“No, Sergeant.”
Then she heard a familiar voice.
“Mom?”
Jade's heart dropped.
Finn stood at the far end of the parking lot.
He had followed her.
He was wearing pajama pants, sneakers, and a hoodie thrown over his shirt.
He was holding his phone.
His face was pale.
“Mom!”
Jade's voice softened instantly.
“Finn. Stay there.”
“But—”
“Stay there, buddy.”
Harlan turned toward the boy.
“You need to go home.”
Finn looked at the police.
Then at his mother.
Then at Zeus and Ares.
“They didn't do anything.”
Harlan sighed.
“Kid, go home.”
“They didn't.”
“Finn.”
Jade spoke firmly.
“Go home.”
“But Mom—”
“I'm okay.”
Finn's eyes filled with worry.
Jade gave him the look she had used hundreds of times when he was frightened.
The look that meant trust me.
He swallowed.
“Okay.”
He turned.
Then stopped.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Did they try to take Zeus and Ares?”
Jade paused.
“No.”
Harlan interrupted.
“Not yet.”
Finn looked back.
Something changed in his expression.
Jade immediately understood.
He was afraid.
Not for himself.
For the dogs.
She crouched slightly.
“Finn, listen to me.”
He nodded.
“These officers are doing their job. You go home. Feed yourself some breakfast.”
“But—”
“That's an order.”
Finn gave the smallest smile.
“Yes, ma'am.”
He turned and walked away.
Harlan watched him.
Then he looked back at Jade.
“You military people always talk like that?”
Jade's eyes sharpened.
“Sometimes.”
“Thought you were retired.”
“I am.”
“Doesn't seem like it.”
Jade smiled faintly.
“Some habits don't retire.”
The sound of another vehicle approached.
Animal control.
A white truck entered the parking lot.
Two officers stepped out.
One of them looked at Zeus and Ares.
Then at Jade.
Then back at the dogs.
He frowned.
“What am I looking at?”
Harlan pointed.
“Two aggressive German Shepherds.”
The animal control officer stared.
“They're sitting.”
“Yes.”
“They're leashed.”
“Yes.”
“They're wearing service-style harnesses.”
“Yes.”
The officer looked at Harlan.
“What's the complaint?”
Harlan handed him a clipboard.
The man read it.
His expression slowly changed.
“Caller says dogs attacked a jogger.”
Jade's eyes narrowed.
“When?”
“Yesterday morning.”
“I was running this exact route yesterday.”
The animal control officer looked at her.
“Did they attack anyone?”
“No.”
“Did anyone approach them?”
“No.”
“Did anyone get bitten?”
“No.”
The man looked at Harlan.
“So why are we here?”
Harlan's face reddened.
“Because there was a complaint.”
The animal control officer shrugged.
“A complaint isn't evidence.”
Jade said nothing.
But inside, something clicked.
The call wasn't random.
Someone had created a story.
And someone wanted those dogs taken away.
The question was why.
What Sergeant Harlan Didn't Know
The truth about Jade Brooks had never been easy to explain.
Even people who knew she had served in the Army didn't understand what fourteen years as a military K9 handler meant.
They imagined obedience classes.
They imagined police dogs chasing suspects.
They imagined barking commands.
They didn't understand the relationship between handler and working dog.
A handler didn't simply command a dog.
A handler learned to think with the dog.
Jade had learned to recognize the smallest changes.
A shift in posture.
A change in breathing.
A twitch of the ear.
A change in scent behavior.
A stare that lasted half a second too long.
She could tell when Zeus was tired.
She could tell when Ares was nervous.
She could tell when both dogs were relaxed.
And right now, they were relaxed.
That fact mattered.
The animal control officer seemed to understand.
“My name's Daniel Ruiz,” he said.
Jade nodded.
“Dr. Jade Brooks.”
“I know.”
She frowned.
“You know me?”
“Not personally.”
He pointed at Zeus.
“These two?”
“Retired military working dogs.”
Ruiz looked impressed.
“Explosives?”
“Both were trained in multiple disciplines.”
“Still certified?”
“They're retired. Their operational certifications ended when they left service. Their medical and ownership records are current.”
Ruiz nodded.
“That makes sense.”
Harlan interrupted.
“So you're not taking them?”
Ruiz looked confused.
“On what basis?”
“Potential danger.”
“Are they dangerous?”
“They're large dogs.”
Ruiz sighed.
“So are Great Danes.”
Harlan glared.
Ruiz continued.
“Look, Sergeant, I have a complaint here. But I don't have a bite report, no injured party, no witness statement, no photographs, and no loose-dog citation.”
Jade crossed her arms.
“And you have two dogs sitting calmly beside their owner.”
Ruiz looked at her.
“Correct.”
Harlan's face became darker.
“Fine.”
He stepped back.
“Then we'll wait.”
Jade noticed something.
Harlan wasn't leaving.
He was watching the house.
Her house.
She followed his gaze.
“Why are you looking at my property?”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
Harlan looked away.
Kline's eyes lowered.
Jade noticed that too.
Something was wrong.
The entire encounter had been too specific.
Someone had known her route.
Someone had known about the dogs.
Someone had known she would be outside early.
And now Harlan was looking toward her home.
Jade pulled out her phone again.
She opened the neighborhood security app.
The camera feed showed the front porch.
Finn was standing near the door.
Jade immediately called him.
He answered.
“Mom?”
“Are you inside?”
“Yes.”
“Lock the door.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
He did.
Jade watched the camera.
“Good.”
Finn's voice lowered.
“Mom, are the police still there?”
“Yes.”
“Are they taking Zeus and Ares?”
“No.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
A pause.
Then Finn asked:
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“I saw Mr. Vale talking to one of them yesterday.”
Jade's heart stopped.
“Which officer?”
“I don't know.”
“Where?”
“Outside his house.”
“When?”
“After dinner.”
“What did they talk about?”
“I couldn't hear.”
Jade glanced toward Harlan.
Then toward Vale's house.
Gregory Vale.
Three houses down.
Her stomach tightened.
“Finn, did Mr. Vale say anything to you?”
“No.”
“Did he come to our house?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
Another pause.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Are you scared?”
Jade looked at Zeus.
Then Ares.
Then the police officers.
“No.”
It was not entirely true.
She wasn't afraid of Harlan.
She wasn't afraid of the dogs being taken.
She wasn't afraid of confrontation.
She was afraid of something else.
She was afraid Finn would learn that sometimes people could misuse authority simply because they could.
She was afraid he would learn that doing the right thing didn't always protect you immediately.
She was afraid he would inherit the part of her that had learned to expect trouble.