Cord excused himself when a text came in at three thirty. Shallie, asking if it would be okay to have the Lewises over for a drink late afternoon. They were looking forward, she said, to seeing him.

Of course, he texted back. Tell them I look forward to seeing them, too. I’ll be there in an hour or so.

Cord had a good feel for the kind of people the Lewises were, and even when he’d left the ranch, he could tell that Shallie was getting on well with them.

He returned his attention to the group just as Eli described his plan to put out a bulletin on all available media. After that, the meeting came to a close. “Anyone want to discuss this further?” Eli asked. “We’ll meet at Sully’s.”

“Yeah, I’m in,” Cord said, “but only for about an hour. Have to get home to see a couple of new clients.” Mitch wasn’t joining them at Sully’s because he had errands to do, which was why they’d taken separate cars.

THE LEWISES HAD arrived early. They’d spent the last forty-five minutes with Shallie, enjoying the warm sunshine and a cold drink, the dogs happily slumped at their feet. The three of them continued their afternoon conversation while enjoying their wine and nuts mixed with dried cranberries.

They were just discussing an article Mary Jean had read about consciousness in animals when they were interrupted. Carly appeared on the path to the porch and came stumbling up the steps, crying loudly. Between sobs, she managed to tell them she’d found a dog who’d been hit by a car on a little-used country road near Mitch and Tina’s trailer. Tina and her visiting niece, ten-year-old Ashley, were with the dog right now, watching her; Mitch was out and he had their car, so he couldn’t take them to the vet.

Len Lewis immediately offered to drive over, pick up the dog, take them to the local clinic. Once he’d retrieved his car, Mary Jean got in the front seat, and Carly and Shallie climbed in the back, after they’d put the dogs in the house.

Shallie called Cord on her cell; he said he’d get in touch with the vet, Dr. Barbara Ferguson, and call back. A minute later, he gave her the vet’s address and told her Barb was at her clinic waiting for them. He’d meet them there as well.