Page 9 of Black Dog

After a satisfying defecation he turned back toward the house. When he rounded the sheep barn and looked back toward the house, he saw them. Two men standing next to a vehicle where no vehicle should be parked. He was too far away to catch their scent, but was disturbed both by their presence and something hard to explain; instinct.

Assuming a stalking stance, he lowered his head, ears forward, nose pointed at the two men who were where they shouldn’t be. Too far away to see them clearly, he could still tell that they were looking at him, which escalated his feeling of alarm. Blackie was far too confident and mature to bark. He approached as slowly and silently as if he planned to have the strangers for a morning meal.

At twenty feet away he stopped to glare and growl low in his throat. He was about to charge when he felt a sharp sting in his shoulder that caused a yelp of surprise. He jerked his head to see what might be causing the pain. He tried to grab at the dangling yellow plastic thing with his teeth, but couldn’t quite reach it.

When he saw the men approaching out of the corner of his eye, he gave up trying to remove the foreign object and pulled his mask back into a terrifying snarl. He was preparing to lunge at the one on the right when he felt his legs give way. As the scenery began to blur he felt a stab of fear, but he didn’t have time to sort through what to do about that before everything went black.

CHAPTER THREE

Ram looked up when he heard the mud room door. He was on the phone, calling around to neighbors even though he knew that Blackie would neverwanderaway. That dog would never be where he couldn’t keep an eye on his family by choice.

Elora’s heightened color told the tale that she’d been out in the cold hunting for Blackie. She shook her head and Ram saw something on her face he’d never seen before in all the time they’d been together.

Fear.

“Aye. Much obliged,” he said and ended the call just as tears began to spill onto Elora’s cheeks. He set the phone down and moved toward her. “Here now. What’s this?”

He took her face in his hands, kissed her mouth, and swiped at tears with his thumbs, as he’d done hundreds of times.

Her face crumpled. “I couldn’t call for him.” Ram looked confused. “My voice just froze in my throat. I was trying to yell his name, but I’m so scared that nothing comes out.”

He gathered her into his arms. “But ‘tis no’ true of Helm and the twins. If Blackie was within earshot, he’d hear them and come.”

Elora nodded. “You know he wouldn’t just walk off.”

Rammel nodded in return. “Aye. I do know that.”

“And he’s not here.”

“Know that as well.”

“Well, what does it mean?”

They heard the mud room door followed by the sounds of elflings kicking off snowy boots. They waited until Helm and the girls came in.

Helm looked grief-stricken and like he’d rather cut open his veins than tell his mother they’d failed to find Blackie. “He’s no’ here, Mum.”

Elora shared a long look with Helm before turning back to Ram.

Ram didn’t wait to be asked his opinion on what to do next. He liked Blackie, always had and was glad to have him around. But he’d never bonded to Blackie with the depth of connection that Helm and Elora shared for that dog. With two pairs of identical and bereft turquoise eyes staring at him with faith that he’d have a plan, there was nothing he wouldn’t do to recover the mostly black dog.

Ram held up his phone. That was the last of the neighbors to call, the Widow Sweeney. He looked at Elora. “She said to thank ye kindly again for the feast. Her son came last night with a friend and she was proud as punch to have somethin’ to serve.”

Elora said nothing as her eyes wandered toward the windows, a part of her hoping that she’d see Blackie bounding toward the house.

Ram sighed. “If he’s no’ here and the neighbors have no’ seen him, I think we have no choice but to ask for a little help from our friends.”

Elora’s eyes flew wide. “Of course! Litha!” She grabbed for Ram’s phone.

Litha had come down with a cold two days before. She was sneezy and stuffy and had intermittent bouts of fever. She’d sent Storm to have brunch with his family without her. He said he’d bring back some of everything for her, but she wasn’t interested in food.

“You swear you’ll call if your fever comes back. Fever could be dangerous for the baby,” Storm said.

Litha lied and promised. She had no intention of interrupting Storm’s Yule with his parents and siblings. No matter what.

“I’m leaving the phone right here.” Storm put the phone on the table next to the leather recliner where Litha was outfitted with tissues, a pot of tea with honey, and enough blankets to keep a snowman warm.

“Okay.” She waved. “Have a good time. Tell everybody I wish I was there.” He leaned down to kiss her, but she held up her hand. “Get away from me. I’m probably contagious.”

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