“Email? No, I’ve been incommunicado. I was calling to say that if my paperwork surfaces, scuttle it. Camo belongs with Arden Voelker.”
The guy on the other end laughed. “Gift of the Magi.”
“What?”
“Oh, just the two of you. Well, Ms. Volker said not to tell you but this is too good… In any event, as far as the US military is concerned, Camo is nowyourdog.”
“Wait? What? Arden…gave up her claim?”
“I’m just gonna let you two work out the details, whatever they are. Happy New Year, McGuire.” The coordinator hung up.
Kyle sat in stunned silence.
He looked around his office. The last time he sat in this chair he’d gotten the worst news of his life—that he’d permanently lost Camo. And now Camo was irrefutably his.
It felt so wrong. Even with Camo sitting right there next to his chair, this whole thing was just wrong.
Kyle leaned back and closed his eyes until someone tapped him on the shoulder. “Yeah, boss?” he asked as he opened his eyes.
But it wasn’t Lachlan, or Camden, or even Gina.
The guy looked familiar, maybe a new hire? He’d definitely seen those eyes somewhere—gray and intelligent.
He smiled at Kyle, then bent down to pet Camo, who thumped his tail against the floor and licked the dude’s hand. “Hey, boy, I can’t stick around so I guess this is it for us, huh?”
“I know you from somewhere,” Kyle said. Even the guy’s voice was familiar. He’d told him to do something once, right? But what was it?
The guy straightened up. “Naw, we’ve never met.”
But Kyle could swear they had. It was on the tip of his brain, and Camo acted like they were old friends. They had to have met in the military. Yeah, now that he looked closer, the guy was in uniform. Pinned to his shirt was a boat with a pistol and a sword crossed behind it.
“Did I…meet you at Arden’s?”
The guy chuckled. “In a manner of speaking. You like Arden?”
“I fucking love her, man. But I fucked up and I think I lost her. She’s just so damn strong and stubborn.”
The guy tipped his head back and laughed. Kyle liked him, just from that laugh. “Yeah, she’s strong and stubborn all right, but she still needs someone to watch her six, since I can’t anymore. I’m hoping you’re the guy who can. I’m hoping you’ll both find your way back home together.”
Kyle’s phone buzzed on his desk.
“Better get that. You gotta fly.”
It buzzed again, startling Kyle right out of his dream. He lunged for it, hoping it was Arden. Instead, it was Lachlan’s assistant, Jackie. She’d found a flight to DIA Sunday afternoon and they were happy to welcome a former military working dog aboard, too.
Kyle shook his head. “Thanks, Sean,” he whispered. “I guess Nancy’s not the only ghost in town anymore.”
Twenty
The hospital let Arden go Sunday afternoon, wonder of wonders. She’d been asking to leave since the day before and was told that hospital discharges moved like molasses on weekends and holidays and here she had both working against her. But she was persistent, telling them she had animals to take care of (not really—between Frank Miller and the Williamses, she was covered) and that they probably needed the bed for any car accidents or parents who stepped on fresh Legos brought by Santa.
An orderly pushed her in a wheelchair to the pavilion where Ellie’s car idled. She’d sprained her left ankle so she could still drive, thank goodness for small mercies.
“You want me to stay with you tonight, sweetie?” Ellie asked her as she drove carefully up the hill. The sun had come out Saturday and Sunday and melted a good portion of the snow, but there were still slick patches in the shadows and it was getting dark.
“No, I’m fine. They sent along some good drugs.”
“Which you probably won’t touch anyway, knowing you.” Ellie side-eyed her with a smile.
