Cold is the Caller: SOMEONE HAS AN AXE TO GRIND (DI Bethany Smith Book 1) by Emmy Ellis

Author:Emmy Ellis [Ellis, Emmy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

The dogs were getting on T’s nerves. They barked a lot, overly excited because it was walk time. Many volunteers rolled up daily to help out, and it was T’s turn to take Shyla for a run, the Rottweiler that always seemed to want to pull his arm out of the socket. She was shit on the lead, had no training, and rubbed him up the wrong way. Or maybe he was taking his frustrations out on her. She hadn’t bugged him until Chelsea had died.

“Stop yanking on the lead, you stupid cow,” he snapped at her once he was out of earshot. He preferred exercising her when no one else was around so he could smack the dog if she was naughty—where he couldn’t be seen. He shouldn’t do it, shouldn’t even want to, but it was like a knee-jerk reaction the past few days.

Shyla slowed a bit, probably sensing a wallop was on the way if she didn’t.

“That’s better. No need for pulling.”

He took her down a slope on the centre’s grounds, towards the river. It flowed into the city, meeting up with the stretch where he’d dumped Jason’s and Opal’s innards.

He let Shyla off the lead—one thing she did do well was come back when called—and she gambolled along, happy as Larry. Guilt pricked at him then. She looked so happy being free to sniff the grass and the reeds wavering in the slight breeze at the water’s edge. It wasn’t her fault she couldn’t behave properly. She’d been treated badly in her last home. Like him. He shouldn’t act the way he did either, but he did, and maybe his version of pulling on the lead was murdering people.

“Sorry, girl,” he shouted. “I’m sorry I’m so mean to you.”

She came running back, tongue lolling, and sat in front of him, gazing up. It seemed like she knew how bad he felt now, for how he’d treated her, and her paw lifted. She cocked her head—waiting for him to take it?

He did, and forgiveness glittered in her eyes.

Why couldn’t he be like Shyla? She’d let go of all the times he’d smacked her, ready to start again.

Shit. There was something to learn from this.

He stroked the top of her head, and though she flinched at first, she soon flopped to the grass and bared her belly, a sign of submission.

Tears pricked his eyes at her trust.

“A new page for you and me,” he said, ruffling her tummy fur. “I promise.”

She got up and barked, as though she’d played once in her old life and wanted him to join her in some fun. He pulled a ball out of his pocket and threw it, and off she went, running along to collect it.

They continued like that for a while, until Shyla panted hard and didn’t retrieve the ball so enthusiastically. He headed towards the centre, Shyla on the lead, walking beside him as though she’d never tugged ahead in her life. He patted her back, and when he moved his hand to his side, she licked it.

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