Chapter 9

Erika frowned. “It is not okay. She has been fine every other time we leave her alone. What was different about this time?”

“Well, we’ve never left her alone this long. Maybe she panicked because she thought something had happened to us.”

“So does Neil have someone dog-sit her while he’s working all day? If he doesn’t have a—a boyfriend or partner or whatever, she’s bound to be alone most of the day. Next time you talk to Neil, ask him how he keeps her from tearing up the house when he’s not there. I’m thinking we should leave her outside if we have to be away for too long.”

Austin’s eyebrows shot straight up. “Are you kidding? That’d be even worse! What if she dug under the fence? What if it was too hot and she got sunstroke? What if somebody broke through the gate and stole her?”

“Why would someone steal a dog from a locked backyard?”

“They do it all the time! They use them as bait dogs for fighting rings, or they put them in puppy mills and overbreed them, or—”