The Officer's Girl by Leigh Duncan Read Free Book Online Page A

family. The parents each held a whimpering toddler. Rain dripped from their sodden clothes.
    Did Judy mean to keep them out? That wasn’t right.
    Realizing she had missed something, she searched for the object of contention. At the man’s feet sat a dog with sad brown eyes and glistening wet hair.
    “No dogs allowed,” Judy insisted. “And he can’t stay in the car by himself. You’ll have to leave.”
    At this, one of the toddlers let out a loud wail. “No, Daddy, no! Don’t let the hurr’cane blow Sem’nole away!” Her mirror image chimed in with another cry, “The hurr’cane will get us if we go outside!”
    “He’s well-behaved, ma’am,” the father argued tiredly. “Please. We need to stay here.”
    Judy’s arms crossed, her intentions plainly visible.
    Stephanie was on her feet almost before she realized it. At last—she had found something she could handle.
    “Hey!” she shouted on her way to the door. “What took you so long? I was so worried about you.” She reached the disheveled family and leaned in to hug the mother. “Just play along,” she whispered.
    “The kennel gave away our reservation.” The explanation sounded like a confession between best friends. “We tried several others—we’ve been driving around for hours—but no luck. We had to bring Seminole with us.”
    A skeptical Judy interrupted. “Stephanie, you know these people?”
    “They’re my neighbors,” she said though she had no idea where these “neighbors” actually lived. “Oh, you must be exhausted!” She gave the father a quick hug and smiled brightly at the distraught towheads. “There’s plenty of room next to my stuff. You guys can settle in there.”
    “No,” Judy argued. “They can’t.”
    Stephanie ignored her and looked down. “Seminole, I didn’t forget you. You’re such a good boy. Lie down, now.”
    The dog was prone in an instant. With the retriever supplying all the confirmation she could hope for, Stephanie decided the situation required a well-placed lie. Maybe two. Dredging up the tone usually reserved for recalcitrant employees, she turned to the shelter manager.
    “Judy, Seminole is a companion dog. He’s been specially trained as a mother’s helper. With these two precious little ones, you can see why anyone would need an extra pair of hands. Or, in this case, feet.”
    “We sure do,” the father piped in. “He’s especially gentle around children. He won’t be a problem, I swear.”
    Stephanie hoped their earnestness would put the manager on the fence.
    Judy’s doubtful look traveled over the group. “I can see that he’s well-behaved, but our rules don’t allow pets. If you’re saying he’s a guide dog or something, can you prove it? Don’t they all wear vests? Where’s his?”
    “You didn’t think you’d need it at the kennel, did you?” Stephanie prompted.
    “Oh, Stephanie, it’s my fault.” The mother’s trembling voice let everyone know honest tears weren’t that far away. “I was in such a rush to get out of the house that I walked out and left it on the kitchen table.”
    Judy’s voice dropped so low no one outside their immediate circle could hear. “I don’t believe you for a minute,but if you swear this dog will behave himself—” She paused, waiting. One by one, three adults and two children gave solemn nods while the Lab’s eyes flicked from one face to another as though he knew his fate was being determined.
    “Companion dogs are exempt from the No Pets rule,” Judy announced at last. “He’ll be confined to your space. If he makes a mess—” she squinted one eye and pursed her lips “—I expect you to clean it up immediately.”
    “We will, but he won’t,” the father agreed.
    “All right, then.” Judy turned to Stephanie. “You get them settled. Make sure they fill out the registration forms.”
    “Sure thing,” Stephanie said. Beckoning, she led the way to her pallet.
    “I’m Tom, by the way,” the father