possible shape, just in case danger came to the door.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Maggie was doing laundry when Klaus arrived. Vala went to the door before she even heard him shut the car door.
She put down the pile of unsorted clothes and invited him in.
Vala seemed to remember her trainer and show him some affection. She rested her snout on his leg as they sat down to talk about her ordeal. Klaus gave her the once over and assured Maggie. “Don’t worry about the dog. You are safe. That was my guarantee.”
She was proud of her work at the kennel and she sold the training to buyers worldwide, so why was she doubting it now? “But how will she know who is an intruder and who is not?”
He sat back. “Dogs are more intelligent than people. They use senses we have not developed. For one, they can sense things that humans overlook. They can detect heart rate, motives, intentions, fear, danger, and adrenaline. They themselves are like robots, computing all the data we overlook. That’s the power of the training.”
“But what if he poisons her?” Maggie asked trying to hide her panic.
“Can’t happen.”
“Because she was trained?”
“Yes, but it’s because I bred the curiosity out of her. She responds to performance, not reward. She doesn’t see you as her master, but as her pup. You need her protection.”
Maggie was beginning to understand. It was like her and Eli. A mother will protect at all costs.
“If an intruder breaks in, she will respond. She will know they are coming before you ever hear a sound. She can smell it, hear it and will prepare.”
“What if something happens to my son?”
“If Vala is present, when your son is in danger, she will eliminate the danger.”
“What if she gets shot?”
“The dog will think on its own. Unless a bullet renders her incapable, she will proceed with eliminating the threats, regardless of her pain.”
“Jack is not a common criminal. I think I could handle that. I’m afraid he will know she’s here and find a way around her.”
“There’s no way around these dogs, unless they are not present when your paths cross.”
Ben returned to the house with food. Maggie was growing fond of the man who made her feel safe and could cook. What a reprieve from being a single mom all these years. With a full belly and reassurance from Klaus, Maggie went to bed, early. She had left a message for Dr. Gibbons, and knew she could use a group session at the shelter. But going there scared her. What if Jack followed her? What if she put everyone in danger?
That night Maggie dreamt about Jack finding her. She was in the woods again, the gunman fired his shots. Maggie picked herself up off the ground and started running. This time she saw a white lump among the fallen pine needs and wet ground. It was Vala.
She slumped over the dying dog. She’d been shot in the shoulder and a pool of blood collected around the wound. The dog breathed slowly and her eyes narrowed.
“Miss me my darling?” Jack said mockingly.
Her head spun around. Maggie recognized the voice. “What do you want, Jack?”
“I don’t want anything Maggie, except what you took from me.”
She wasn’t afraid. She knew the words. She knew how to control her voice and her body movements. She didn’t show any outward signs of fear.
“I won’t let you have him. You can’t take our son.”
Jack roared in laughter. “I don’t care about that bastard. I doubt the rascal is even mine.”
Maggie stayed strong. “He is yours Jack. You have a son. Remember that.”
Jack spit on her and walked around the dog. “You are foolish to think this animal can protect you. No one can protect you Maggie. I’ll be coming back for ya.”
The wind was howling as Maggie stretched. Her eyes popped open as the relentless tick of a branch tapped the railing of Eli’s porch. She been terrified that Eli would get out of the house without her knowing, but so far he’d been safe.
Vala rolled to her side as Maggie snuck out of bed. Sleep had always been a privilege. Jack woke up often, sometimes in a trance. He rarely knew who Maggie was when she came to bed. And with this temper and martial arts training, Maggie was on edge every time she opened the bedroom door.
She swore it was ten degrees cooler in that room, probably more. Whatever the hell was wrong with Jack she could feel it in