Page 37 of Colorado K-9 Rescue

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“I’m in my car with Mocha at the gas station near the local coffee shop.”

“Stay where you are. Lock your doors and don’t open your window for anyone. Not even a police officer. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Stay put, you hear me?”

“Yes.” Mckenna started crying again. She was so tired of the tears, but so many emotions were hitting her at once, she didn’t know what to do with them.

“I’ll try to stay on the line with you, but I might lose signal.”

The sound of sirens echoed off the mountains as several patrol vehicles flew by toward Mckenna’s place.

Evan must have heard them too, because he said, “I’m glad you called 911 and that the cavalry is on its way.”

Mckenna nodded and then realized he couldn’t see her. “I did call 911.”

“Good, let them get there and clear your house. I’m driving as fast as I can.”

“Thank you,” Mckenna managed to stutter out. “I can see my house from where I’m parked. They’re going inside. Their guns are drawn.”

“Good,” Evan said. “If there’s someone in there, they’ll find him.”

Mckenna thought she heard Evan mutter something about a sick bastard under his breath. There was movement near the side of her house, right by the door she’d entered. Someone in a hat and sunglasses took off. “There was someone in the bushes, by my house. They took off on foot.”

“What?” Evan said. “Let me call that in. Stay on the line. I’m getting close.”

There was silence as Evan must have switched calls. Evidently, he was able to get through quickly because the cops came sprinting out her side door, guns drawn, and they started clearing around her house.

The man had vanished. Mckenna knew he’d run up the street toward the west and disappeared out of sight. Where was Evan? Mocha leaned on her and licked her face again, working to soothe her.

In answer to her question, Evan’s bu-car barreled around the corner and pulled up next to her. Mckenna leaped out of hervehicle and Evan wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. Mocha stuck his head out of the car and Evan rubbed his floppy ears. Mocha jumped out, put his front paws up on Evan’s body and licked his face and then Mckenna’s.

“I’m sorry. For earlier,” Mckenna started to say.

“Stop,” Evan interrupted. “You had every right to be upset. Tell me what happened.”

“Mocha warned me. I didn’t listen, but Mocha growled when we got home. He let me know something was wrong.”

“You’re a good boy,” Evan said to the Lab, who had hopped back into the car.

“Are you okay?” Evan asked Mckenna again. “Did you see him? Did he try to hurt you? Grab you?”

“No. None of that. I’m fine. In fact, now that I’m calming down, I’m getting more and more mad. I have a security camera, but he knew it. I don’t have good video of the intruder, which is even more frustrating.” Evan pulled her closer and Mckenna could hear his heart pounding as she laid her head against his chest. “Did they find him? The person hiding in the bush?”

“I don’t know,” Evan said. “I’ll find out more, but I’m not leaving you until there’s an officer I trust who can stay with you. I’ll have you send the security camera footage to me too. There’s still important information we can figure out from it, like his height and weight. Anything helps.”

“Thanks,” Mckenna said gratefully. She didn’t want to extract herself from his hug, but she also knew he had to do his job. And the sooner they caught this guy the better. Anger seethed through Mckenna as her tears dried up. How dare he do this. But who was “he?” Toby? Someone else? Who was driving the Jeep? Was it that person? Mckenna wanted to start peppering Evan with questions, but he was on his phone.

He hung up and said, “There’s an officer coming here. Once she arrives, I’ll go bag the journal and bracelet for evidence. I’ll make sure it’s a rush in the lab. Let’s hope he did something stupid and left a fingerprint or DNA.”

“Okay,” Mckenna said.

A female cop from the local department drove their way and pulled in next to Evan. Evan went over and spoke with her and then came back with the officer. “This is Officer Taryn Ash. She’s going to stay with you.”

“Thank you,” Mckenna said to the officer, who didn’t look much older than her.

“I’ll be back,” Evan said.

Mckenna watched him drive to her house, making small talk with the policewoman and petting Mocha. Luckily some afternoon clouds rolled over, so Mocha wasn’t too warm. Mckenna had to admit, it was nice to see Evan go into her house.

Too bad he was here under these circumstances.