Page 83 of Operation Protector
“Then trust Cutter. He knows it is.”
They walked around inside the small greenhouse, much warmer than the February chill outside, where her plants were already showing how much they liked it. It might be crystal clear and the sun might be bright enough to make you squint, but that didn’t mean it was warm here in the Northwest. Sometimes February was one of the harshest months of all.
They’d gone back inside for some hot chocolate when Cutter alerted. He trotted over to the window and stood still, watching.
“Must be her car,” Ali said. “I swear, he can tell even cars apart.”
Hayley laughed as she went and turned on what Ali had taken to calling the spy cams, the ones that showed the house next door, including the driveway, at the edge of their broad visual field.
“I don’t even question anymore,” she said as the images popped to life on Ali’s flat-screen.
And sure enough, a moment later when a car pulled into view, it was Liz’s top-end luxury sedan. The garage door began to rise, and the car pulled straight into the garage. But not before Ali spotted the passenger. Definitely Grace, she could tell even though the child was slouched almost below the level of the windows of the vehicle.
“She didn’t look happy,” Hayley said.
Ali sighed. “She never does when the mother picks her up.”
They watched until a light came on in Grace’s room at the back of the house. Cutter finished making his rounds, interrupted by the arrival next door, then settled into the bed Ali had made for him from a soft throw. Ziggy, adorably, had begun to imitate his big companion, following him around the house as he checked every door and window, then plopped down beside him on the floor.
“You know, you could rent him out as a puppy trainer, along with all the zillion other things he’s good at,” Ali said.
“Now, there’s a thought,” Hayley said with a smile.
Ali watched the screen. “I wish she wasn’t so careful about having the house checked for bugs or cams. I’d love to know what’s going on in there right now.”
“Agreed. We even thought about giving Grace something to record with, but the risk was too high that if her mother found it, she might hurt her.”
Ali grimaced. “Even higher, now that we know she’s hit her at least once,” she said, remembering that moment when they’d been talking on the lighthouse bench. She’d felt a little uncomfortable, as if she was eavesdropping on something very personal, but it was all part of knowing what they had to know to rescue Grace.
And that particular bit of knowledge was well beyond infuriating, it was enraging.
Time passed and it was starting to seem like just another day next door when Cutter’s head came up. He got to his feet and walked over to the window. Ali looked at the screen and waited, trusting the dog’s incredible hearing. And about a minute later a car pulled into the driveway. It wasn’t on a par with Liz’s favored luxury model, but was the same make.
“A rideshare, maybe?” she suggested to Hayley. “We don’t have much in the way of taxis over here.”
“I’d agree, if the driver wasn’t acting like that,” Hayley said dryly, nodding at the screen.
Ali looked back at the man who’d gotten out from behind the wheel. Tall and burly, he looked around. Not at the house number as she would have expected if he wanted to be sure he was at the right address, but all around him, lingering long enough on her house to make her uncomfortable. Then he turned to look back the way he’d come, as if he were checking to see if anyone followed him.
“Security?” Ali asked.
“That would be my guess.”
Ali grimaced. A Foxworth operative would likely know one when she saw one.
They couldn’t tell who had come to the door, since they didn’t step outside, but watched as the man went into the house. Quiet reigned again. Cutter was more restless, as if he’d somehow sensed the new arrival was…different. Or maybe she was juststarting to believe the dog was as amazing as the Foxworths said he was. He’d certainly done nothing to disprove that. But finally he settled back into his old spot, and she went back to snuggling with Ziggy, who didn’t have quite the calming effect petting Cutter did, but there was something about that soft fur and tiny body, and most of all the utter trust, that soothed her all the same.
Cutter suddenly scrambled to his feet. He raced to the back door and looked back at them, letting out an almost urgent bark. Hayley headed toward him while Ali grabbed up Ziggy to keep him from trying to follow. Playing together was one thing, but Cutter was obviously working now.
Hayley opened the door, but stayed inside. Cutter raced into the yard, leaped over the short fence in one scrambling bound, and headed for Grace. Hayley stayed at the door while Ali ran back to the screen, where she could see Cutter had already reached the window of Grace’s room.
The window that was open.
She watched, with her heart pounding, as the child leaned out as Cutter reared up on his hind legs to reach her. Grace’s hands went to his collar, and Ali guessed she was putting a message in the little canister.
The pounding in her chest became a wrench as Grace looked back over her shoulder every few seconds, as if she knew she was being pursued. Still the child took a moment to stroke Cutter’s dark head, and even in the small image on the screen Ali could see her smile. So even at times like this—or maybe especially—the clever, protective dog could provide comfort.
And then Grace pulled back inside, slid the window closed and darted back into her room and out of sight of the camera’s field. Cutter wheeled around and started back toward them at a dead run, head down and tail out straight as if he understood speedwas of the essence. Which made Ali feel that painful twist in her chest again.
