He thought he was stopping for a stray dog in the snow-until he saw what she was hiding beneath her body

from town left on the porch with a note that said, They’ll need trouble to get into. Cal read that note twice and admitted it was accurate.

Scout changed too.

She still followed Cal from room to room, but not with panic anymore. More often, she moved with the calm assurance of a dog who knew where she belonged and had chosen to keep track of her person continue reading …