She seemed to be debating whether or not to reply when a knock interrupted them. Motioning for her to stay put, Trent went to the door. Wade stood on the other side, wearing a wry smile and holding a half-grown, shivering yellow mutt of indeterminate parentage. Behind him, the patrol car was backing out of the driveway.
“I found this guy hiding in the bushes at the back of the house,” Wade drawled, looking at the dog draped over his arms.
Annie had stepped close to Trent’s side, staring at the beast. “A dog? All that noise was made by a dog?”
“We saw what might have been some footprints in that muddy patch by the back door, but there’s no way to tell when they were made,” Wade said almost apologetically.
“Could’ve been mine,” Trent said. “I’ve been doing some work back there the past few days.”
“Could have been,” Wade acknowledged.
The dog whined in Wade’s arms. Trent couldn’t help smiling a little as he looked at the mutt. A muddy yellow, it was still barely more than a pup, all ears and feet and tail. It was going to be a good-size dog when it was grown, he figured, eyeing one big paw. Looked as though it could use something to eat.
“Any idea who this guy belongs to, Ms. Stewart?” Wade asked.
She shook her head, reaching out tentatively to stroke the dog’s broad head. His tail thumped against Wade’s shoulder in reaction. “I’ve never seen him before.”
“Most likely a stray. I’ll take him to the pound on the way home.”
“He can stay here,” Annie surprised Trent by saying. “I’ll put an ad in the Honoria Gazette and keep him here until someone claims him.”
“And what if no one claims him?” Trent asked.
“Then I’ll keep him. I could use a dog—for protection,” she added.
The mutt whimpered and nervously licked her hand.
Wade grinned. “Oh, yeah, I can see he’ll be a fierce protector.”
“Someone will probably claim him,” she murmured, scratching one floppy ear.
“More likely he’s a stray,” Trent said, already resigned to helping her build a fence for her new pet. “Where’s he going to sleep tonight?”
“In the laundry room? It has a drain in the floor, so if he—er—”
“Which he undoubtedly will,” Wade murmured.
“Anyway, he can sleep in there until I come up with better arrangements for him.”
“Lead the way to the laundry room and I’ll carry your pal,” Wade offered.
“I’ll show you where to put him,” Trent said. “Annie, why don’t you get the dog some food and water.”
He led Wade to the laundry room, a no-frills, concrete-floored cubicle just off the kitchen. Wade set the dog on the floor, then patted it reassuringly. “Nervous fellow, isn’t he? He hasn’t stopped shivering since I found him behind that bush.”
“And Annie wants to keep him for protection. Wonder who will be protecting whom?”
“I heard you’ve been seeing her.”
“I’m not seeing her,” Trent corrected coolly. “We’re friends, that’s all. She cleans for me and I do some handiwork for her.”
“I see.” Rubbing the dog’s ears, Wade looked as though he was trying not to smile.
Annie joined them, carefully balancing two bowls. “I brought food and water. I don’t have dog food, of course, but I cut up some left-over roast beef and heated it in gravy in the microwave.”
Wade chuckled. “He should like that. Now, I’d better go so you can put this guy to bed.”
Trent wondered if Annie’s cheeks were suddenly pinker than they had been a few moments before. He couldn’t be sure because she seemed to be carefully avoiding his eyes. “I’ll walk you out,” he suggested to Wade, since Annie looked totally absorbed in watching the dog wolf down the roast beef.