Free Love Me Or Lose Me by Rita Sawyer

let out a woof that had them both looking over to where she stood. Her snout was pressed right up against the glass and she was staring outside.
    “Do you think there’s something out there?” Darcy hadn’t spent enough time around dogs to know what Lulu might be trying to tell them.
    “I doubt it. If there was the motion detectors would turn on the lights. Or at least they should.” Scarlett’s theory settled Darcy’s nerves.
    Another one of Lulu’s barks vibrated the air and Darcy said, “Maybe we should call Rhett, or Jarrett just in case.”
    Scarlett shook her head. “No way! When they come over and find nothing here I’ll never live it down. You know them, they’ll check in on me all the time. I’m finally getting out from under their watchful eyes. There’s nothing that could willingly make me invite them to come over and look around.”
     Lulu whined as she lifted her huge paw and batted at the door. “Well, maybe she just needs to go out.”
    “That should have been our first thought.” Scarlett put her glass on the coffee table as she got up. “See, if Rhett hadn’t put the notion that something had been here earlier into our heads then we never would have even considered it.”
    “You’re probably right,” Darcy admitted as she followed her to the door.
    Scarlett opened the door and Lulu bolted outside. As she had said the lights on the deck flared to life. For such a big, bulky dog Lulu was damn quick. Darcy scanned the yard, but there was no sign of her.
    “Should we call her back?” she asked and Scarlett shook her head.
    “We’ll let her run around a bit so she’ll get worn out. I’m not waking up in a few hours to take her out again.” Scarlett was the one with experience, so Darcy just nodded in agreement.
    Suddenly, off in the distance, Lulu let out a succession of loud barks. Darcy was going to ask Scarlett if it was all right, but forced herself not to. She walked over and sat in one of the chairs on the deck. Lulu could still be heard running around and barking off in the distance.
    “How much land do you own?” She should have asked as soon as she saw the place.
    “About seven and a half acres. Why?” Scarlett dropped into one of the chairs next to her.
    “I was just wondering if there was anyone close by that Lulu would bother?”  Up until a few hours ago Darcy would have freaked out if she ran into her.
    “Rhett and Jarrett are my closest neighbors. She must have found something to chase out there. Probably a bunny rabbit or something.” Scarlett leaned back and closed her eyes.
    “Or a skunk.” Darcy laughed as Scarlett lurched to her feet.
    “Lulu! Come on girl.” Scarlett clapped her hands then let out an ear-piercing whistle.
    Lulu’s barking got louder, more urgent. Scarlett ran into the house and Darcy heard some banging and cursing. When she came back out she was holding two flashlights, a leash, and Darcy’s sneakers. Darcy held her hands out and Scarlett handed her a flashlight and the shoes.
    “Wait for me.” Darcy dropped the sneakers to the deck and stuffed her feet in leaving them untied.
    The two of them headed into the yard, calling Lulu and whistling, hoping to get her attention. She didn’t come to them, but she didn’t run away either. Darcy could tell they were getting closer because Lulu’s barks were getting louder. The beams from their flashlights hit the grass and trees, but there was no sign of Lulu. Finally, Scarlett spotted some tree branches moving off to the right. They went that way and sure enough about six feet away they found Lulu.
    She was standing on her hind legs with her front paws braced on the tree. At least that’s what Darcy thought, but as they got closer she noticed there was a person between her and the tree. Scarlett whistled and Lulu turned her head. Darcy saw it was Thomas she had pinned to the tree.
     “Thomas?” She shined her light in his face and he grimaced.
    “What the hell?” Scarlett ran