“You’re sure it’s your dog?” Jason asked.
“Stake my life on it.”
“You say she found him while he was lost? If she didn’t steal him, there isn’t much my office can do.”
“I understand that. I’m not calling to file a complaint. She appears to be a high-strung person. She might respond if you just show up and scare her a little.”
“I guess we could drop by and see her. Most people, even if they’re blustery at first, tend to get more cooperative when the cops come.” Jason gave a wicked chuckle. “What’s her name?”
“Sandi. I don’t know her last name. Listen, Jason, I don’t want trouble. All I want is for her to give my dog back.”
“Is she mistreating him?”
“No. He looks good, like she’s taking good care of him. She owns this store where she makes and sells health food for dogs and cats. It’s got a goofy name. La-something.”
“LaBarkery? I know that store. Either I or my wife go into it occasionally to buy a treat for our dogs. That’s a real cool store. Your dog is probably eating great.”
Suddenly, it came to Nick that though he hadn’t taken a close look at Sandi’s little operation, he admired what she was doing. With in-depth knowledge of animal nutrition himself, he could see she was conscientious and caring.
“Tell you what,” Jason said. “I’ve been here all night. I’ll be off in about half an hour. I know right where LaBarkery is. I’ll meet you in the parking lot. We’ll go talk to her. I’m a firm believer that a little conversation solves a lot of problems.”
Half an hour later, Nick drove to the parking lot and came to a stop away from the front entrance to LaBarkery. After Jason had sung the store’s praises, Nick had a dubious feeling having him be the one to talk to Sandi about Buster.
Jason soon drove up, interrupting Nick’s thoughts. Nick stepped down from his truck as Jason parked beside him and scooted out of his county car. “I looked up her business license,” he said. “Her last name is Walker. Sandi Walker. Let’s go see what she has to say. When she sees me in my uniform, she’ll probably hand your dog right over.”
As they approached the store’s front entrance, they saw Buster barking and wagging his tail on the other side of the front door. “See?” Nick said. “He knows me. He’s glad to see me. He’s my dog.”
They walked into the store and the aromas of freshly cooked meats surrounded them. Buster barked and danced and bounced. Tail whipping, he rose on his hind legs and put his paws on Nick’s chest. Nick hands reflexively went to scruff the golden head and ears. Man, he loved this dog. “Hey, boy. Howya doing today?” Nick couldn’t keep from smiling. “See how glad he is to see me?” he said to Jason.
Sandi came from the back room wearing a green butcher’s apron and wiping her hands on a towel. She stopped in her tracks, her breath catching.
Instantly, Nick saw a storm of emotions in her pretty green eyes, including fear. He felt like a chickenshit and wished he hadn’t called Jason. There was something about her that made him not want to quarrel with her.
“Waffle. Come here,” she said firmly.
The dog obeyed, but reluctantly. He looked back at Nick. She bent forward and clutched his collar. “You stay here with mama, boy. Be a good dog.”
Nick could see she wasn’t going to let Buster escape her. She looked up at him. “How can I help you?”
Jason removed his uniform cap and held it in front of his chest. Nick, too, removed his own cap.
“Miz Walker, I’m Deputy Webster. First, let me tell you this isn’t an official visit. The truth is, I’m one of your customers. I was hoping you and me and Mr. Conway here could have a conversation about his dog”—he nodded toward Buster—“that’s obviously in your possession.”
Nick winced, even more profoundly sorry for what he had set in motion.
“Sit, Waffle, sit,” Sandi told Buster. The dog parked his butt between him and Sandi, looking first at one, then the other.
Two young girls came out from the back room, their faces lined with worry. Sandi lifted her chin defiantly. “I do not have his dog.”
Again, Jason tilted his head toward Buster. “The dog seems to know him, ma’am.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. Waffle is friendly to everyone.”
Buster began to whine and strain toward Nick. “See?” Nick said. “He wants to come to me.”
“I have to agree, ma’am,” Jason said. “The dog seems to want to be with Mr. Conway.”
Sandi’s eyes glistened with tears and Nick felt worse. “That isn’t possible. I’ve had Waffle since he was a puppy.”
Jason turned to Nick, a bewildered expression on his face.
Any idea that this woman was going to easily give up Buster just because a cop was on the scene fled. Now Nick was even more uncertain that he was doing the right thing, but his ego demanded that he stand his ground. After all, she had just told Jason a bald-faced lie. “That’s not true, Jason. I got him when he was less than a week old. I saved his life.”
The two girls stood silently in the background, their faces in a scowl, their arms crossed over their chests. If looks could kill, Nick was sure he would be a dead man.
Buster pranced and whimpered and strained against Sandi’s grip on his collar, his toenails clicking on the tile floor.
“As I said, ma’am,” Jason continued. “This isn’t an official visit. I want to try to mediate something between you and Mr. Conway.”
She sniffled. “What, you just automatically believe what he says, without even considering that I just
