as he scanned the area. He’d heard dogs barking earlier, but now the woods were quiet as though whatever might lurk in the shadows was listening. He made it to the back of the barn without observing any cameras. At first, he did not think the structure had any windows and was hesitant to go through the front door. Circling around the back, he spied a small window near the roof line.
Quickly climbing the closest tree, he shimmied out onto a thick limb so that he could peer through the glass. With his night vision goggles, he spied the interior divided with fencing, creating individual crates. From his perch, he could see two large dogs, one in each crate. Three smaller dogs were in another crate.
They certainly appeared similar to the dogs that Jim was breeding, but Joseph was suspicious at the reason these dogs were being kept separate. Balancing precariously, he slid his camera from his pocket and snapped as many pictures as he could, hoping at least one would be able to give evidence as to what kind of dog or hybrid was housed in this barn.
Backing toward the trunk of the tree, he easily climbed down and began to retreat, trying to follow the same path to his SUV that he had taken inland. He was relieved when it came into sight but remained cautious. Even if Jim Bender was not involved in anything illegal, the breeder might shoot first and ask questions later if he thought someone was a danger to his dogs.
It wasn’t until Joseph was driving south on the main highway through the Eastern Shore toward home that he allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief.
Arriving back at the house almost an hour later, he spied the lights on in the living room and Samantha’s truck in the drive. She’d had a late call, and while he was glad she was home safe, he’d wanted to get home before her. He’d sent a text earlier, indicating he would be late getting home.
Home. The word slammed into him, squeezing his heart. He’d never referred to any place he’d lived as ‘home’. He might have told someone that he was going back to ‘his place’, referring to wherever he was currently sleeping, but never ‘home’. Now, the idea that he had a place with multiple rooms, a big kitchen and bathrooms, nice furniture, was colorfully decorated, and a woman he loved waiting inside… the thought almost took him to his knees.
Walking into the living room, he grinned as Frodo lifted his large head and looked at him through baleful eyes as Pip and Merry snuggled up against his warmth. Oh yeah, a place filled with animals definitely makes it feel like home.
Turning toward the kitchen, his gaze landed on the reason Frodo had offered a sympathetic stare. Samantha sat on a kitchen stool, her narrowed-eyed glare pinned on him. Her long hair was piled on top of her head, a few damp tendrils hanging about her shoulders. Dressed in drawstring pajama bottoms, a tank top that left little to the imagination, and a kimono robe flowing about her, he wanted to sweep her into his arms. Before he had that opportunity, she turned the laptop sitting on the counter around to face him.
Swept away with the feeling that he was about to step on a landmine, he said, “Hey, babe. Was your call out okay?”
Without replying, she tapped her finger onto the laptop screen filled with the map of the Benders’ property he’d been studying earlier in the evening. Lifting a brow, she asked, “Instead of talking about my call out, why don’t we talk about why you were studying a map of Jim Bender’s land?”
He sighed, planted his hands on his hips, and dropped his chin. Staring at his boots for a moment, he hated that she’d discovered what he’d been doing before he had a chance to tell her. He lifted his head as he heard her slip from the stool, her sock-covered feet silently bringing her closer to him. Her hands landed on her hips, mirroring his position. Her dark eyes stared up at him, a furrowed crease between her brows.
“I was going to tell you when I got home, and that’s the truth. I just didn’t want you to worry ahead of time.”
Her mouth dropped open as she shook her head. “Worry?” Her eyes widened as she continued to shake her head slowly. “Okay, I wasn’t worried beforehand. I just wondered