I rescued an abandoned dog off the street, and he ended up saving my life
CHAPTER 2
Scout recovered quickly.
Too quickly, Ethan thought.
Within a week, he was running around the property like he had lived there forever.
But there were strange things about him.
He never barked without a reason.
He always slept facing the door.
And whenever someone approached Ethan’s truck, Scout stood between them.
Tommy Hayes noticed immediately.
“That’s not a stray.”
Ethan looked up from the engine he was repairing.
“What do you mean?”
Tommy nodded toward Scout.
“That dog was trained.”
“He’s a dog.”
“He’s watching your hands.”
Ethan laughed.
“You’ve been drinking.”
“I’m serious.”
Tommy crouched.
Scout stared at him.
Tommy reached out.
Scout sniffed his hand.
Then turned away.
“See?”
“What?”
“He didn’t trust me.”
Ethan smiled.
“He doesn’t trust most people.”
Tommy stood.
“Where’d you find him?”
“Highway.”
“Which mile?”
Ethan told him.
Tommy’s expression changed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
But it wasn’t nothing.
Years earlier, a private security convoy had disappeared near that stretch of road.
Three men died.
One dog was never recovered.
Ethan knew nothing about that.
He had no reason to.
For him, Scout was simply a dog.
A hungry one.
A loyal one.
A dog that had started waiting outside the garage every morning.
And every night, when Ethan came home, Scout greeted him like he’d been gone for years.
Ethan hadn’t realized how quiet his house had been until Scout filled it with sound.
Paws against the floor.
A tail hitting the cabinet.
The occasional sigh beside his bed.
For the first time in years, Ethan didn’t eat dinner alone.
One evening, Rachel called.
“You sound different.”
“What do you mean?”
“You sound happy.”
Ethan looked at Scout, who was sleeping on his feet.
“I got a dog.”
Rachel laughed.
“You?”
“Apparently.”
“What’s his name?”
“Scout.”
“Show me.”
Ethan turned the phone.
Scout opened his eyes.
Rachel smiled.
“Oh my God.”
“What?”
“He loves you.”
Ethan looked down.
Scout had lifted his head.
Watching him.
Ethan smiled.
“Yeah.”
Then the phone call ended.
Outside, Scout suddenly stood.
He walked to the window.
His ears went up.
Ethan followed.
A truck was parked across the road.
The engine was off.
No lights.
Just a man sitting behind the wheel.
Scout growled.
Ethan frowned.
Five minutes later, the truck was gone.
Ethan didn’t think much about it.
Not yet.
