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The evidence was in his hand.

Everyone looked up when I entered.

I stopped at the foot of the stairs.

“No.”

Agnes frowned. “No what?”

“Whatever this is.”

“It’s breakfast,” June said.

“It looks like an ambush.”

Wolf took a drink of coffee. “It is.”

Max walked into the room beside me.

Dylan jumped out of his chair.

“You have a dog!”

Max’s ears lifted.

Dylan ran toward him.

“Stop,” I said.

The boy froze.

Havoc moved quickly, but I held up my hand.

“Let Max come to you.”

Dylan looked at the dog.

Max looked at Dylan.

“Hold out your hand,” I said. “Keep it low.”

Dylan did exactly as I told him.

Max moved forward and sniffed his fingers.

“Friend,” I said.

Max’s tail moved once.

Dylan smiled so widely I could see the gap between his two front teeth.

“Can I pet him?”

“On his shoulder. Don’t reach over his head.”

Dylan placed one careful hand against Max’s side.

Max leaned into him.