Sergeant Luke Jordan always got a kick out of traveling with his search and rescue dog, Hellion. The striking black and white husky was a frisky two-year-old with a sizable dose of pup still in his heart. There was a prance in his step as he and Luke strolled from the animal check-in and out area. For one thing, he was tail-wagging happy to be free of his cage after the couple of hours flight from Ft. Leonard Wood. Plus, he thoroughly enjoyed all the attention he was getting. Dozens of heads swiveled in their direction as they exited the front doors of the airport into the Texas sunshine.
Hellion was a complete chick magnet. Women sighed and aw'ed over him, while children (again, mostly girls) squealed in delight at the sight of him, begging their parents to let them run pet him.
It was way too bad Luke didn't have all afternoon to stroll around the airport with his charismatic dog. It might have actually improved his own social life. He and Hellion had just returned from a nine-month tour to Afghanistan. They'd routed out so many enemy combatants together that the other guys in his unit had taken to calling him Sergeant Fang. He and Hellion had made headlines and had recently been awarded several medals for exemplary service — none of which brought Luke any closer to acquiring a girlfriend.
As much as he enjoyed his career in the Military Police, the twenty-seven-year-old soldier despaired of every meeting the one. It was difficult to have much of social life while he was serving back-to-back training missions and deployments — much less getting to know a woman well enough to date her.
He ran a hand through his hair, mussing the dark blonde waves he'd allowed to grow out in recent weeks. There was no point in coming home to Desert Springs, Texas for the holidays with a buzz cut. It was time to kick back and enjoy civilian life for a couple of weeks. It had felt wonderful a few hours ago to swap out his uniform and combat boots for a comfortable pair of jeans and a t-shirt. His parents would make him put his uniform back on for their family Christmas pictures, of course. Barb and Chuck Jordan were American patriots through and through. They couldn't be prouder of the fact their son was serving in the Army.
Luke's watch buzzed with an incoming text message. He held his wrist up to read the message while he waited for the crosswalk guard to signal him and the awaiting pedestrians that the three lanes in front of him were clear to cross. The parking garage was on the other side of the pick-up/drop-off lanes.
So sorry, baby, his mother texted. Stuck in traffic. ETA 25 minutes.
No problem, he texted back. See you soon.
Well, bummer! Luke lowered his arm and gave a light tug on Hellion's leash. Guess their holiday would have to wait a little longer to get started. There was no point in standing outside in a cold parking garage, though. Might as well step back inside the terminal. No sooner had he rolled his suitcase back through the double glass doors did his wristwatch go off again. This time, it shrieked out a shrill alarm.
His watch wasn't the only device nearby that was sounding off. Dozen of people around him were frowning at their smart phones, watches, and other electronic tablets, which were squealing the same warning.
Luke scanned the face of his watch and noted it was an amber alert — another missing child. Of all the rotten luck! It always made his stomach hurt to receive these kinds of messages, but even more so during the holidays. It meant some kid wasn't going to be where they were supposed to be for Christmas, unless local law enforcement was successful in their search and rescue efforts. Luke felt a stab of guilt at the fact he was starting his Christmas vacation, when another family was experiencing so much heartache right now.
"Omigosh!" A smoking hot blonde, who was checking in at the nearest kiosk, clapped a hand over her mouth. Christmas red lacquered fingernails brushed against her cheeks.
Luke followed her line of vision. A set of big screen televisions were blaring the local news. At the bottom of the screen was a scrolling headline — Missing Child. All search & rescue volunteers needed ASAP. A snapshot of the boy was displayed above it.
What a cute kid! Luke's heart sank at the cheerful smile stretching from one end of the boy's face to the other. He had reddish brown hair, a generous sprinkling of freckles, and a missing front tooth. He couldn't be much older than a kindergartner or a first grader. Poor little guy!
The news release continued to scroll at the bottom of the screen. Missing from the Belleview Elementary School playground since 1:15 p.m. All volunteers call 888-HELP-NOW.
Aw, snap! Sounded like the kiddo had been taken straight from his playground during recess. It had all the feel of a lowdown, creepy abduction. Not that every amber alert wasn't an emergency, but so many times they turned out to involve custody battles where the child was in no immediate or acute danger. Other times, the alerts turned out to be false alarms, altogether. Kids were forever running off and getting lost in stores and such. This situation, however, didn't feel like a false alarm.
A damp sniffle made Luke's head swivel back to the attractive blonde. He jolted to discover she was sobbing. Fat tears gushed from beneath her eyelids as she whipped out a cell phone and dialed with a trembling hand.
"Mom?" she quavered. "I know I'm supposed to be boarding my plane in a few minutes, but Davy Henderson is missing." She drew a shuddery breath, more tears gushing. "Yeah. The kid next door. I gotta go help out. I'm sorry about the last minute change in plans, but it's the right thing to do." She swiped at her cheek with one hand, splashing a few tears in Luke's direction.
Hellion gave a muffled woof as one of the salt drops plopped down on his nose.
The blonde gasped and glanced over at Luke and his dog. I am so sorry, she mouthed, reddening in embarrassment. She squatted down next to Hellion in her soft, lemony yellow sweater and scratched his ears, still talking on her phone. "As soon as we find him, I'll catch the next plane to Ontario. Promise! Yes, that'll work, too, if you can get away. Okay. I love you. Bye."
She took her time shoving her cell phone in the back pocket of her distressed navy jeans, head lowered over Hellion. Luke couldn't help noticing that she wiped her eyes a few more times before looking up. She also sent a hasty text message.
"I, ah...hi." Her voice sounded strained as she met his gaze. "I'm Coco Winslet. Sorry for crying crocodile tears all over your dog."
For a few seconds, Luke was completely tongue-tied. The woman was seriously that beautiful. Her hair wasn't just blonde. Up close, it had a few crazy wonderful little auburn highlights on the underside of her ponytail. Her face was downright exotic with fine-boned features, high cheekbones, and sea-blue eyes that were red-rimmed with emotion.
"I'm Luke. Luke Jordan." He grimaced inwardly as he stuck out a hand. Nice line, dude. Then again, she probably wasn't in the mood for someone trying to be clever or entertaining. "Don't worry about Hellion. You more than made it up to him with that scratch behind his ears. He'll follow you to the ends of the earth now, but, ah..." He was rambling, and there were important matters at stake. "I couldn't help overhearing that the missing kid is a neighbor of yours." He pointed at the television screen, which was now blaring an interview with the local sheriff. "Are you okay?"
"Our tip line is open, and we're following up on every viable lead. More than anything, we could use more hands on deck with the search. We have teams covering the park, and—"
"No!" Coco hissed emphatically, blinking as if trying to hold back another round of tears. She straightened. "I'm not okay, not even a little, but thanks for your concern. Yeah, I know the missing boy in the news. He lives next door, and he's an amazing kid. Always delivering mail to the elderly and, ah..." She paused and stared at Luke as if seeing him for the first time. "Oh, my goodness! No wonder your name sounded so familiar. You're Sergeant Fang, aren't you?"
Luke's jaw dropped. "What! How did you hear about that?" His nickname was pretty well known among the military police in his unit — otherwise referred to as MP's — but he hadn't visited home in nearly a year; and he knew for sure he'd never met the gorgeous woman standing in front of him. She was the kind of female a guy would never forget. Never!
She made a face. "I attended the Veterans Day Parade downtown a few weeks ago. You got a special mention from the podium. They had a big picture of you on display and everything."
Good gravy! I'm famous. He rolled his eyes in embarrassment, but she wasn't near finished.
"Which means," her eyes widened, "you and Hellion are trained in search and rescue, aren't you?"
Luke could hear the urgency and hopefulness in her voice and wanted to groan out loud. His parents were going to have a fit when they found out, but — as Coco had so accurately stated to her own mother — joining the search for Davy Henderson was the right thing to do.
"We are. He's kind of a superstar at tracking, scenting, and..." He stopped short of mentioning that Hellion was highly skilled at locating bodies, too. The dead kind.
"So I've heard." Coco's smile was a dazed sort of admiring.
"Guess I should call that number the sheriff announced on T.V., huh?" Luke glanced down at Hellion. Sorry, little buddy. Instead of that vacation I promised you at Grandma's house, looks like we're going back on duty.
Coco shrugged. "Or you and Hellion can accompany me." She reached for the handle of her suitcase. "I'm on a volunteer search and rescue team. We're meeting at the police station in half an hour to help out. I just sent out the text to round up everyone."
"Sure. Thanks." He was already dialing his parents. Normally, work was all about the mission, never about the socializing, but was it possible to do both? He'd gotten to run a search and rescue operation with long-haired blonde hotties in the past like, well...never. This was definitely a first. For a guy who hadn't had the opportunity to ask a girl out in over nine months, things were definitely picking up in the social life department.
Barb Jordan picked up on the first ring. "Hey, sweetie! We're still about ten minutes away, maybe fifteen. Darn traffic!"
"About that," Luke hated to disappoint them, but a kid's life might be at stake here. "Have you and Dad been listening to the news?"
"No, babe. Should we be?" The anxiety in her voice notched up several degrees.
"There's an amber alert out for a kid that went missing from his school playground today."
"I see." He heard his mother's breath ease out slowly. "I suppose that means we need to drive you straight to the police department?"
"Not exactly." He grinned despite the gravity of the situation. "You know how Hellion is always making friends. Well, he got us waylaid right here in the airport. We've already got a ride, and we're heading to the station now to join the search."
To her credit, Barb Jordan made a small bleating sound and fell silent. The noise in his parents' vehicle suddenly grew louder — the whirr of the engine, the sound of horns honking in the distance.
Chuck Jordan's voice sounded across the line next. "You want our help, son? You say the word, and we'll turn this car around and head straight for the PD, ourselves." He was a retired cop, so he talked in the same acronyms and jargon that Luke often did, using terms like PD instead of police department.
Considering his mother's elevated blood pressure condition, Luke hastened to turn down his father's offer. "I love you for asking, Dad, but no. The best thing you can do is get Mom home and let her finish cooking those pumpkin and pecan pies I know she has in the works. You know I'm going to be really hungry when I finally get there."
His mother gave a damp-sounding chuckle. "You betcha, Luke!"
"Alrighty, then. Keep us informed?" his father pleaded.
"I can do that. Love you both. I'm sorry about the delay."
Chuck Jordan cleared his throat. "We are, too, but it sounds like that boy needs you more than we do right now. We'll be praying you find him quick."
"Thanks, Pop." He disconnected the line and discovered Coco's lashes were damp with tears, again.
"My Mom was disappointed, too," she choked. "Part of me feels awful to delay my trip, but the other part of me..." Her voice trailed off, as she dashed at the dampness forming beneath her eyes.
Luke nodded in understanding, wanting more than anything to throw his arm around her shoulders as they walked to the parking garage together. However, they'd just met. It was too soon for those sorts of familiarities. "Let's go find Davy, so we can get on home for Christmas, ourselves."
She nodded and led him to a sleek white Corvette.
Without thinking, he gave a long, low whistle. "Nice ride!"
"Thanks." She produced a remote and clicked it. The car chirped twice as it unlocked. "Just to be clear, I only invited you along because I recognized you as a hometown hero and all."
He snorted. "I'm just a regular ol' soldier. Not a hero."
She stuck her tongue out at him, popped open the trunk, and tossed her small suitcase inside. "What I'm trying to say is, I wouldn't normally offer a ride to just any ol' hunky guy I meet in the airport."
Hunky, eh? Luke felt the heat climb up his neck. Coming from a girl as pretty as Coco Winslet, that was a real compliment. Fortunately, he traveled light, so his duffle bag fit perfectly next to hers, though the trunk compartment was small.
He walked ahead of Coco to the driver's side of the car and opened her door for her.
She looked surprised and more than a little pleased as she climbed in. "Um, thanks." It seemed to him that the color in her cheeks deepened as he firmly shut the door behind her.
Hellion wasn't as easy to stow as Luke's suitcase had been. Since there were no extra seats in Coco's snazzy set of wheels, he ended up in Luke's lap on the creamy leather seat.
Coco laughed when Hellion attempted to move from Luke's lap to hers. "Does he have his driver's license yet?" She reached up with both hands to ruffle the dog's hair and rub behind his ears.
"Nah, just his permit," Luke teased, tugging on Hellion's leash to make it clear he was to remain in the passenger seat with his handler.
She grinned and started the engine. "Had to ask. I know some of those S&R dogs are pretty well trained."
"This one is," Luke assured, patting Hellion on the back. He should know. He'd trained the dog himself, and they'd run no less than one hundred and thirty-three successful missions together behind enemy lines. They made the perfect team. He could only hope their training was up to the task of locating a missing boy this afternoon, before it was too late. He and Hellion were more accustomed to chasing down enemy combatants and uncovering stashes of narcotics. Tracking down missing persons was another game, entirely. And, according to the statistics, it was vitally important to find a missing person within the first twenty-four hours in order to ensure the best chance of survival.
Coco sobered. "I really appreciate you doing this. My team is new. They could really use your expertise."
"How new?" he asked cautiously, realizing he knew literally nothing about Coco Winslet and her search and rescue team, which he and the soldiers in his unit usually referred to as S&R teams.
"We-e-e-e-ll," she drew the word out, "this will be our first mission."
Luke's brows shot up at the confession. Coco seemed like a nice person and all, but he knew from past experience that training and working with newbies was no walk in the park. Actually, they could do more harm than good, sometimes, misreading clues and compromising evidence.
At Luke's wary silence, Coco hastened to her own defense. "I'm a veterinarian, so I'm good working with pets like yours. Plus, I've always wanted to help others. Unfortunately, my schedule only allows us to train after hours and on weekends." She shot him an exasperated scowl. "Quit looking so alarmed. We've seriously trained for this. We're ready."
Pets like mine. For once, Luke was glad Hellion couldn't speak English. He was a highly skilled, award-winning rescue dog, not a pet. Lord, have mercy! Luke was pretty sure the dog would be mighty offended if he realized he'd been demoted to the title of "pet."
"Say something," Coco snapped. "You're acting all..." She waved a hand as she floundered for the right word. It was a short ride from the tiny airport to the police station down on Main Street. Already, Luke could see the familiar red brick building in the distance.
"Concerned?" he supplied quietly. "Listen, I think it's great that you put together your own S&R team. I really do." Most other people just ignored amber alerts, acting like handling them were the police department's sole responsibility. The fact that Coco had cancelled her holiday travel plans to respond to one meant she was one of the most compassionate and selfless people he'd ever met. "It's just that real missions are rarely as black and white as training scenarios. For one thing, they usually take a lot longer," hours upon hours with no end in sight, "and sometimes, they can be downright dangerous."
"Then it's a good thing I snagged myself a hometown hero dog handler in the airport." Coco didn't sound the least bit worried about her lack of S&R expertise, as she cruised towards the police station.
"Yep, it's a good thing." Luke inwardly upbraided himself for ever wishing to work alongside such a beautiful woman. Sometimes, you get what you wish for, dude. Now he had a small boy to find plus a lovely local veterinarian to keep out of harm's way while doing so.
<<< To be continued... >>>
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Much love,
Jo