Page 59 of Risky Passion

I chuckled. “Funny you mention that. The dog I trained before Onyx was named Hercules.”

At the sound of her name, Onyx glanced up at me, her ears perking slightly; she knew exactly who I was talking about.

“Onyx is amazing,” Tory said, leaning down to brush her hand over Onyx’s rump.

Onyx wagged her tail.

“She’s the best. She’s been in training for four years, but she’s already one of the best dogs I’ve worked with. She’s saved more lives than I can count.” I paused as the weight of my next words pressed down on me. “And found more bodies than I care to remember.”

Tory straightened, and as her gaze flicked to me, her brow furrowed. “Like those graves at Angelsong?”

“Yeah,” I said flatly. “Those poor kids. Still makes me sick thinking about it.”

She didn’t respond, her eyes searching my face as if trying to understand the weight I carried. Finally, she said, “It’s good that you do that for them. Those kids were forgotten for a very long time.”

“Over forty years.” I heaved a heavy sigh. “It’s hard, though. My brothers and I are doing everything we can to give those victims a name so we can give them a proper burial. But back when that orphanage was operating, there were no computers. Everything was manual. And some asshole made damn sure none of the records were ever found.”

“Sounds about right,” she said bitterly.

I nodded, trying to keep my frustration in check. “So, there’s a chance we’ll never figure out who those kids?—”

A flicker of light cut through the darkness ahead.

“Shit!” I said. “Get down.”

We ducked lower, and as I reached for her hand, she grabbed mine.

“What is it?” she whispered.

Easing up just enough to see over the brush, I scanned the tracks ahead. Twin beams of light crested a distant hill, bobbing and dipping as they disappeared, only to reappear moments later.

“A car’s coming.” My pulse kicked up a notch. I lunged for Onyx’s collar. “Quick, get off the trail.”

We scrambled into the bushes, crouching low as the vehicleapproached. Leaves and branches scratched at my arms as I pulled Tory behind me.

The headlights swept over the trail, bouncing with the uneven dips and crests of the ground. The hum of the engine grew louder, and the light danced over the brush where we hid. I tightened my grip on Tory’s hand and clutched Onyx’s collar a little harder, willing her to stay calm.

As the vehicle drew closer, I caught a glimpse of something on its roof. I frowned, leaning forward slightly to get a better look. The lights hit another dip, then rose again, giving me another fleeting view. A light bar was mounted on the roof.

My chest tightened as I stared, desperate to confirm what I was seeing. When the vehicle crested the next hill, the unmistakable outline of a light bar on the roof came into view. The lights weren’t flashing, but there was no mistaking it: the car was an emergency vehicle.

“Jesus,” I whispered. “I think it’s a cop car.”

“You sure?” Tory turned to me, her face shifting from fear to hope.

“Positive.” Relief coursed through me as I stood and stepped onto the trail, waving my arms to flag the car down.

“But how did they find us?” Tory asked as she hurried after me.

“Must’ve seen the explosion,” I said, glancing back at her. Her expression was a mixture of relief and disbelief.

The car slowed as its headlights swept over us, blinding for a moment as it rolled closer. I could hardly believe our luck. We were saved.

I moved to the side of the trail to give the car room, and Tory slotted in beside me, her arm brushing against mine.

The vehicle came to a stop, and as the engine died, the driver’s door opened.

“Boy, am I glad to see—” My words caught in my throat as the driver stepped out. “Eddie?”

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