Kayla had no idea how much time had passed, or how much longer she could search without risking Emma surprising her again. She continued looking in every room, nook and storage area she could think of. She went to the garage and searched there.

Nothing.

As she stepped back into the house, she heard a noise and stopped dead.

Someone’s in the kitchen.

Retreating to the garage, she looked for something, anything, to use as a weapon. Spotting a claw hammer on her dad’s workbench, she grabbed it, then went back into the house.

Using extreme caution, and with the hammer raised behind her head, she inched her way quietly toward the kitchen. With her free hand, she held her phone, poised to hit 911.

Moving closer to the kitchen, she heard slurping. Familiar slurping.

She glimpsed a tail.

Tug lifted his head and barked at her.

“Tug!”

Rushing to him, Kayla dropped to her knees, crushed him in her arms, wrapping him in a happy frenzy of kissing and licking.

“Where’d you go, you stupid dog?” Kayla brushed her tears of joy. “Are you okay?”

Kayla pulled back and in a quick inspection ran her fingers over his head, his coat, checked his pads. All seemed to be in order.

“Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

Tug barked and Kayla went to the counter, put fresh water in his bowl, then began opening a can of dog food for him.

“Don’t ever run away again!”

The back door opened. Emma had returned. Kayla glimpsed her over her shoulder.

“Emma, Tug came home!”

With the open can and wooden spoon in her hand, Kayla turned and stared at Emma, who’d steadied herself against the counter. Blood was trickling from Emma’s arm and hand. Scratches bloodied her temple and cheek. Her shirt was torn, streaked with blood and dirt.

“Oh my God! You look like you’ve been in a fight—what happened? Was it a coyote?”

Kayla put down the can and spoon to pass her a dish towel.

“No. After I found Tug, I tripped and slid down a hill.” Emma shifted off the backpack, plopped it on the counter and sat down. Kayla saw the backpack was smeared with dirt, loosened at the opening.

“Are you all right, Emma?”

“Just a few scrapes.” She smiled. “I found Tug on the trail near the spot where we expected, but as we got closer to home, he ran ahead of me.”

“I saw him alone in the kitchen,” Kayla said. “Thought he came home by himself. It’s good his collar key still works on his door.”

Kayla spooned the food into Tug’s bowl, set both down, then took his head in her hands to nuzzle him. “I’m so glad we’ve got him home.”