Paw Prints and Problems by Carly Winter

Author:Carly Winter [Winter, Carly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Westward Publishing

Chapter 12

Before me stood a six-foot plus man with a black Mohawk, a matching beard, and tattoos covering his muscular arms. When a small smile parted his lips, I realized he was missing a front tooth. He wore jeans and a sleeveless red and blue flannel shirt that pulled against his girth.

He slowly removed his sunglasses. “Gina?”

I nodded and tried to hush the dogs. “I’m guessing you’re Hornet,” I said above the din.

“How did you know?” he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“Well, that hornet tattooed on the side of your neck is a dead giveaway.”

His smile broadened. “Handlebar told me you wanted to see me.”

“Yes, but I didn’t expect you to show up unannounced at my house.” I pulled Zeus’s collar so that he stood between me and the big man. Would he protect me if Hornet tried to hurt me? I had my doubts. He’d probably stand by and watch, maybe even cheer him on, if he could talk.

“I’m on my way out of town,” he said. “Thought I’d do you a solid and come by before I left.”

As I studied Hornet’s—or Harry Dingle’s—face, I looked for any signs that he was here to beat the living tar out of me, or worse. My gut told me he was safe, and most likely Handlebar had conveyed he was to leave me as he found me, even if I was questioning whether he was a murderer or not.

Growing up with Vic as my brother and watching his friends and acquaintances come and go had left me with a pretty good meter of reading people. It had become my sixth sense. Not that Hornet was actually a good person, but I felt he didn’t have any ulterior motives for being at my house. He was fulfilling Handlebar’s request.

“Take a seat,” I said, pointing to the porch swing. “I’ll be right back.”

Daisy followed me while Zeus stood between Hornet and the door. As Hornet moved to the swing, Zeus inched forward, showing his protective instincts. Or maybe my surprise guest had a ham sandwich in his pocket—either way, the Golden had taken an interest in him.

I hurried down the hall to the bedroom, grabbed my little revolver out of the nightstand, shoved it into my sweatshirt pocket, then returned to the porch. I may have thought Hornet’s motives for being at my house were legitimate, but I wasn’t stupid. I’d protect myself at all costs.

I leaned against the railing facing the hulking man, who was gently swaying back and forth on my swing. Frankly, I didn’t blame him for changing his name. The Harry Dingle moniker didn’t do him any favors and didn’t match his exterior.

“What if that swing breaks?” Daisy asked. “He’s too big for it.”

She wasn’t wrong. I cleared my throat and hoped it held. Hornet breaking the swing into a million pieces could be the event that shifted his mood.

“So, what do you want to know?” he asked. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”

I hated small talk, so diving right in was good with me.

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