Renegade (Tin Star K9 Series Book 1) by Jodi Burnett (literature books to read .txt) 📗

Caitlyn whistled to him and when he came, she knelt down to stroke his head and soothe him. “What is it, Ren? What has you so upset?”

7

Caitlyn rushed towards the ranch house with Renegade racing after her. “Dad! Dad! Mom!” Her mother flew out the back door and met her as she was running up the steps.

“What is it? Is somebody hurt?”

“Yes... I mean, no. Where’s Dad?”

“What’s going on, Caitlyn?”

“Follow me.” Caitlyn rushed into the kitchen, the enticing aroma of baked apples and cinnamon barely registering before she ran down the hallway to her dad’s study. She burst through the French doors and stood before her father’s heavy wood desk. “Dad, the sheriff has taken Dylan!”

Her father stood abruptly. “Slow down, Catie-girl. Tell me what happened. I thought you were on a trail-ride?”

Her mom came around from behind Caitlyn, stood next to her husband, and they faced their daughter. “No, the trail riders are having lunch at the picnic table right now. I was just about to serve them dessert. Caitlyn. Tell us what’s happened.” She slid her hand down his forearm and linked her fingers through his.

Caitlyn took a deep breath and held it for a second before letting it out in a rush. “I was leading the trail ride today, and when we got to the top of the ridge, Ren found a shallow grave. There is a body buried up on the mountain, near the BLM gate.”

“How do you know someone’s buried there?” Her father gazed at her with a quizzical expression.

“Because, Ren sat down and barked until I went to see what he had found. I looked down where he indicated, and I saw fingers… sticking out of the dirt.” Caitlyn blinked hard and swallowed. “I didn’t want the trial-riders to know what he’d found, so as calmly as I could, I told everybody it was time to head back to the ranch. When we got back here, I sent the guests up to the house to find Mom, and I ran to tell Dylan what we found. He didn’t believe me at first either, but he called the sheriff, anyway.” Caitlyn took another deep breath and drew her bottom lip between her teeth. She met her father’s gaze. “When Sheriff Tackett saw the hand, he took Dylan in for questioning. I didn’t know what to do. The sheriff took him, Dad!”

A deep furrow formed between her dad’s eyes. “Okay, calm down. I’ll call the Sheriff’s Office and see what I can find out.” He released her mother’s hand and gripped the receiver of the desk phone so hard his normally tanned knuckles went white. His jaw flexed as he jabbed at the numbered buttons.

“Are you okay?” Caitlyn’s mom reached for her, worried blue eyes searching for reasons to fear. “I can’t believe you found a body on our land.”

Caitlyn hugged her. “I’m okay, Mom. Don’t worry.”

“We better move the tourists along. They’re probably finished eating by now. Let’s serve them their dessert so we can get them on the road.”

“Can you handle that, Mom? Doctor Kennedy and a Crime Scene Investigator are on their way. I want to be ready to lead them up to the gravesite.” Caitlyn squeezed her mother’s hand and without waiting for an answer, she and Renegade darted out of the office and through the front door. Caitlyn hoped to avoid the tourist group altogether on her way back to the barn.

A tan Nissan Cube drove up to the barn and parked. The driver, a short, compact woman who wore her straight, black hair cut into a no-fuss pixie, popped out of the door. She opened the back of her car and retrieved a camera and a portable toolbox. Then she reached in and pulled out a long yellow rectangle bag with a nylon strap that she slid over her shoulder.

Caitlyn and Renegade approached her. “Hi. Are you the crime scene investigator?”

The woman startled at her voice and blinked at her, but then smiled with a kind expression. “Yes. Are you Ms. Reed? I’m Officer Maeve Dunn.” The woman held out her hand in greeting. “I’m supposed to meet the coroner here. Then, I was told, you could direct us to the crime scene.” Her eyes darted furtively down at the dog.

“Yes. I’ve been waiting for you.” Caitlyn shook Officer Dunn’s hand. “This is Renegade. He’s the one who found the grave. It’s at the top of that ridge.” She pointed toward the mountain. “You can’t get up there in your car, though. Do you know how to drive an ATV?”

“Not a problem.” Dunn glanced around, her gaze settling on the vehicle.

The women turned at the sound of an approaching vehicle. Dr. Kennedy rolled his thirty-year-old station wagon to a stop next to the Cube. The aging man pulled himself out of the car. “Hello, Caitlyn. How’s the family?”

“Hi Doc. We’re all fine. Thanks for coming out here. I wish it was under better circumstances.”

“This is part of my job.” He shifted the large black duffle bag he carried to his left hand and introduced himself to the CSI. “So, where is the body?”

“I was just explaining that you two will have to ride up the mountain on an ATV.”

Officer Dunn nodded. “I’ll drive.”

“Great. I’ll lead the way.” Caitlyn showed them their ride, and while they loaded it with their equipment, she prepared Whiskey for their third trip of the day up the mountain trail.

The investigator and the doctor made a comical pair; she, stout and efficient, driving in front and he, round bellied with spindly arms, hanging on to her solid frame as they bumped up the path. Renegade bounded ahead, leading the parade once again.

When they arrived, Caitlyn tied Whiskey’s reins to an aspen tree, and pointed the way through the pines shrouding the grave. “It’s right through here.”

“Please, keep your dog away from the crime scene.” Officer Dunn called from behind her.

“Of course.” Caitlyn asked Renegade to stay and led them