He thought he was checking out illegal logging in the Idaho mountains-until he found a German Shepherd locked in a frozen cage, staring at him like it had been waiting for exactly one person

did not relax when the truck backed out. He did not relax when it disappeared behind the pines.

Only when the road went quiet did he lower his head and let out one hard breath.

Grant crouched and laid a hand lightly against the dog’s chest. Atlas’s heart was hammering, but not wildly. It was the driven rhythm of an animal ready to work through pain because continue reading …