Page 30 of Scent of Fear

“I don’t think so.” She frowned. “Although I guess I could look.”

He wished he’d have asked Joel or Alexis to leave a weapon behind. “Don’t worry about it. I’m armed, and we have Bryce.” He didn’t add that if the bad guys took aim at them again with a rifle, both the shotgun and handgun would be useless.

This was the new Shane, keeping his dour thoughts to himself.

“I’ll look around quick before we go.” She finished her breakfast and jumped to her feet. “It won’t take long. The cabin isn’t that big.”

“I’ll clean up.” He didn’t mind pitching in to help. His oldest sister, Maya, had made sure everyone carried their weight when it came to ranch chores. They had a housekeeper, Anna, but when it came to the dogs, the horses, the equipment, and everything else that was required to keep a ranch running, everyone did their fair share.

“Thanks, Shane.” She flashed a smile, then disappeared down the hallway. He heard the bedroom door open and shut.

Bryce didn’t jump up to follow, maybe sensing that he’d be put to work soon enough. Shane quickly filled the sink with sudsy water and took care of the dishes, stacking them in the second sink to air dry. Then he rifled through his backpack to find his belt holster. The one he hadn’t used yesterday.

He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

When Libby emerged, she held a shoebox in her hands. “I didn’t find a gun, but I did find a box of old photos and newspaper clippings. It’s rather strange, as Grandpa never showed them to me.”

“No secret stash of cash, huh?” He was mostly joking.

“Nope.” She set the box on the kitchen table. “I’ll go through them later. I didn’t find a backpack to use to help carry stuff either.”

“I’ll carry our gear. I’m used to hiking with a heavy pack.” He pulled Bryce’s vest out and strapped it around his K9’s torso. “Besides, most of the stuff I’m bringing along is for my dog.”

“That reminds me. I found some protein bars and a couple of water bottles.” She opened a cupboard and removed a box, then pulled the bottled water from the fridge. “Do you have room in your pack?”

“Yeah.” He stuffed four protein bars and two bottles of water in the large middle pocket. After double-checking to make sure he had both bags of scent clothing, he slung the backpack up and settled it across his shoulders. He slipped the .38 into his holster, then picked up the bag containing the denim strip. “Come, Bryce.”

The dog trotted beside him as they headed out back. In the middle of the yard, he knelt and offered the scent bag. “This is Bad Guy. Search! Search for Bad Guy!”

Bryce buried his nose in the bag for a long sniff. Then he wheeled and began trotting across the grass toward the woods. Shane rose to his feet and quickly followed.

He’d expected Bryce to follow the same path as yesterday, but apparently, the scent trail was stronger in a different direction because Bryce swerved to the left, taking a sideways route into the woods.

Libby hurried to catch up. “Do you see any evidence he’s been here? Like more tire tracks?”

“Just the ones I found earlier.” He kept a wary eye on Bryce as they moved through the woods. “Stay alert and let me know if you see anything suspicious.”

“I will.”

Heading out in the early morning hour was nice as the sun wasn’t beating down on them, and the air was cool and refreshing. If not for the worry lines etched in Libby’s brow, they could have enjoyed the outdoors.

Bryce moved with a sense of energy and determination. Almost as if the dog understood that today they were hunting a bad guy rather than searching for someone who was lost. Maya always cautioned them how their dogs could pick up on their handler’s emotions.

They walked in silence until Bryce stopped, made a circle, and doubled back.

“Did he lose the scent?” Libby asked breathlessly.

“Give him a minute.” Considering the bad guy was on a motorized vehicle, it wouldn’t be unusual for Bryce to lose track of the scent. “Search for Bad Guy,” he called encouragingly.

Bryce went back to sniff at a specific spot, then veered to the right. Bryce moved slowly at first, but after a few minutes, it was clear his K9 was back on the trail.

“Makes me wonder if the bad guy drove back and forth in an effort to throw Bryce off track,” Libby said.

“Could be.” Shane squinted and paused beside a soft spot in the ground. “There’s another tire impression here too.”

“Same as the others?” She came up to stand beside him. “I have to be honest, I can’t tell the difference.”

“I’m not an expert, but they look the same to me.” He pulled out his phone and found the picture he’d taken yesterday. Kneeling down, he compared the two images. “See?”

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