Page 73 of The Search

“But you trust me to keep it. Or you wouldn’t have burned that bridge.”

She was silent a moment. “Yes, I trust you.”

“How much time do I have?”

“A few days, maybe a week. Madden will have trouble believing that I won’t change my mind. Then he’ll get angry and want to punish me.”

“And then what happens? What will he do to you?”

“He’ll take Monty away from me.”

“What?”

“Monty doesn’t belong to me. ATF owns him. I do what Madden wants or he uses his influence to have them take Monty away and give him to someone else.”

Logan swore softly. “Can’t you buy him from ATF?”

“Don’t you think I’ve tried? They won’t sell him. Madden wants that hold on me.”

“Are you sure he can get them to take Monty away?”

“He’s done it before. Two years ago I’d had enough and told him to go jump in the lake. ATF snatched Monty out of my jeep while I was in the supermarket getting groceries. They left a very businesslike note. They were sending him to a handler in Europe and I’d be notified of the new dog I’d be assigned.”

“Europe?”

“The K9 Corps trains dogs for other law enforcement bodies overseas.” She continued bitterly. “Madden was very clever, wasn’t he? He didn’t even tell me what country. I was frantic. I begged everyone from mail clerks to senior officers in ATF to tell me where they’d shipped Monty. It took me over a month to find out they’d sent him to a police department in Milan. I thought it might be too late.”

“Too late?”

“It’s not only that he won’t eat or drink for anyone else. Monty loves me. We’re . . . close. He would mourn. A dog as loving as Monty can die of sadness.” She blinked her stinging eyes. “He did mourn. He was sick, so sick, when I found him in Milan.”

“And what did you do?”

“What do you think I did? I called Madden and told him I’d do anything he wanted if he’d give me back my dog.” She looked straight into his eyes. “I won’t let that happen to him again. If you can’t find a way to get Madden off my back, Monty and I will just go away and disappear.”

“I’ll find a way.” Logan’s lips tightened grimly. “Count on it.”

“I am. Heaven help you if you let me down.”

“I won’t let you down.” He took out his phone. “Now go tend your wolf while I take care of Madden.” He looked up after he’d dialed a number. “Since we’re joined in putting Madden down, couldn’t you ignore all my sins and give me my truce?”

“Maybe.” She smiled. “If you promise not to feed my dog again.”

“Only if he’s starving.” He spoke into the phone. “Margaret, what’s the word on Madden?”

Sarah was still smiling as she and Monty moved toward the back porch. There was something very comforting about Logan’s immediate and focused response to her problem.

Monty looked back at Logan. Nice.

“Cupboard love. You shouldn’t have eaten until I fed you. You know better.”

Trust.

“You still shouldn’t have broken the rules.” But she, too, was breaking the rules and trusting Logan. How had he managed to get past her defenses?

Nice.

Charisma? No, heaven knows he hadn’t tried to charm her during these last days. He had just been straightforward and hardworking.