I rescued an abandoned dog off the street, and he ended up saving my life
CHAPTER 3
Three weeks later, Ethan noticed something strange.
Scout refused to drive past the eastern edge of town.
Every time Ethan turned onto a certain county road, Scout became restless.
One afternoon, Ethan decided to see why.
He drove slowly.
Scout sat in the passenger seat.
The moment they passed an old gas station, Scout stood.
His ears flattened.
He began whining.
Ethan pulled over.
“What’s wrong?”
Scout stared toward a distant ranch.
Then he barked once.
Ethan looked at the property.
A large white farmhouse.
Two barns.
A steel gate.
Nothing unusual.
He drove on.
Scout wouldn’t sit down.
That night, Ethan asked Tommy about the place.
“That ranch belongs to the Mercer family.”
“Anybody live there?”
“Not anymore.”
“Why?”
Tommy shrugged.
“Place has been empty for years.”
“Why?”
“Family disappeared.”
Ethan stared.
“All of them?”
“Father and son.”
Scout began barking from the truck outside.
Tommy looked through the window.
“Your dog knows that place.”
Ethan laughed.
“He’s a dog.”
Tommy shook his head.
“Maybe.”
The next day, Ethan found something inside Scout’s collar.
The leather had been cut and stitched before.
He opened the seam.
Inside was a tiny metal capsule.
And inside the capsule was a piece of paper.
A name.
JACK MERCER
Below it was a phone number.
Ethan stared.
Mercer.
Same last name as the missing family.
He called.
The number still worked.
A man answered.
“Hello?”
Ethan hesitated.
“I’m calling about a dog.”
Silence.
“Where did you get him?”
“On Route 66.”
The man’s voice changed.
“Do not take him anywhere.”
“Why?”
“Because people are looking for that dog.”
Ethan looked at Scout.
“Who are you?”
The man hung up.
Scout stared at the phone.
Then at Ethan.
And began growling.
