“True. But most jobs don’t involve sending your partner toward an armed suspect or require you to make split-second decisions that could end with someone dying.”
“Zeus knows what he’s doing. I trust him.”
“I’m sure you do,” Jade softened her voice slightly. “Tell me about him. How long have you been partnered?”
The shift was subtle, but Jade caught it. Maddox’s shoulders eased just a fraction, and her expression, though still guarded, lost some of its sharp edges.
“Five years. Since he was trained.”
“That’s a long time. You must have a strong bond.”
“He’s the best partner I’ve ever had.”
“Better than human partners?”
Maddox’s mouth curved slightly, not quite a smile but something approaching one. Dark humor that came from the job, probably. “Dogs don’t lie or have hidden agendas, and they don’t bail when things get complicated.”
There it was. A crack, small but real. But Jade didn’t push into it. Instead, she asked, “What’s he like off-duty?”
Maddox hesitated before answering. “Playful. When he’s not working, he’s just…a dog. He loves chasing balls and getting belly rubs, and he falls asleep on the couch even though he’s not supposed to.”
“It sounds like he trusts you completely.”
“He does,” Maddox said with zero hesitation.
“Does he trust anyone else?”
The walls came back up quickly. “Not really. He’s protective.”
“Of you?”
“That’s his job,” she said, and Jade perceived a note of defensiveness in her tone.
Jade nodded, filing away the information. Maddox trusted Zeus, and Zeus trusted only Maddox. The partnership was their safe space, the only relationship where Maddox allowed herself to be needed and to need in return.
It was a foundation to build on eventually.
“We’re almost out of time,” Jade said, checking the clock. “Before you go, is there anything you need from these sessions? Anything that would make showing up here easier?”
Maddox stood, her movements controlled and efficient. “Not having to show up would make it easier.”
“Fair enough. But given that’s not an option?”
She paused, then grudgingly said, “Don’t make me talk about feelings like they matter.”
“Noted.” Jade stood as well, maintaining her professional distance. “Same time next week?”
“Are you asking me because I have a choice?”
“Not really, but I’ll still see you on Tuesday at two.”
Maddox headed for the door, then stopped with her hand still on the handle but didn’t turn around. “For the record? This is still bureaucratic bullshit.”
“Also noted.”
The door closed behind her, firm but not slammed. Jade stood in the quiet office, listening to Maddox’s footsteps fade down the hallway. Jade looked out the window and saw Maddox cross the parking lot toward the K-9 building with that same measured stride, her shoulders back and chin up, but something about her posture looked heavier now. Like the fifty-eight minutes had cost her something after all.
First session: survived. Five more to go.
