"What should we do, Andy?" Candace peered into the darkness then turned around to face him.

"We need to get to the cops. Stay close to the side of the house and pray we don't set off any more motion lights. God, it's enough to make you jump out of your skin."

They edged along the wall of the house, heading for the road and the squad of police gathered in the driveway next door. With their attention fixed on the lights sweeping the front of the building, they never saw the men hiding in the midst of a thick group of oleanders.

***

Lenny flipped his cell open. "Pete, we're in the backyard of the house next door, on the right side by the fence. Believe it or not, so is damn near everyone else. Have someone shine some lights on this side of the yard. And keep an eye out on the front of the property. The Bakers are on the other side of the house, probably heading your way. The Ruskies are on the right, between you and us. Let's squeeze them."

Silent, Lenny and Jim closed the distance and soon came within earshot of the Russians.

With little fanfare other than the throbbing diesel engine, the truck with the klieg lights turned around, trundled as close as it could get to the dividing fence line and trained their lights on the backyard.

The Russians scattered, running away from the sweeping brightness and leaving a trail of landscape radiance in their wake as they bolted for the house. The spotlights revealed their hiding place then caught and fastened on Dimitri and his cohorts.


Tony crouched in the cover of a dense shrub, waiting. Nostrils quivering, he caught Jim's scent. He stopped panting, body immobile, head cocked as though eavesdropping on his prey while they whispered to each other. He pressed himself into the bushes as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching, followed by more loud shouting. He lowered his head and crawled toward the gang. About ten feet from them he stopped and waited.


Lenny and Jim reached the edge of the lawn about the same time the cops came around the corner of the house. The gang, unaware that they'd been flanked, closed ranks and shielded Dimitri from view long enough for him to pull his gun and aim it at the nearest cop.

Before he could raise the muzzle and fire, his body whipped backward in a sharp arc. Both arms jerked to the heavens and he let out a screech, almost doubling over as ninety pounds of Doberman hit him in the small of his back. His head and shoulders surged forward then and the gun flew out of his hand. Dimitri crashed to the ground, twitching in convulsions; then he was still.

Man down, Tony retreated into the shrubs.

Another of the gang members drew his gun, pointed it at Pete, and from almost pointblank range squeezed off a shot just a breath after the one that came from the back of the property. His shot went wild and he dropped his weapon in slow motion and clutched his side. He staggered backward several steps and collapsed in a heap.

Jim fired again, taking out the remaining goon who sank to his knees, screaming. A dark stain spread across his thigh. Like a felled tree, he crumpled face forward on the ground, his hands clutching his leg.

"Thanks, Jim. We got it from here." Detective Riley nodded in gratitude then turned to his men. His startled expression followed by a shouted warning got the men's attention. He pointed behind them the same time as the sound of muffled shots and a sharp inhuman cry filled the air.

The cops spun around in time to see the remaining upright gang member. Unarmed, hands waving around as though possessed by demons, he gaped open-mouthed and paralyzed as his cohort wrestled with what looked like a snarling, slavering mass of snapping teeth. The growling had the quality and texture of fingernails on a blackboard. The man began to scream.

Correctly assessing the situation, Jim called, "Down, Tony. Guard."

The dog released his hold and backed up just far enough to be out of reach of the men. He stared them down. Low growls emanating from his throat and occasional snaps of teeth succinctly implied what would happen if either of them moved.

There was a new and sudden rustling in the brush next to the house, followed by a deliberate attempt at making noise.

"It's me. Don't shoot." Hands up, Candace moved into the sweeping lights, a man close at her side. "Please, he's got a gun in my back."

Lenny took several steps backward, melted into the shadows that the klieg lights missed and began to move in behind the man holding Candace.

Jim remained in position, as did the cops.

"Step away from the woman," Riley shouted, his gun fixed on the space between the man's eyes. "There's no way out but you don't have to die. Let the...."

A blur really, no more than an optical illusion swished through the air, knocking Candace in one direction and her captor in another. Cricket whirled, turning on the man as the woman hit the ground, slid across the lawn and rolled into some shrubs. Candace slammed into the oleanders with a solid thud and lay still, moaning.

Snarling, Cricket jumped at the man's chest. Her teeth fastened on his up-thrust arm, quickly shredding the light material of his shirt. He crashed to the ground with a shriek, the heavy dog stuck to his chest like Velcro.

As though offended by his pitiful cries, she clamped her jaws on his throat and squeezed. Pinned, the man stopped moving and thus probably saved his life.


Lenny found Andy Baker, bound and gagged, lying along the side of the house. "Hey, can you hear me?" He pulled the tape from Andy's mouth, pleased to see him panting as he drew deep breaths of air into his lungs.

"I'm fine," he said, still panting, "how's Candace? They got her and...."

"Don't talk, man. Get your breath back. She's fine, we got them all. Let's get you free and meet up with everyone else." Lenny pulled a knife from his pocket, made quick work of the tape and helped Andy to his feet.

"I'm fine, really. Go ahead. I'll be right behind you."

Lenny hollered his name as he and Andy came around the far corner of the house. Pete identified him to the other cops who were busy handcuffing and Mirandizing the Ruskies.

Patting Andy's back, Lenny pushed him towards the side shrubs and pointed. "Go over with Candace, I'll be there in a minute."

Lenny turned toward Jim in question, then nodded at Tony.
"You seen Cricket?"

Jim chuckled. "Yeah, up near the other end of the house. She's got one of them on the ground and won't obey my orders to stand down. The cops are waiting for you." He gestured to the right and grinned. "A one-man dog."

Lenny hurried across the lawn, waving at Pete. The cops moved aside and pointed at the man on the ground. Cricket loomed above him, little chittering sounds accompanied the growls coming from her throat. She dared him to move.

"Down, Cricket."

She backed away, stumpy tail rotating at the sound of Lenny's voice.

"Heel."

She rushed to his side and sat, looking up in expectation.

"Good girl, Cricket, good baby." Lenny stroked the big dog's head, smiling as she grinned at him. Her ears moved up and down and unable to control herself any longer, she gave one short, joyful bark.


"I think we got them all," Pete said, nodding as the last of the gang entered the paddy wagon. He turned toward Lenny with a grin. "What a great dog. Looks like you guys have fun. The other one is Tony, isn't it?" He looked down the yard where the dog sat at Jim's side, tongue lolling out as he panted.

"You ever miss the department, boss?"

"Like a bad rash, Pete."

***

Candace settled deeper into the chaise lounge and glanced across her cup of coffee at her husband. "I figured I'd sleep for a week. So weird, isn't it?"

"Stress and fear do strange things to us. I guess we're so programmed to getting up at this time our minds won't let us relax. I bet we'll sleep tonight. Plus, anticipation has a lot to do with it."

They watched the sun make a grand entrance, turning the tips of the trees mauve, slipping effortlessly into pink, then gold.

She glanced at Andy and shrugged. "While I was gone, I used to watch the sunrise each morning, especially in the cabin. They were spectacular ... incredible colors, and I'd pretend we were together, imagine your face. After the first day, once I knew they weren't going to rape me or kill me, it wasn't so bad. They knew I didn't have any answers for them so they left me alone."

Andy leaned forward, poured her another cup of coffee then refilled his own cup. "I've been frantic, of course. It was impossible to deal with your kidnapping and Sara as well, not to mention the various law enforcement agencies involved. Jane's been a saint through all this. She kept Sara centered, concentrated on the best results, continued with the routines as well as she could." He glanced at his watch and grinned in anticipation. "She said she'd bring Sara home first thing, which I'm figuring could be any time now. I can't wait to see her."

"Me, too. I'm glad we waited until morning, but I have to admit it was all I could do not to run over there, even at that hour and grab her up out of her bed. Oh, God." Her voice quivered and she reached for his hand.

They heard the buzzer in the kitchen announcing that someone who knew the gate code had entered the property. Still holding hands, they hurried across the wide veranda and down the steps just as Sara leaped out of the passenger side of the truck screaming, "Mommy! Daddy!"

She burst into tears, arms wide as she scampered up to them. Hugs and cries and reassurances that they'd never be separated again filled the air.

Standing off to one side, face beaming with smiles, Jane waited, fighting back her own tears as she watched the family reunite.

Her lower lip bobbed as Candace turned and approached her; arms open wide, she embraced her best friend.

"Oh, Jane, thank you."

"Candace. I've never been so scared in my life. Thank God."

They rocked silently for a moment, patting each other's backs and murmuring words of love and joy.

"We knew you'd be okay," Jane said, smiling, eyes glistening. "We talked to you all the time and every night Sara wrote you a note. Then we would pray to God to take care of you and send you back to us safe and sound. We just knew He would, and look, here you are."

They cried a bit more and then Jane whispered, "In a minute or two...." She glanced over her shoulder as a blue SUV pulled up behind her truck and gave Candace another hug. They heard the doors slam. Smiling, Jane nudged Candace.
"Someone else wants to see you again. She was heartsick when you disappeared...."

"Sadie? Is that...?"

The sound of nails clicking on the blacktop followed a whining, snuffling sound and soon a large black shape rounded the edge of the garage. She gave a howl of pleasure and hurled herself at Candace's feet, a quivering mass of canine glee.

Crying, moaning and making little hicking sounds in her throat, the Doberman thrust her head into Candace's hands, begging for pets.

Tears streaming down her face, Candace sank to the ground and hugged the dog to her chest, reassuring Sadie that everything was alright.

The dog alternated between licking Candace's face and singing up a storm, as though trying to explain and ask questions at the same time.

Sara ran over to her mother and Sadie, squealing with joy. They sat on the grass together, arms around each other, cuddling Sadie while the dog continued to lick faces and sing.

Jim and Lenny stood off to the side, watching Candace and Sara play with the dog. Andy stared at his family a moment longer, then walked toward Jim and Lenny, hand extended.

"Words will never express how grateful I am to you. I owe you my life and Candace's."

Jim placed his hand over Andy's, tapped it and nodded at the joyous tableau as the dog continued to love on Candace.

"Glad it all worked out so well. If I were you, I'd take your girls out for a steak dinner tonight. All of them."

Grinning, he handed Andy a fancy, ornate business card with nothing but the name ELLA'S scrolled across the face and a chic Hollywood address.