Free Kaleidoscope Eyes by Karen Ball Page A

and ears alert. She was so absorbed in studying the area that the crackle of the radio startled her. She lifted it from the chest pack, talking as she walked.
    “This is Annie.”
    “Everything going okay?”
    She could hear the doubt in Dan’s voice. Time was running out. “We’re still looking, bro.”
    “And we’re still praying. Keep me posted, sis.”
    “Will do.”
    She was about to sign off when a sound caught her attention. She turned her head, and her pulse rate jumped. “Dan, hold on!”
    “Annie, say again?”
    She didn’t reply Instead she waited, listening, then burst into a grin. Kodi’s bell was jingling like a Salvation Army bell ringer gone wild. That could only mean one thing.
    Kodi was running!
    “Dan, I’ll be right back. I think Kodi’s got something.”
    No sooner had she slipped the radio back into the chest holster than the dog burst out of the woods. Annie braced herself as Kodi ran to her, then lifted both front paws off the ground midgallop and planted them on Annie’s thighs.
    An alert!
    “Good
girl
, Kodi! Show me. Thatta girl, show me!”
    Annie scrambled through the woods, on the heels of her excited dog. Kodi disappeared around a large fallen tree. Her exuberant barks filled the air—then fell silent.
    Normally when Kodi found a victim, she almost wore herself out with the excitement of it, jumping and barking, letting her celebration fill the air. Alarmed at the silence, Annie ran after the dog, rounded the tree—and jerked to a halt.
    Kodi sat there, her rapid panting and thumping tail the only external signs of her jubilation.
    Beside her, seated on large stump like a queen on her throne, was an elderly woman. Her disheveled snow white hair bore a crown of twigs sticking out this way and that, and her wrinkled face, though smudged and scratched, held no fear or anxiety.
    She seemed … peaceful. Almost as if she belonged out here, in the middle of the wilderness. A bemused smile touched those pale lips, and she directed an adoring look down at Kodi as one veined hand scratched the shepherd’s ears.
    Annie took a step forward. “Hello, Bertha.”
    The woman looked up, and a beautiful smile blossomed on her face. “Do you like my wolf?” Her eyes were wide and innocent.
    Annie smiled back. “Yes, Bertha. I like her very much.”
    Kodi turned her head to give Bertha a quick swipe of her tongue, then stood and nudged at the tennis ball hanging in a netbag from Annie’s belt. The payoff. In the dog’s mind, the search was always a game. And the payoff for finding the subject? A dog’s favorite thing: play!
    Annie slipped the ball free from the bag and handed it to Bertha. “How would you like to throw out the first pitch?”
    Bertha clapped her hands, then took the tennis ball and threw it. Barking out her joy, Kodi bounded after it.
    As Bertha and Kodi played, Annie pulled her radio free and keyed the mic. Dan must have been waiting because his response was immediate.
    “You found her.”
    What beautiful words, spoken with such confidence. But then, her brother knew they weren’t out here on their own. “We found her. And she’s fine. A little disoriented, but fine.”
    She gave Dan the coordinates from her GPS, then knelt beside Bertha and checked her out. The old woman was weak from hunger and dehydration, but other than that she was no worse for the wear.
    God must have held the dear lady in His pocket.
    Annie gave Bertha water, and they settled in to wait for the cavalry.
    Two hours later, Bertha was safely ensconced back at the adult home. Much to Annie’s dismay, reporters were waiting for them when they emerged from the ravine. Even a few TV cameras. She shot a look at her brother, but he denied culpability.
    “I didn’t call ’em. I know better.”
    Indeed he did. He was well acquainted with his younger sister’s dislike for the spotlight. Unfortunately, there was no avoiding the hordes as she and Kodi and Dan walked outside. And since she was a member