Free Wild Rescue by Jerry B. Jenkins, Chris Fabry Page A

me inside, then whined as if sensing something wrong.
    Before I knew it the door closed behind me, and a smaller door opened on the other side.
    “Ashley, hurry!” the woman said.
    I jumped out before Buck could follow. He scratched at the door, then started barking louder than I had ever heard him. I heard cages tumbling as he lunged at the back window, leaving streaks of blood on it.
    “That’s one vicious dog,” the officer said.

Chapter 58

    There had to be some connection between Instant Oil and Carhardt’s. I was convinced Eddie was involved—maybe copying house keys from people’s car key rings. All I had to do was prove it. If the police searched Eddie’s home, they were sure to find Mrs. Watson’s jewelry as well as stuff from the other houses.
    I opened my first sandwich and ate it in about five bites. The chips were salty and good—I ate two bags fast. The water had almost melted completely, and I drank the rest of my first bottle.
    I dialed the farmhouse again. Ashley must have been out with the alpacas. I sure hoped she hadn’t run into that bear.
    A door banged and the mechanics returned. I settled back under my cover. I was so close to the floor I could see under Sam’s front seat. There were empty water bottles and food wrappers, plus a lot of dust. Before I could stifle it, I sneezed.
    “Bless you, Eddie,” somebody said.
    “That wasn’t me,” he said.

Chapter 59

    Denise was still there when the officer, the animal control lady, and the ambulance pulled away.
    “Where did the girl go?” I said.
    Denise scowled. “I told you, back down the road, that way.”
    “But there aren’t any houses there. And I don’t see any trail of blood.”
    She shrugged. “She just said she didn’t want the paramedic treating her. But she gave her number to the guy and said she’d have her dad call to make sure they put the dog away.”
    “You mean kill him?”
    “The cop said they’d have to if they couldn’t get hold of the owner.”
    “What!?”
    Denise shook her head. “I’m sorry about the dog, but there’s no way they can let that thing run loose.”
    “I have to find that girl. You sure you don’t know who she is?”
    “Maybe a high schooler. Could be in college. I don’t know.”
    I ran full tilt back to the barn and hopped on my ATV. By the time I roared to the road and shut the gate, Denise was gone. I was kicking up so much dust I decided to get off the road and into a field near some pine trees. The mountain loomed to my left and a cow pasture to my right.
    Where could the girl have gone? I scanned the horizon. Near the access road off the interstate about half a mile away, someone ran toward a small car. I gunned it toward the road and tried to catch up, but the car pulled out in a cloud of dust and raced away.

Chapter 60

    I held my breath as the guys tried to find who had sneezed. Finally someone turned the radio back on, and I felt relieved. I wondered what would happen if I just got out and walked to the waiting room and then outside. I could hoof it to Mrs. Watson’s, and Ashley could come get me, if I ever got hold of her.
    Eddie said something about the exhaust system, and suddenly the truck rose several feet. My heart raced when I looked out the window. It felt like I was 10 feet off the ground. No way was I going to jump that far.
    I could see out a window at the top of the garage as the sun traced across the sky. I wondered if Mom was worried. Maybe Ashley was already home and trying to cover for me. I tried the farm again, but there was no answer.
    I could hear Eddie under the car. “Hey, we still on for the horse trailer? Remember I was hoping to borrow it this weekend?”
    “Why don’t you just use your truck?”
    “I need more space. Now can I use it?”
    The other guy paused. “I don’t think my dad needs it.”
    “Good. I’ll pick it up tomorrow morning before work if that’s okay.”

Chapter 61

    I called Bryce as soon as I got back to the