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Annabelle scooched over and tucked her arm under his elbow, leaning into him. “I’m sorry,” she said, her heart aching for him.

She felt him sigh against her, and he even leaned into her for a moment, before he straightened, glancing down at her. “You’re going to get cold. You left your cushion.”

Annabelle reached back and shimmied around, tucking the warm cushion under her butt, then swinging the sleeping bag around them both. He caught the bag on his left side, and she kept the right, then she tucked her arm back under his again. They created a warm little cocoon, sitting on the rock outcropping.

“It’s not a place I ever expected to be,” he said softly.

“I’m sure. But you’ve found a place to be useful, and productive. I mean, I can’t imagine the things you’ve seen and done. That experience shouldn’t go to waste.”

He hummed in his throat. “I wasn’t an investigator, though. It’s been a bit of an adjustment,” he gave a short chuckle. “And I certainly never envisioned myself looking for lost dogs.”

She snorted as well. “Maybe it’s a calling,” she teased. “I mean, just a few hours and you’ve almost found the dog. Maybe you can specialize.”

He glanced down at her, mouth twisted. “I don’t think so. And we haven’t found him yet.”

Annabelle’s cell phone buzzed in her pocket, but she wasn’t sure if she should pull it out. If someone was looking up the yard, would they see the light from her phone? “I think I just got a text message. Can I check it?”

“Just keep the sleeping bag wrapped around you to shield the light.”

Annabelle did as he was instructed and paged through her phone screens. Then gasped.

“Someone texted me a message about the flyers I put up. They know who took the dog.”

She showed Rowdy the message, trying to shield the light. Rowdy frowned, eyebrows pulling together. I know who has your dog. How do I get the money?

“Tell them, once confirmed the person has the dog, and the animal is returned, we will contact you about receiving the reward.”

Annabelle typed the words in, frustrated when she had to remove her gloves to type. She entered the message exactly as Rowdy told her, then hit send. Then she waited, breath held, for a response.

Fine. Casper King has the dog.

She looked up at Rowdy. He’d seen the message too.

“Tell them, we will investigate and respond.”

Annabelle typed the message in and sent it, her heart racing. “That’s confirmation, right?”

Rowdy shook his head slightly. “Not exactly. We need to physically see the dog before we can do anything. Once I see it, I’ll call the police and we’ll try to get him back.”

Annabelle was frustrated. They were so close!

She settled back, determined to spot Casper as soon as he exited the back door.

6

Rowdy couldn’t remember a more enjoyable stakeout. Yes, it was damn cold and boring, but Annabelle kept it interesting. She talked, but not needlessly. She just had a conversation with him, and he had to admit, her chatter didn’t bother him. They were far enough away that no one would hear them, and they were secluded enough that he doubted anyone could see them, either. The moon was moving across the sky and in another hour, it would probably go behind the mountain.

He’d had to get up and move a couple of times because his legs were killing him, but each time he came back, she held the sleeping bag out for him to join her again. The little welcoming gesture touched him, more than he ever would have thought. He found himself opening up to her more than he had to anyone in a long time.

“So, no wives or girlfriends in the wings that are going to get mad I’m cuddling with you tonight?”

Rowdy snorted. “Nope.” And then, surprising even himself, he told her about Erica.

Annabelle seemed shocked. “She quit responding to you? How rude is that! At least have the balls to break up like an adult.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of what I thought, too,” he murmured. “But it happens to military guys a lot. I wasn’t really surprised. And it wasn’t like we’d professed to love each other or anything.”

She stared at him for a long moment, before shaking her head. “Still wrong. And I feel bad for any other military person that was treated like that. I’m sorry, Rowdy. Women are the worst, sometimes.”