Page 113 of Back To Our Beginning

“I’m so happy for you.”

We continued to talk about different things going on in the world and in Jasper Creek as we finished our meal, then our pie. We took our plates into the kitchen and Beau loaded them into the dishwasher, then he turned to me. “Did I tell you how much I really like the sundress you’re wearing?”

“You might have mentioned it.”

“It’s kind of early to go to bed. Should we watch some TV?” he suggested.

I shook my head.

“Wanna play pinochle?”

I shook my head.

“Scrabble?”

I shook my head.

“Wanna fuck?”

“Now that’s an activity I can get behind.” I grinned.

“How did I get so lucky?” Beau whispered as he took me into his arms.

“I let you win at pool,” I answered with a laugh.

And wasn’t that one of the smartest things I’d ever done?

Chapter Thirty-One

Brantley had come up with a design that was perfect on his first attempt. Somehow, he had listened to what I’d said and figured out a ring that totally fit Maddie. I called him back immediately to get started on it. I couldn’t care less that it was going to be a significant hit to my savings account. It was totally worth it. Now I just needed to figure out a way to ask her to marry me. I’d heard how Simon had popped the question to Trenda, so I was going to have to do this up right.

Right now, though, I had bigger fish to fry. Maddie had sent me on a mission to find Sparks, if it was at all possible. She had visited two animal shelters in Gatlinburg yesterday, and they said they never received a dog with Sparks' description, and she’d been given two more shelters to check out. I was going to go about this another way.

I went back a couple of weeks ago to when we had discovered Eli under the stairs, and I had arranged for Sparks to be picked up by animal control. I knew the date, time, and address of the pickup, so that was where I started. I explained the situation to animal control, that the little boy who had been beaten by the same man who had beaten the dog wanted to be reunited with the dog. The woman I talked to was extremely helpful. She told me which vet Sparks was taken to, so that’s where I went next.

When I got there, I told the vet who was on duty the same story that I had told animal control. He was very sympathetic. I found out that Sparks had been kept there for over a week until he was healthy enough to be handed over to a no-kill shelter in Pigeon Forge. The vet told me that even though they’d sent him to a no-kill shelter, he was worried that Sparks was so aggressive, he might have to be put down if he tried to attack someone.

I thanked him for the information and headed over to Pigeon Forge. On my way over there I got a call from Roan.

“Hey,” I answered. “How’s it going?”

“Not so good,” Roan replied.

I frowned. “What’s going on?”

“You told me to monitor that fucker, Bruce. I’m guessing he was informed by his public defender today that they’re going to use Eli’s testimony against him.”

“Okay. So, what makes this not so good?”

“Bruce’s car is parked in Maddie’s office parking lot.”

“Fuck!” I took the first right I could into a parking lot. It was a bank. “Tell me everything.”

“Do you know where Maddie is?”

“She’s working at the office today. We need to call her right now and tell her she is not to go out into the parking lot, no matter what. I’m going to conference her in right now.”

I pressed the add-call feature on my phone and pressed in Maddie’s number.