The Search Read Online Free PDF

later. Bye.”
    She replaced the phone and turned to see Simon in the doorway, a leash in one hand and a small head collar in the other. “These?”
    “Those should work.”
    “What little boy?”
    “Hmm. Oh, Hugh Cauldwell—he and his parents are here for a few days’ vacation in the state park. He wandered out of the house and into the forest this morning while they were sleeping. You didn’t hear?”
    “No. Why would I?”
    “Because it’s Orcas. Anyway, he’s fine. Home safe.”
    “You work for the park?”
    “No. I’m part of Canine Search and Rescue Association volunteers.”
    Simon gestured toward the three dogs, currently sprawled on the kitchen floor like corpses. “Those?”
    “That’s right. Trained and certified. You know, Jaws might be a good candidate for S-and-R training.”
    He snorted out what might’ve been a laugh. “Right.”
    “Strong play drive, curious, courageous, friendly, physically sound.” She lifted her eyebrows as the pup left his new toy to attack the laces on Simon’s boots. “Energetic. Forget your training already, human?”
    “Huh?”
    “Correct and replace and praise.”
    “Oh.” He crouched, repeated the series Fiona had demonstrated. Jaws clamped on the toy, then spat it out and went for the laces again.
    “Just keep doing it. I need to put some things together.” She started out, stopped. “Can you work that coffeemaker?”
    He glanced to the unit on the counter. “I can figure it out.”
    “Do that, will you? Black, one sugar. I’m running low.”
    He frowned after her.
    While he’d only been on the island a few months, he doubted he’d ever get used to the casual, open-door policy. Just come on in, complete stranger, he thought, and while you’re at it, make me some coffee while I leave you virtually alone.
    She only had his word on who he was, and besides that, nobody knew he was there. What if he was a psycho? A rapist? Okay, three dogs, he mused, eyeing them again. But so far they’d been friendly, and about as casual as their mistress.
    And currently, they were snoring away.
    He wondered how she managed to live with three dogs when he could barely find a way to tolerate one. Looking down, he saw the pup had stopped chewing on his bootlaces because he’d fallen asleep sprawled over the boot, with the laces still caught in his teeth.
    With the same care and caution a man might use when easing away from a wild boar, Simon slowly slid his foot back, holding his breath until the pup oozed like furred water onto the kitchen floor.
    Passed out cold.
    One day, he thought as he crossed to the coffeemaker, he’d find a way to pay his mother back. One fine day.
    He studied the machine, checked the bean and water supply. When he switched it on the burr of the grinder had the pup waking with a barrage of ferocious barks. Across the room, the dogs cocked their ears. One of them yawned.
    The movement had Jaws leaping with joy, then charging the pack like a cannonball.
    While they rolled, batted and sniffed, Simon wondered if he could borrow one of them. Rent one, he considered. Like a babysitter.
    Since the cupboards had glass fronts, he didn’t have any trouble finding a pair of bright cobalt blue mugs. He had to open a couple of drawers before he found the flatware, but that gave him the opportunity to marvel. Every drawer was tidy and organized.
    How did she do that? He’d been in his house for only a matter of months and his kitchen drawers looked like a flea market. Nobody should be that organized. It wasn’t natural.
    Interesting-looking woman, though, he decided as he poked around a little. The hair that wasn’t really red, wasn’t really blond, the eyes of absolutely clear and perfect blue. Her nose tilted up a little on the end and sported a dusting of freckles, and a slight overbite made her bottom lip seem particularly full.
    Long neck, he thought as he poured the coffee, lanky build with no rack to speak of.
    Not beautiful. Not pretty or