Chapter 8 - The Shadow Falls
Sirens echoed in the distance—wailing through the quiet streets of Walla Walla, growing louder with every second.
When Lauren had failed to return to the church, her father's old partner, Deputy Chief Miller, had grown suspicious. Knowing Raymond’s meticulous nature and hearing about Axel’s odd behavior, Miller had dispatched two patrol units to the Prescott home.
Inside the barn, Trevor managed to roll over, grabbing a heavy wooden plank from the floor to strike Axel.
"Drop it!" a voice roared from the barn entrance.
Deputy Miller stood in the doorway, his service weapon drawn and steady, flanked by two armed officers. "Hands where I can see them, Trevor! Don't move a muscle!"
Trevor froze, the wooden plank slipping from his fingers. The fight instantly drained out of him as he looked up into the barrels of three police pistols.
"Axel, out!" Lauren commanded, her voice ringing clear through the vaulted ceiling of the barn.
The veteran dog instantly released his grip, stepping back two paces, his chest heaving, but his eyes never leaving Trevor until the officers rushed forward, pinned Trevor to the ground, and slapped the steel cuffs onto his wrists.
Deputy Miller knelt beside Lauren, wrapping his heavy wool trench coat around her shivering shoulders. "Are you alright, kiddo?"
May you like
Lauren nodded, tears finally spilling over her cheeks as she looked down at the old dog standing beside her. "We found it, Mark. Dad’s notes. Everything Trevor did."
Miller looked at Trevor, who was being hauled to his feet by two deputies, then looked down at the retired K9. He reached out and gently patted Axel’s head. "Ray always said this dog was smarter than half the department. He was right."
