Page 21 of Radar

Radar was hard-focused. Legs splayed wide to get his nose close to the ground, he trotted down the stairs and out the back door.

Over the field, into the woods, down a path by the river, Radar stopped at a rock where a digital camera lay, then sat in front of it. Radar turned as Xander and Halo jogged up beside him to see what he’d found.

Radar was looking down the pathway toward the edge of the woods.

“Radar, hold.” Xander documented the site, then took another bag from Radar’s working vest to keep hold of the possible evidence.

“Looks like the SD card is missing,” Halo said. “That might be important. Do you think we should find it?”

Xander pulled his brows together. “Now? You want me to stop the human search and move on to the second?”

“The SD card is the priority,” Halo said.

Well, this was a first. Xander had no idea how to pull Radar off one search task and put him onto a second. “Radar,” he called, drawing his K9’s attention around. Holding out the bag for him, Xander said, “Scent. Scent. Electronics.”

Radar caught Xander’s gaze, and Xander did his best to conjure up a movie of what he needed to happen here. He pictured the camera and imagined someone removing the SD card. Then he pictured the SD card, held it firmly in his mind’s eye, and said, “Radar, seek electronics.”

Radar’s nose went down to the trail, and he walked around sniffing the base of trees and rocks, the tiny plants along the path.

Xander stood still, not wanting to interfere in the process, but also not a hundred percent sure that he’d conveyed the command to Radar.

A breeze ruffled Radar’s coat, and his nose went up in the air as he swung his head.

The breeze died. And Radar stood.

The second time the breeze rose, Radar’s nose went up in the air; he followed with a step, then another, and another, until he stood at a tree, looking up into the branches. Then, he sat and brought his gaze back to Xander.

“Looks like the bad guy tried to pitch the SD card and it landed up there,” Halo said.

“Are you kidding right now?” Xander asked.

“I’ll tell you what,” Halo said, standing next to the trunk with a grin spreading wide, “How about I give you a leg up?”

“Serious? You want me to look for an SD card stuck to one of these leaves?”

“I don’t want you to,” Halo said, his grin just that much bigger, “Radar does.”

“Fine.” Xander turned his attention to Radar. “Good boy, Radar, let’s see what’s up there, okay?”

Halo laced his fingers and bent.

“Radar, stay.” Xander put his foot in Halo’s stirrup, and Halo hefted him up until Xander could catch hold of a sturdy branch. He had to do a muscle-up to get his hips to the branch, then move himself up farther. It had been a while since he’d played Tarzan, climbing trees. He scrambled up onto the tiniest of tree forts. A space big enough for Xander to sit, but that was about it. There were two manila envelopes.

And the SD card sat on the envelope marked “1”

Send the SD card down to Halo. Praise Radar. Open envelope “2” before descending.

“Radar! Good find,” Xander called out in high-pitched praise. “Good find! Good boy!” He put the SD card into the empty envelope and tossed it down to Halo’s waiting hands.

Halo took out the SD card for Radar to sniff, then pulled out a towel and played tug to reward Radar for his hard work.

Meanwhile, Xandar opened envelope “2.” Inside this envelope was a screen. When Xander turned it on, he could see it streaming Radar’s collar camera. Xander adjusted the volume to hear Halo say, “Good job, mate. Radar, sit. Radar, stay.” Then there was the sound of crunching leaves as Halo moved away.

Xander read the message.

This is what you really wanted to know: Can you depend on Radar to be your Digger?

You can’t get down. You need help. Tell Radar to get help.

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