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SEPTEMBER WAITED AS April’s phone rang a third time. Teddy stared at her, unasked questions palpable. Lizzie had called on a different phone. There was a chance a call to April’s cell would actually reach her sister.
“Hello, September?”
Confused, September nearly hung up when the man’s voice answered. But it wasn’t Gerald the Ghost. “Who is this? I want to speak to April. Is she all right?”
“It’s Officer Combs. Jeff Combs. We’ve talked before. I’ve left you phone messages and I’ve been trying to reach you.” He paused, and she could hear voices in the background but not the words. “Where are you? Are you all right? Do you have Steven?”
“Why do you have April’s phone?” She ran a hand through her hair, pacing. Shadow tried to follow and nearly tripped her.
“April’s been shot.”
The words were a stomach punch. She suddenly found herself sitting on the floor, the big dog licking her face while Teddy patted her shoulder. September pushed the dog away. “Shot? Is she okay?”
“You need to come in. It’s time.” His calm voice sounded so reasonable. “April’s been taken to the hospital. Steven wasn’t with her. Is he with you?”
If they took her to the hospital, she was alive. “Is she going to be okay?” She shrugged off Teddy’s comforting hand.
“Where’s Steven?”
September closed her eyes. Lizzie had lied. Big surprise. “Shadow bit the big guy who took Steven, but he couldn’t stop them.” She struggled to regain her feet, fear for her sister quickly changing to angry demands. “Is my sister going to be all right?”
Combs didn’t answer for a beat, and she knew it was serious. “You need to come in now, September. Let the police handle things.”
“How? How will you handle things?” She turned away from Teddy’s fearful expression. The time for fear was over. “You don’t know where Steven is, either. How will my coming in help? Will it save my sister’s life?”
“Come on, September, tell us what you know and let us take it from there. I can send someone to get you. We know you’re trying to help April and Steven. But you’re in over your head. What can you do? You’re only one person.”
She looked at Teddy, and placed a firm hand on Shadow’s shoulders. “I’m not alone.” She punched off the phone connection.
***
FUR BRISTLING, SHADOW raced after September. The fear-stink so recently washed away rose in waves, and September’s wide eyes, quick breath and charging heart shouted louder than words. The excitement was contagious. He wagged with a short, high-held semaphore that punctuated his excitement.
Teddy followed, and watched as September reached for her wet shoes. Shadow sniffed her foot. Shoes meant going somewhere. He whined and licked September’s hands as she tied the laces. He could hear her pulse sprinting fast and hard, even through the layers of borrowed clothes that smelled like a stranger.
Teddy paced. “Why didn’t you tell the cop our plan?” Shadow cocked his head and watched.
She shook her head, bright spots coloring her cheeks. September pulled on the other shoe, stood, shrugged on her coat, and patted the pockets for the car keys. They jingled.
Keys meant a car ride. Too often humans neglected to include the dog. Shadow’s fur smoothed, and he waved his tail and yelped, frustrated but determined. He danced his “take-me-with-you” request with whirls, twirls and whines. She needed him. And he needed to be with her. She acted frightened, and that made his tummy tighten, too. But she didn’t have teeth, and he did—teeth that could protect them both. That’s what good-dogs did, they protected their humans. He whirled again and yelped.
“Settle, Shadow.” September held out her hand, and he stopped to push against it.
He’d always wanted to be a good-dog, not just for Steven. September said being a good-dog for Steven was the most important job in the world. But his boy wasn’t here. Steven didn’t even like Shadow, he could tell. And Shadow liked September, a lot more than he liked Steven. Good dogs do what they’re told. But it felt wrong this time.
Shadow yawned, but it didn’t help. He licked his nose, and slurped September’s hand. He didn’t know what to do.
Except watch her face. Smell her body. Listen for the special words that explained everything. The joyful “click” noises September made for good-dog behavior. Only September made the special click noises. Only her “good-dog” made his heart leap. Only September made his world right.
He would not leave her.
Teddy retrieved and pulled on his own coat.
Shadow’s brow furrowed. Maybe they’d all go for a car ride together. He’d like that. Shadow pranced and twirled between September and the old man.
September grabbed Teddy’s arm. “I won’t get you killed, too.” She guided him back to the sofa. She swallowed in a loud gulp even a human could hear. “Stay here with Shadow.”
He didn’t like that “stay” word. With a whine, Shadow stared from face to face and checked hands for hidden balls, anxious for the game to begin. He loved games. He didn’t want to stay.
Teddy sat down so hard the sofa squeaked in protest. “They’ll kill you.”
September’s jaw tightened. “They’ll try. But I’m not running this time, not hiding anymore.” She headed for the door.
Shadow woofed, and raced her to the entry. No game after all. Instead she wanted to leave. Not without him! He pushed between September and the wall. His tail hammered the door.
“Baby-dog.” September’s gentle words gave him hope. He pressed his head against her side, reveled in her touch. “You can’t go, Shadow. Be a good-dog, and stay.”
He yelped. The “stay” word hurt worse than a fist. He had to change her mind. Shadow leaped to reach September’s face. He had to tell her, show her. His place was with her, how could she not understand?
She knelt on the wet tile, opened her arms. Shadow whimpered and washed the salt from her eyes. “I know, baby-dog, but you can’t. You just can’t.”
He didn’t understand the words, but her tone told him everything he needed to know. Shadow’s hopes deflated.
Teddy struggled to stand. He held the gun.
September gasped. Her arms tightened around Shadow.
His hackles lifted at the renewed fear-stink that filled the room. Something had changed between the two people. He cocked his head, trying to puzzle it out.
