I tried not to smile at Nana’s very modern terminology.

“The dog is crazy big.  It stood chest high.  They’re trying to identify the breed but can’t.”

Great.  Enormous, mad dogs on the loose.  This planet needed a reality check.

The woman at my feet offered me two color wheels so I could pick a polish.  I let the rest of the conversation drift over me while I studied a vibrant pink-orange.

*    *    *    *

Nails polished, purchases in the back seat, we headed home hours later.  I thanked Nana for the day.  I’d tried to be fun and gracious, but Nana probably noticed my lack of enthusiasm.

She waved off my thanks.  “The nails were Jim’s treat.  All I sprang for was the phone plan, which we needed.  Adding you to it was no hardship.”

I toyed with the cell phone in my hands.  It had a data plan.  Probably Emmitt’s idea.  The phone could come in handy.  I liked knowing I could call and check up on my brothers if I did have to leave them for some reason—like today.

Sitting back in my seat, I watched the country fly past.  For an older person, Nana Wini liked to speed.  Thankfully, she drove well.

When we pulled into the driveway, Jim and the boys waved from the backyard.  They had the sprinkler on full blast.  I’d known my brothers would be fine on a certain level, but actually seeing them melted the tension that had prevented me from truly enjoying the day.

I opened the back door to pull out my purchases while Nana Wini went to ask the boys if they’d had fun.  Not only had Nana insisted on me getting a phone, but she’d also insisted I buy a dress and shoes, saying that every woman needed something pretty in her closest for any occasion.  I didn’t see myself ever going anywhere, so why bother with a dress?  But, she’d persisted until I’d distractedly found a solid black dress.  Without trying it on, we’d purchased it.  I’d assured Nana I knew my size.  I really had no idea if the dress would fit but had wanted to get back to my brothers.

Carrying my dress, covered by a white plastic bag so it wouldn’t get dirty, I stepped onto the porch.

“Hold on,” Jim called, leaving the boys to their sprinkler.  “You can’t sneak in without showing me.”  He looked at me expectantly, and I wiggled my toes for him, again glad I’d worn sandals.  “Very nice.  Now the dress.”

“How did you—”

“Emmitt told me his contribution to your day.”

Emmitt had wanted me to buy a dress?

“It’s why I thought you’d want your nails done.  Better hurry, I hear him coming.”

I gaped at him.  “I don’t know if anyone will get to see me in this dress.”

“Day’s not done yet,” he grinned back at me.  I shook my head and thanked him for the special consideration.  Then I gave him a quick, spontaneous hug.

“You keep that up, and he’ll be treating you to spa days with Nana Wini every week.”  Emmitt’s voice rang in the entry.

I turned and saw him coming down the steps.  My eyes devoured him, and I realized I’d missed him, too.

“Thank you for the dress,” I said sincerely.

Jim moved away from us, heading toward the boys who still regaled Nana about what they’d done.

“You’re welcome.  Just don’t let Jim see it before I do.”

“I think it might stay in the bag for a while.”

“I hope not.  I was wondering if you’d consider going to dinner with me.  Next Saturday,” he assured me when he saw my panicked look.

My panic had nothing to do with leaving Liam and Aden this time.  “A date?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“If you’re not too busy.”  He wore a teasing smile.

I shrugged, pretending indifference.  “I’ll see what I can do.”  First, I’d need to try on the dress.

He moved aside so I could carry my things up.  “You coming back outside or going to research again?”

Without knowing it, he’d reminded me what I needed to do before playing dress up.  “Both.  I’ll bring the tablet out here.”

After tossing my things neatly in the closet, I grabbed my paper, pencil, and tablet before jogging back downstairs.  Nana already sat on the steps, sipping a glass of tea, her toes sparkling in the sun.  She’d selected a cool, silver polish.  I settled next to her and started my research.

With the heat and the hard step, I struggled to stay focused.  After only an hour, I set the tablet aside and ran in to get an iced tea, taking up Nana on her offer to help myself.  When I came back, Emmitt sat in my spot and looked up at me hopefully.  Nana held the tablet, staring at it intently.

“Can I have a drink?” he asked, looking at my glass.  Since I’d already had a few sips and had gotten it more out of boredom than actual thirst, I handed it over with a smile.  His gaze flicked to mine as he drank half the glass in a few long pulls.  His request to take me to dinner echoed in my ears, and I flushed.  Uncomfortable, I looked away and caught sight of the video Nana watched on the tablet.

Any blood rushing to my face immediately fled as I watched a huge, shaggy dog attack a man just outside of an office building.  The grainy quality of the image and the distance between the camera and the attack made it hard to see clearly, but I couldn’t mistake Richard’s identity.

The person holding the camera swore, and the image on the screen dipped to show blacktop as the attack became savage.  People screamed in the background.  Some yelled for help.  The person taking the video refocused on Richard’s prone form as the attack ended.  He had been savaged, covered in red gore.

People ran toward him.  The dog turned to look around, its eyes catching light and glinting for the camera before it leapt over a fence, clearing more than ten feet before sprinting away.

A strange popping sound filled my ears, then all noise ceased.  The sun began to set suddenly and the sky grew dark.  Nothing made sense.  In the dim light, Emmitt’s eyes appeared before me, filled with worry.

Thankfully, the lights went out.  I was glad I didn’t have to see any more.

*    *    *    *

Several someone’s called my name.  I opened my eyes, disoriented.  I heard Jim speaking.

“She’s okay.  She just fainted.  Emmitt caught her.  She’s not hurt.”

Fainted?  The image of Richard came back to me in a rush, and I closed my eyes.  Oh, Richard.  Blake said he’d died, but he hadn’t said how.  I’d assumed something like poison or a setup mugging.  Why would they do something so obvious?

“I don’t know,” Nana said.  I hadn’t realized I’d spoke my question aloud.

A hand smoothed back my hair.  I opened my eyes again and saw Emmitt.  His deep blue eyes caressed my face.  His arms cradled me as I half-sat in his lap.

“Nice catch,” I whispered.  Some of the worry melted from his face, and his lips tilted up at the corners slightly.

“For you, always.”

I sat up, and he kept an arm around me.  Blood rushed to my head, making me dizzy.  I smiled at the boys. Their expressions were just as worried as Emmitt’s.

“I’m okay.  Just got too warm.  I think I need to go through the sprinkler,” I suggested.

Liam watched me a moment longer than Aden.  He knew I lied.  Smart boy.  Jim encouraged them to go back to playing with him.

“I’m assuming that was Richard based on your reaction and question,” Nana said.  I nodded.  “This has gone too far.  We need to find those responsible.  They are killing, and that endangers us all.  What we saw...that is not who we are,” she said sadly.

She rose and walked into the house.  A moment later, I heard her speaking.  Emmitt stayed close, comforting me.  My eyes traveled the trees, scanning.  Nothing had really changed, nothing to think that Blake and his men were any closer to finding me, but it didn’t matter. Fear ruled me, again.