Free Color Blind (Team Red) by T. Hammond Page A

was a knock at the front door. I heard Ken’s chair scrape away from the table, as he got up to answer.
     
    “Really?” I asked. “We have over a dozen drones flying over the property and twice in one day, someone makes it to the door without us having a warning?”
     
    David chucked on my left. “It’s just Gil, I saw him on my tablet’s video feed, and he texted me he was coming up the drive.” He squeezed my fingers. “Sorry, Sweetheart, I should have mentioned it. You were relaying Red’s comments, and I didn’t want to interrupt.”
     
    I flipped my hand over so that our fingers interlocked and brought his hand to my mouth so I could kiss his knuckles to acknowledge the apology.
     
    I could hear Red dancing around in the foyer as he went to greet our guest.
     
    “Did you know Gil was coming over today?” I asked David, as Bas made quiet introductions and explained what was going on.
     
    “As soon as I saw his Explorer coming up the driveway, I remembered he was coming over to do some tracking tests with Red,” David said. “He may actually have a few ideas on what we can do for the colonel and his group.”
     
    Gil pulled out a chair on the other side of Bas, and thanked Ken for a coffee mug. “Hey, Teresa. David.” He greeted.
     
    “Hi, Gil. We were just getting ready to see if we could convince the lieutenants of Red’s abilities. I think we have the colonel in the bag,” I teased.
     
    “Well, I can add a glowing testimonial that these two are phenomenal,” Gil said.
     
    I heard Red add, “Hear that Teresa? We are Phenoms!”
     
    There are times when I ignore the dog. Now, was one of those times.
     
    Gil continued, “Red has a great nose for distinguishing between scents. When you add this to his ability to relay nuances or detect things we can’t find through DNA sampling, he is priceless. One simple example is that he can tell if a scent is male or female. He can smell a lie, although, I suspect that is enhanced by his observation of body language.”
     
    “He’s got me there,” Red admitted. “Sometimes I notice the body language first, so I concentrate more on the smell to back up the observation.”
     
    I relayed Red’s comments. Gil affirmed that during the testing he had been aware Red paid as much attention to his surroundings as he did to the trails he followed. “Red was complaining, just the other day, Gil, that the tracking tests are a bit boring because he can follow your, big-ass shoe prints, so he doesn’t need his sense of smell.”
     
    Gil chuckled evilly, “Oh, the challenge is accepted, Red. The next tracking course won’t be so obvious.”
     
    Red relayed a yawn, and I heard his body thump to the ground. “Yeah, whatever, Narco Boy. I could find you blind folded after going thru a skunk trail.”
     
    I laughed, as I told Gil the dog’s thoughts. “You should be careful with the boasting, Red. Narco Boy is pretty devious,” I warned.
     
    “Teresa, even with the skunk odor, I can still track through the smell. I don’t like it, and strong odors are distracting, but I can do it. And, there is always some visual signs I can find if my nose is uncertain. I am so not worried.”
     
    “Our boy is feeling pretty cocky, Gil. He either has talents we haven’t recognized yet. Or he severely underestimates you,” I teased. “In fact, he sounds almost disdainful.” Never hurts to prod Gil to surpass expectations, I thought to myself.
     
    “How long have you been working with Teresa and Red, Gil?” The colonel asked.
     
    The detective was thoughtful for a moment, “I think it’s close to three months now. Mike Stephens, Detective Stephens, met them at a park when there was a missing child. They were able to half-convince Mike they could probably help the police department. I had set up a test, asking Red to place an item on a specific person’s chair; we had switched the chairs around before Team Red arrived so the chairs weren’t at the