knowing those words weren’t an accusation of him, but part of the plan.
“Exactly,” Liz said, with a firm sort of approval. And then she turned to Grace—he could tell by the change in her tone to an irritated sharpness—and began to instruct her.
“You may visit, if and when Ali says it’s all right. You may pet the dog, but I don’t want you coming home dirty or muddy or covered in dog hair, do you understand?”
Grace’s tone was sour. “How about if I don’t—”
He heard that small whuff of sound again, and his girl stopped abruptly. That had to have been Cutter. There was a sound of movement before Liz repeated her demand.
“Do you understand?”
“Yes, Mother.”
Quinn looked at Colby. “What do you think she was about to say?”
“Probably ‘how about if I don’t ever come back,’” Colby said. “Which would have made Liz beyond angry.”
“Then that’s what Cutter sensed. And stopped.” Colby looked at him curiously. “Just like before, he could tell whatever Grace was about to say would likely set Liz off. Don’t ask me how, he just knows when things are about to go sideways.”
He was still looking doubtfully at the obviously tough, experienced man who was saying something that seemed ridiculous about a dog, when Hayley spoke into the mic.
“Go ahead with our plan, Ali. Just make sure you bow down first.”
Then he heard Ali speak again. “I have an idea, Grace. You know that big window on the side of my house?” There was a pause, and he guessed Grace must have nodded because Ali went on. “How about if I put a big blue piece of paper in the corner, maybe with your name on it, whenever it’s okay for you to come over.”
“That would work.”
He could hear the excited undertone Grace was trying to suppress. He doubted Liz would; she never paid that much attention.
“You must always, always check with your mother or Irene first,” Ali cautioned, and he gathered that was the bowing part. He was a little amazed at how thoroughly Hayley in particular had grasped exactly what kind of woman Liz was, and what she would require in the way of sucking up. But then, Foxworth had dealt with several people of an even higher echelon than the Hollens.
Ali went on, and there was a lighter, almost teasing note in her voice now. “And if I put a red paper in that spot, please come over as soon as you can, because Cutter really needs someone to play with.”
Grace couldn’t smother her gleeful squeak at that, but to his relief Liz didn’t react or call a halt to the whole thing.
“I’ll have a friend from school visiting for a while,” Ali added, “and poor Cutter may feel neglected. So if he really, really needs to play, he may come looking for you.”
Colby went still. Had they worked that out, too? He looked at Quinn. “Is that a way to get her out of there if necessary? You send the dog over?”
Quinn nodded. “And if we do, he won’t leave without her.”
This dog of theirs was starting to sound like some Special Ops guy or something. Maybe he was, maybe he’d been a military or police dog or something. He was still boggling over that idea when he realized that Ali was saying goodbye.
“See you soon, Grace.”
“Okay.” His little girl was making a valiant effort to hide her excitement. It was something he knew all too well.
“That sounded pretty uninterested,” Hayley said with a glance over at him as she straightened up from her intent, monitoring position.
“She has to hide anything she really likes or wants. If her mother finds out she’ll use it against her.”
“Well, we were convinced before, but doubly so now,” Quinn practically growled.
Colby looked back at Hayley. “I’m guessing you’re the ‘friend from school’ she mentioned?”
“Yes. So Ms. Hollen won’t be surprised to see another person here.”
Ali came in through the back door, Cutter at her side. Automatically Colby got to his feet. The redhead bent to stroke Cutter’s head.
