Rozan met her expectations. What she didn’t expect was the puppy cradled in his arms. The one he’d valiantly protected from the other dog’s violent attack. That protective instinct surprised her, because it seemed to contradict the hard image he portrayed.
“I don’t need you to thank me,” she said in a sharp voice. “You must be JD.”
He held out his free hand. “Yes, JD Rozan.”
She quickly shook it. “Monica Dulane,” she said, careful to use her alias. “You need to be careful. You can’t just wander around out here.”
Her sharp tone didn’t seem to faze him. His gaze scanned the area, a wistful look on his face. “I used to walk around out here when I was a kid.”
“Things have changed,” she said in a flat tone.
JD’s sharp gaze returned to her face. “I can see that,” he said, motioning to her rifle. “But I heard this little guy whimpering—” he looked down at the puppy “—and followed the sound here. I found him tied up to a tree stump by his hind legs. I’d just untied him when that one showed up.” He gestured to the second dog lying still off to the side.
Monica walked over to the dead dog and shook her head. It was a shame. He’d been trained to kill. It wasn’t his fault. She’d have to bury him. She didn’t want to attract scavengers. All she needed was a gang of vultures making this spot their new home. She looked atthe dead dog again, measuring its size, then noticed a mark on its paw. She swore.
“What?” JD asked.
“This is one of Drent Marks’s dogs.” Monica looked around and saw more evidence of Drent’s presence: the torn tree bark where various ropes had been tied, the flattened ground, and the trash and blood on dry leaves.
JD watched her. “What do you see?”
“There have been dogfights here. They used to have them in the shed before I stopped them. I’ll talk to Drent later. He’s the ringleader. That’s another reason to be careful out here. Some people started squatting on your grandmother’s property bringing with them bad behavior. It took me four months to get them off, but it’s not easy and, as you can see, some people don’t listen.”
“Now that I’m here, I’ll handle any trouble.”
Monica didn’t believe him. He was going to be there only about eight weeks. She didn’t expect him to be able to accomplish much, so she decided not to reply. “Did he get you?” she asked, noticing JD’s torn sleeve.
JD glanced down at his ripped jacket sleeve. “Nearly, but not quite.”
Monica nodded. “He wasn’t focused on you. He was trying to get to him,” she said, gesturing to the puppy, which didn’t move. If she hadn’t know it was real, she would have thought it was a toy—its large eyes terrified and unblinking.
JD frowned. “Bait?” he asked, looking down at the helpless animal.
Monica did the same, and from the many scars covering its head and face, she knew that in its short life the little fellow had been attacked many times before.
“Yes, probably,” she said with disgust. “That’s how Drent likes to train his monsters.”
“Then Drent and I will have a little chat.”
Monica looked at JD, startled by the aggressive tone in his voice. “He’s not someone to antagonize.”
JD flashed a grin as cold as a lethal blade. “Neither am I.”
Monica felt a chill go through her and decided to change the subject. “You’re early. I didn’t expect you for another two days.”
JD shrugged without apology. “I just had to get away.”
He didn’t expand on his answer and Monica didn’t try to push him. She wasn’t really interested in why he was here. She had to deal with the situation as best she could. “Okay, let’s go inside.”
JD took the rifle from her and handed the puppy to her before she could protest.
“If this Marks guy shows up,” he said with purpose, “I want to be ready.”
Chapter 2
M arks didn’t show up and they made it to the house without incident. Once inside they
“I don’t need you to thank me,” she said in a sharp voice. “You must be JD.”
He held out his free hand. “Yes, JD Rozan.”
She quickly shook it. “Monica Dulane,” she said, careful to use her alias. “You need to be careful. You can’t just wander around out here.”
Her sharp tone didn’t seem to faze him. His gaze scanned the area, a wistful look on his face. “I used to walk around out here when I was a kid.”
“Things have changed,” she said in a flat tone.
JD’s sharp gaze returned to her face. “I can see that,” he said, motioning to her rifle. “But I heard this little guy whimpering—” he looked down at the puppy “—and followed the sound here. I found him tied up to a tree stump by his hind legs. I’d just untied him when that one showed up.” He gestured to the second dog lying still off to the side.
Monica walked over to the dead dog and shook her head. It was a shame. He’d been trained to kill. It wasn’t his fault. She’d have to bury him. She didn’t want to attract scavengers. All she needed was a gang of vultures making this spot their new home. She looked atthe dead dog again, measuring its size, then noticed a mark on its paw. She swore.
“What?” JD asked.
“This is one of Drent Marks’s dogs.” Monica looked around and saw more evidence of Drent’s presence: the torn tree bark where various ropes had been tied, the flattened ground, and the trash and blood on dry leaves.
JD watched her. “What do you see?”
“There have been dogfights here. They used to have them in the shed before I stopped them. I’ll talk to Drent later. He’s the ringleader. That’s another reason to be careful out here. Some people started squatting on your grandmother’s property bringing with them bad behavior. It took me four months to get them off, but it’s not easy and, as you can see, some people don’t listen.”
“Now that I’m here, I’ll handle any trouble.”
Monica didn’t believe him. He was going to be there only about eight weeks. She didn’t expect him to be able to accomplish much, so she decided not to reply. “Did he get you?” she asked, noticing JD’s torn sleeve.
JD glanced down at his ripped jacket sleeve. “Nearly, but not quite.”
Monica nodded. “He wasn’t focused on you. He was trying to get to him,” she said, gesturing to the puppy, which didn’t move. If she hadn’t know it was real, she would have thought it was a toy—its large eyes terrified and unblinking.
JD frowned. “Bait?” he asked, looking down at the helpless animal.
Monica did the same, and from the many scars covering its head and face, she knew that in its short life the little fellow had been attacked many times before.
“Yes, probably,” she said with disgust. “That’s how Drent likes to train his monsters.”
“Then Drent and I will have a little chat.”
Monica looked at JD, startled by the aggressive tone in his voice. “He’s not someone to antagonize.”
JD flashed a grin as cold as a lethal blade. “Neither am I.”
Monica felt a chill go through her and decided to change the subject. “You’re early. I didn’t expect you for another two days.”
JD shrugged without apology. “I just had to get away.”
He didn’t expand on his answer and Monica didn’t try to push him. She wasn’t really interested in why he was here. She had to deal with the situation as best she could. “Okay, let’s go inside.”
JD took the rifle from her and handed the puppy to her before she could protest.
“If this Marks guy shows up,” he said with purpose, “I want to be ready.”
Chapter 2
M arks didn’t show up and they made it to the house without incident. Once inside they
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