Linda Mercer came through Daniel Hayes’s side gate screaming before he even understood what was happening.
“Your dog is poisoned!”
Daniel was standing beside his garage with a garden hose in one hand when he heard her voice. He turned sharply.
For one terrible second, he thought something had happened to his son.
Then he saw Cooper.
The twelve-year-old Labrador was lying on the grass near the shed, his head lifted only slightly. His breathing was fast and shallow. His front legs trembled every time he tried to push himself upright.
Daniel dropped the hose.
“Cooper!”
He ran across the yard and fell to his knees.
Cooper recognized him immediately. The dog lifted his tail once and made a weak sound deep in his throat.
“I’m here, boy. I’m here.”
Daniel placed one hand beneath Cooper’s chest.
That was when he noticed Linda standing beside the old galvanized feed bucket.
She wasn't kneeling beside the dog.
She wasn't offering water.
She wasn't calling for help.
She was staring at Daniel.
“You did this,” she said.
Daniel looked up.
“What?”
“You poisoned him.”
“I didn't.”
Linda held up a clear plastic container.
“There was meat inside this.”
Daniel stared at it.
“What does that have to do with me?”
“It was beside your fence.”
“That doesn't mean I put it there.”
Linda pointed toward the bucket.
“Then explain that.”
Daniel turned.
The bucket was normally empty. He used it only to carry Cooper's dry food from the storage cabinet into the house.
Today, however, several pieces of cooked meat sat at the bottom.
Some were covered with a strange pale powder.
Daniel felt cold despite the August heat.
“I didn't put that there.”
Linda laughed bitterly.
“Of course you didn't.”
Two neighbors had appeared near the fence.
Mrs. Bennett was standing in her driveway, one hand covering her mouth.
Tom Parker had stopped beside his mailbox.
Linda looked toward them.
“Someone needs to call Animal Control.”
Daniel ignored her.
He carefully lifted Cooper.
The old Labrador struggled for a moment, then rested his head against Daniel's shoulder.
“Stay with me, buddy.”
Linda followed him.
“You can't just take him inside.”
“I'm taking him to the veterinarian.”
“You need to answer for what you did.”
Daniel stopped.
He looked at her.
“My dog is sick. I'm trying to save him. If you have something useful to say, say it. Otherwise get out of my yard.”
Linda folded her arms.
“You've hated the dogs coming from my house.”
“I don't hate dogs.”
“You've complained about them.”
“I've complained about barking at two in the morning.”
“You've threatened to report me.”
“I said I'd report you if you continued operating a boarding business without telling anyone.”
Linda's face tightened.
“I don't operate a boarding business.”
“Then why are dogs coming and going every day?”
“That's none of your business.”
Daniel looked down at Cooper.
“Exactly.”
A county vehicle pulled up at the curb.
Animal Control Officer Maya Torres stepped out.
She moved quickly toward the yard.
“What happened?”
Linda immediately pointed at Daniel.
“He poisoned his dog.”
Maya didn't react.
Instead, she looked at Cooper.
“How long has he been like this?”
“Maybe fifteen minutes,” Daniel answered.
“Has he vomited?”
“No.”
“Seizures?”
“No.”
“Could he have gotten into medication?”
“Not that I know of.”
Maya crouched beside Cooper.
The dog was conscious.
That gave Daniel a small reason to hope.
Maya examined his eyes, gums and breathing.
“He needs a veterinarian immediately.”
Daniel nodded.
“I'll take him.”
“Go.”
Daniel carefully carried Cooper toward his truck.
Then Maya looked at the bucket.
“Don't touch anything in there.”
Daniel stopped.
“I wasn't going to.”
“I know.”
Linda stepped forward.
“I found the container.”
Maya turned toward her.
“You said that already.”
“There was meat inside.”
“I heard you.”
“It could be poison.”
“It could.”
Linda seemed irritated.
“So you agree with me?”
“No. I said it could be.”
Maya took photographs of the bucket.
She didn't touch the meat.
She didn't touch the container.
Then she noticed something.
A tiny strip of bright red tape was partially hidden beneath one of the meat pieces.
She leaned closer.
Daniel saw it.
“What is that?”
Maya didn't answer immediately.
The tape was only about two inches long.
One end had been torn diagonally.
It looked insignificant.
But Maya had seen something similar earlier that morning.
She looked at Linda.
“Mrs. Mercer, where did you get that container?”
Linda hesitated.
“I told you. I found it.”
“Where?”
“Near the fence.”
“Which side?”
Linda pointed.
Maya nodded.
Then she looked back at the red tape.
Daniel felt a strange shift in the atmosphere.
Only seconds earlier, Linda had been accusing him.
Now Maya was studying Linda.
“What?” Linda demanded.
“Nothing yet.”
“Yet?”
Maya stood.
“I need to photograph everything before anyone moves it.”
Linda crossed her arms.
“You think I did something?”
“I haven't said that.”
“But you're looking at me.”
“I look at everyone when I investigate an incident.”
Daniel didn't know what to think.
He only knew one thing.
Cooper needed help.
He rushed the dog to the emergency veterinary clinic.
As Daniel drove, Cooper lay across the back seat.
“Come on, old man.”
At a red light, Daniel looked into the rearview mirror.
Cooper's eyes were open.
Barely.
Daniel's phone rang.
It was Megan.
His wife.
“Where are you?”
“At the animal hospital.”