Page 115 of Lethal Danger

“I told you to wait for us in the training center, Marnie. You disobeyed me again.”

“Only because I knew Kippie would have more room out here. You said you wanted to try him on the weave poles and the ramp. I did that before we played with the flirt toy. So you wouldn’t have to get it done later.”

Jazz squashed an amused smile at the girl’s tactic of making her rule-breaking sound like she’d done her mom a favor. Smart kid.

“It’s still disobedience, Marnie. You know that.” Marion’s voice stayed gentle as she put one hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Now you’ll have to go inside and help LeBrae with the little ones until we’re done out here.”

Anger snapped in the girl’s eyes as she stepped away from Marion’s touch. “That’s not—” Her voice suddenly cut off as she jerked a glance toward Phoenix.

Jazz hadn’t heard the boss make a sound.

But Marnie stared at her for a second, her features scrunched with fury. Then she spun and walked at a quick clip out of the yard. Though her coiled posture suggested she’d prefer to stomp or kick something.

“I don’t suppose you have time to talk to her while you’re here?” Marion sent Phoenix a hopeful look.

The boss? Talk to a kid?

Phoenix gave a short nod. “Later.”

Marion sighed, apparently relieved. “Thank you.” She turned an apologetic gaze on Jazz. “Sorry you had to witness that.”

“No problem. You have a big family.”

Marion smiled. “That’s a very nice way to put it. Thank you. Many people have other choice words when they see us with seven or more kids.”

“More?”

Marion nodded. “We’ve been privileged to adopt, give birth, and provide a home to some still in foster care. So the number can change, but we’re always a family built on love, as Eli likes to put it.”

A family built on love. A lump formed in Jazz’s throat. How different her life would’ve turned out with a mother like Marion. And a dad like her husband. Sounded like they accepted and loved everyone.

“But you aren’t here to meet my family. You’re here for Flash to see our new training facilities.” Marion supported the baby as the infant shifted slightly against her shoulder. Then she walked Jazz and Phoenix through the training layout of obstacles and agility challenges, explaining how it would function as a place for all the PK-9 Search and Rescue dogs to keep their skills fresh.

Marion took them to another section of land farther out and gestured toward the extensive acres they’d fenced in to have a controlled area for Dag, Flash, and any other tracking and SAR dogs to train.

“Phoenix, I think we’ll shift our cadaver training to the east section there.” Marion pointed at an area that included the edge of a forest. “There are more trees there for varied terrain, and we’ll get a different set of scents by changing location.”

Jazz didn’t register much of Marion’s continued explanation. She was stuck on the first part. Cadaver training? Was that one of the secrets Phoenix was keeping from the team?

Jazz turned to the boss and opened her mouth before she lost her nerve. “Did you get a cadaver dog?”

Phoenix stared at her for a silent moment. “Dag is the cadaver dog.”

“Oh.” Jazz dropped her gaze to the sandy colored dog who finally panted in the heat as he sat by Phoenix’s leg. “I never heard he scents cadavers, too.”

Marion looked from Jazz to Phoenix, then back to Jazz. “We’ve been training him for the past six months. He picked it up very quickly, as he does with everything.”

So it was a new thing. Did anyone else on the PK-9 team know? Jazz cleared her throat and ventured another question. “Why are you training him for cadavers?”

“We’ll be able to expand our services for clients.” At least Phoenix didn’t look annoyed with the questions. Though she never showed any emotion anyway.

Jazz didn’t buy for a second that was the only reason she wanted Dag to be able to find cadavers. Though she had no idea what the real explanation could be. Unless Phoenix had literal skeletons buried in her closet. Wouldn’t Nev be surprised.

Marion interrupted Jazz’s train of thought with the suggestion Flash try the equipment right then.

The poor dog had been fidgety ever since the kids in the house had gotten him excited. And seeing the flirt toy had only amped him up more.

They returned to the agility equipment where Joe still waited to watch. Jazz unclipped Flash’s leash and ran him through the obstacles, letting him show off his insane athleticism.

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