He Rescued a Dog Over My Gran, So I Took His Helicopters novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Where the Dog Was

Sheridan's ranch sat on a bare ridge with the big barn burned to its foundation.

The house had survived, and so had a line of white fence posts.

She was waiting in the yard under a work light with her arms wrapped around herself.

Duchess lay at her feet, and when she saw me the dog got up and leaned on my leg again.

Sheridan looked at Jude, standing a few steps behind me.

"I'd hoped it would be only you," she said.

"I can wait in the truck," Jude said.

"No. You should hear it. You flew it." She shut her eyes. "Come around to the back."

She led us past the barn to an old red pickup parked by the corral.

The driver's door was open, and the seat was covered in dog hair.

Sheridan put her hand on the seat.

"She was in here by 4:05," she said. "I put her on the seat and shut the door."

"You put the dog in the truck before the helicopter came," I said.

"Before anyone called. The barn was burning, but the horses were already out. I had the dog and my father's saddle. I was standing right here with the keys in my hand."

Jude had gone very still.

"At 4:06 I called Beck," Sheridan said. "I said, 'I'm out. Duchess is safe. Don't send anyone, don't risk the pilots.'"

I heard my own voice come out level.

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'Stay right where you are.'" She was crying now, without any noise. "And then he said, 'Then you're the story, Sheridan. Keep the dog by the truck. I'm sending the bird anyway. I need the footage.'"

"For the Dinner," Jude said.

"For the contract. He said the state wanted a human story, and the dog was the best one he'd ever have." She dragged the heel of her hand across her face. "I told him it wasn't true. I said Duchess was never in danger. He said I was too close to it to see how it would look."

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