Page 99 of Doing Life

“On my way.” He would head out there, and then check in at Matt’s ranch, because that was pretty damn close, he thought. And that made him twitch.

He dialed Lance’s phone, but he didn’t stress it too much when he didn’t answer. He knew Lance had plans with the guys, so he’d try again later.

The roof had crashed right in on the front room of the house he was called out to, but thankfully, the lady and her son were in the bathtub in the master bath.

“Hey, you two okay?”

They looked pale and shaken, but uninjured.

The boy, who was maybe twelve, started to tear up. “I don’t know where my dog is.”

“Okay, let’s get you all out of here, and while emergency has a look at you, I’ll look for the pup. What kind of dog is it?”

“She’s a pit. She’s black and white and her name is Rosie.”

He got them outside on the stable front porch, wrapped in blankets that he pulled out of their house, and settled.

Then he went around back and started whistling, calling Rosie’s name, praying with all everything he had that he found either a wiggling pup or nothing at all.

He didn’t know if he was going to be able to keep his shit together if he found her dead. The chances were pretty good he wouldn’t.

Though, there were no indications that the tornado had touched the ground—just skimmed the roof and tore up some trees. The chances were she was out here wet, cold, and terrified.

Sort of like him.

Well, he was less terrified, more wet and cold and worried.

“Come on, Rosie girl.” He whistled again. “Come on, your boy is looking for you.”

Sloan headed around the side of the house, shaking his head at the sight of the roof of the shed, sitting pretty as you please on top of the swing set.

Huh.

He took a picture because, damn…well, he’d want to show Lance, but that would be kind of pointless.

But he could show everybody else and tell Lance about it.

He’d walked up to the shed to see if he could see if there was any way she’d gotten in there when he heard a low whimper.

“Rosie. Rosie, are you there?”

All right, that was a bark, and it came from underneath the shed.

“Girl, if you stay underneath there, you’re going to drown. Come on.”

He found the hole where she had undoubtedly been digging out to go hide or hunt or get out of the sun when she was outside.

It was slick and muddy, but there was a little white and pink nose peeking out as she tried to get herself out of the muck and the mire.

“Well, sweetheart, you’re just about stupid, aren’t you? Good thing I’m already dirty. Let me get a shovel.”

He peeked in the shed, finding what he needed, and then he started digging.

The kid came running. “Mister, did you find her?”

“I did. She’s underneath here. We’re going to have to get her out. Can you call her and see if maybe she can work harder to get to you?”

The boy started calling, “Rosie, Rosie, come on, Rosie Posie, come on. Rosie, come on. You can do it. Come on.”

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