Page 52 of Chasing Creed

“Hannah says I can be as stubborn as a mule sometimes.”

Norwich smiled at that, but he could see the emotional weight on her face. Guilt, blame, regret. He wasn’t sure which.

“You know where mules get their stubborn reputation?” he asked instead.

She shook her head again, her eyes still serious.

The rain had gone from a downpour to a sprinkle. That was the Florida Panhandle. No guarantee it was over, although the rumble of thunder softened. Lightning flickered only in the distance. Creed felt his tension relax. He recognized the adrenaline dump, and soon the exhaustion would invade his body. He needed to keep the fatigue from taking over his mind as well.

“Mules are very intelligent.,” he said, attempting to lighten the mood. “They’re one of the few animals that if they sense any kind of danger or think their own safety is in jeopardy, they won’t move forward. Horses tend to panic. They’ll run. Mules? They stop, literally in their tracks. People call it stubborn. But honestly? They’re just following their instinct.”

“Today I’m grateful you’re as stubborn as a mule.” Norwich said.

Her phone buzzed, and she snatched it from her pocket. “They’re twenty to thirty minutes from the property. You and Grace go meet them, and I’ll wait here.”

Immediately, his gut instinct didn’t like that plan.

“It’s okay,” she told him. “I just don’t want to leave Kyle here by himself. The storm’s leaving. I’ll be fine.”

He still hesitated.

“I’m not leaving this boy alone a second time,” she said. And he understood.

“I’ll text you as soon as we get to the Jeep. Is there anything I can bring back for you?”

“I could use a vodka and tonic, but I’ll wait for that.”

He was relieved to hear the humor.

The three of them exited from under the tree. They looked like they’d been in a dunking tank. Grace shook herself and sent a spray flying. He wished he could do the same. He’d covered Kyle with his long-sleeved, button-down shirt and now realized how chilly the crisp air had turned. It didn’t matter. He’d soon work up a sweat.

Norwich watched as Creed pulled protein bars out of his pack. He offered one to Norwich. “Hannah makes these for the dogs, but everything in them is human-grade.”

She simply thanked him and started opening the Ziploc bag. Creed fed one to Grace while he munched his own. Then he offered water all around. When he was finished, he squatted in front of Grace, adjusting her vest and making sure the GPS tracker was tucked inside. He latched onto her leash, not about to end this day in a bear trap.

He’d taught her this trick during a downtime when the little dog was bored. She loved learning new things. He’d used it in the field a few times when he was dealing with brain fog or had truly lost all sense of direction and needed her help. So, he knew if he told her to go back to “find,” she’d take him to where they began the search, the exact place he’d asked her to “Find Kyle.”

But he’d given her that command in the meadow. Near Kyle’s SUV. That would be a long trek. More than anything, he needed her to take him back to the Jeep instead. There had to be a shortcut. No way he’d find it on his own. But Grace might. She could probably bypass the long trek to the meadow and through the other side of the woods.

She knew the word “Jeep.” He’d taught her to associate it as a safe place to return. That lesson was in case he became incapacitated. No matter where they were or how far they’d ventured on a search, if he wasn’t able to return, someone would eventually find his Jeep. And they’d find Grace there, safe and waiting.

The problem was, he’d never tried it before. He hoped it worked. Despite her excitement, he knew both of them were drained. Their muscles fatigued. Adrenaline spent. Kyle couldn’t afford them getting lost.

“Grace,” she was ready for his command. Ready to get back to work. Ears perked. Eyes sparkling. Her amazing energy and spirit gave him a boost of his own.

“Grace, take us back to the Jeep.”

35

In what seemed like only minutes, they were breaking free of the woods. He could see the house and the driveway. And the Jeep! Not only had Grace gotten them back, but she’d found a shortcut.

Creed put Grace inside the back. Tilted the moonroof to let in fresh air. He was toweling her off when he saw the headlights coming up the driveway.

Except the vehicle wasn’t an ambulance or a rescue crew.

It was the county sheriff’s department SUV. Of course, Sheriff Daniels would have heard the news and possibly even the request for emergency vehicles.

“Grace, stay,” he told her, putting his finger to his lips. She lay down. She knew to stay quiet. The dog was so exhausted, she didn’t need more instruction to rest.