Page 23 of Sheltering Instinct

“Down south in the desert?” Hailey said. “I don’t think they’d range down that far. South of the capital, Windhoek, I think that’s mostly Oryx and ostriches. Some baboons. Lots of termites.”

“Let’s get back to the problem with Mojo,” Reaper said.

“When he smells rhino, Mojo becomes fiercely protective and uncontrollable by voice command. We saw that play out with Casper. It’s a significant concern.”

“Except that’s the opposite of becoming predatory after tasting blood,” Noah said.

“Enrico put it this way: Mojo can’t be commanded when a rhino is around,” Levi explained. “He’s busy guarding and protecting. Enrico put him through his paces outside Etosha without the rhinos, and Mojo was spot on. Enrico figures he needs to sell Mojo to an outfit that won’t be around rhinos. So that’s a consideration. I’m not sure how often that would come up with Team Charlie if we considered Mojo.”

“Good chance it would never come up,” Reaper said. “If you were attaching to one of the tactical forces, we’d just make sure that you weren’t tapped to go to the zoo.” He flicked a finger toward the phone, and Levi opened it and handed it back to Reaper. “Did Enrico get video of the rhino reaction?”

“No video of the reaction. I’m assuming they’re too busy making sure that everything stays safe. But there is video comparing Mojo’s work before the incident and the same skills outside of the park afterward. He’s impressive.”

“My worry would be that he’d accumulate a list of situations where he takes the dominant role. That could quickly make him useless in the field,” Reaper said.

“Mine, too,” Levi agreed. “Enrico said that Mojo has been in life-or-death situations before and after. He thinks Mojo might be blaming himself for allowing his handler to die. Enrico doesn’t know I’m looking for a dog, so he’s not trying to sell me a Casper.”

“So heisfor sale?” Noah asked. “Beautiful animal. You can see the intelligence in his eyes.”

“He’s a purebred German shepherd. I’ve been hearing stories about Mojo and his training since he was a pup. Since they can’t use Mojo as a working dog, Enrico figures that with the price for Mojo, he could get a whole litter of pups raised and ready to expand their kennel. They’ve already lost twenty-something rhinos this year alone. They need more help, and their budget is small.”

“Interesting,” Reaper said as he watched the video without providing any context. He handed the phone back to Levi. “Okay, let’s see if we can’t get over to see this Mojo pooch.” He turned to Hailey. “That vineyard your friend’s parents run, is it dog-friendly?”

“The Etosha trainers do part of their puppy training there. They encourage the guests to play with the puppies so they get used to different people’s looks and smells since the dogs work around tourists from all over the world. I bet the Metzes know Enrico.”

“Could you reach out to them and see if they have room and board for three with the possibility that Mojo might be spending the night?”

“Since I do Cerberus logistics, I think I can handle that.” She smiled. “When are you thinking of going?”

“I have this week,” Reaper said, “and then my training schedule is tight.”

Hailey scribbled notes on her pad, then looked up. “So, first flight out once Enrico is on board?”

Chapter Seven

Levi

Metz Winery, Namibia

Ever since Levi passed the video of Mojo around the conference table, the team had been forward-leaning. True to her promise, Hailey had them on the first flight out of Reagan. They’d landed in Windhoek, rented a vehicle, and driven north to the Metz Winery, where Hailey had arranged their stay.

There was no moss growing on an Iniquus timeline. They developed a strategy and moved on it.

That dynamic orientation was part and parcel of Levi’s time in the military. He’d be sleeping in a tent one minute, and the next, he’d be loading onto a helicopter, winging out on a do-or-die mission.

Levi liked that kind of life. Nothing stagnant. Enough downtime to get basic tasks accomplished and then shots of adrenaline that kept his system running in prime condition. He thought it was good for him both physically and mentally.

And ever since Tess, Levi never had the inclination to put down roots. He couldn’t see that in his future, either.

In the military, his call sign was “Tumbleweed.” But Levi had been glad to shed that moniker when he left the service. He’d been long enough away from his childhood on the ranch that it didn’t feel like a good fit anymore.

Reaper pulled their vehicle up to the front door at the Metz Winery. An older couple stood shoulder to shoulder, waiting for them.

“Looks like you found us just fine,” the woman said as they climbed out. “I’m Iris, and this is my husband, Craig. Welcome. Welcome.”

After introductions and handshakes, Craig moved around to the hatch. “It’s unusual to have availability in the dry season. Luckily, we had a group cancel at the last minute. Sorry, your rooms aren’t side by side. But I’m sure you’ll make out fine. It’s not a big place. Why don’t you start by unloading your bags and getting settled? After that, you can move your vehicle around back to park.”

Levi was last to reach for his duffle.

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