Chapter 13: The Dog Who Refused to Die
"SHADOW!""
I dropped to my knees.
The enormous Cane Corso lay on his side, blood spreading across his black fur. His legs trembled, and his breathing came in short, painful gasps.
I pressed both hands against his chest.
"Stay with me, sweetheart. Please.""
Damien had already drawn his weapon.
Richard Hensley stood near the broken doorway, his gun still raised.
"Nobody move!""
Damien aimed directly at him.
"You shot my dog.""
Richard laughed.
"That animal was never supposed to be here.""
Corbin suddenly stepped out from behind the desk.
"Put the gun down, Richard.""
Richard turned.
"Stay out of this, boy.""
Corbin's face twisted.
"You've used me for eighteen years. You've lied about my father, my brothers, and my mother. I'm done.""
Richard raised his weapon toward him.
But Julian moved first.
He grabbed a heavy wooden chair and swung it into Richard's arm.
The gun flew across the floor.
Damien tackled Richard before he could recover.
They crashed into the desk.
A glass shattered.
Richard punched Damien in the face and reached for the gun.
Corbin kicked it underneath a cabinet.
"Get off him!"" Richard screamed.
Damien struck him once.
Then again.
"That's for Elena.""
Another blow.
"That's for Daniel.""
Richard fell against the wall.
"And that's for Shadow.""
Damien raised his fist again.
"STOP!""
My voice echoed through the room.
Damien froze.
I was still kneeling beside Shadow.
"He's dying.""
The anger disappeared from Damien's face.
He immediately released Richard and rushed toward us.
"Call the veterinarian!""
I looked at him.
"I am the closest thing to a veterinarian in this room.""
My hands were shaking.
The bullet had entered Shadow's upper chest. I couldn't tell how deep the wound was.
I pressed a clean cloth against it.
"Damien, I need the emergency medical kit. Now!""
He ran toward the hallway.
My mother knelt beside me.
"Will he survive?""
I couldn't answer.
Shadow opened his eyes.
He looked at me.
Then, with an almost impossible effort, he moved his head toward my necklace.
I touched his cheek.
"I'm here, boy.""
He gave a weak whine.
My mother began crying.
"He's been waiting for this moment.""
I looked at her.
"What do you mean?""
She stroked Shadow's head.
"Daniel rescued him when he was a puppy. He found him abandoned near the old estate. Shadow was always closest to Julian.""
Julian knelt on the other side.
"I used to sleep beside him.""
He gently touched the dog's paw.
"Remember me, buddy?""
Shadow's tail moved once.
Julian broke down.
"I thought you were gone.""
Damien returned with the medical kit.
I opened it and worked quickly, checking Shadow's breathing and keeping pressure on the wound while we prepared to move him.
"He's losing blood," I said.
"We need a surgical team immediately.""
Damien called his driver.
"Bring the armored vehicle around. We're taking him to the nearest emergency animal hospital.""
Richard began laughing from the floor.
"You fools.""
Damien turned.
Richard wiped blood from his mouth.
"You still don't understand. The girl is the key. The necklace is the key. And now you've handed me everything I needed.""
Corbin approached him.
"You're finished.""
Richard smiled.
"Am I?""
He looked at Julian.
"Tell them what happened to the little girl.""
Julian went completely still.
My mother lifted her head.
"What little girl?""
Richard laughed.
"Your daughter. The one you left behind.""
My mother grabbed my arm.
"Don't listen to him.""
Richard continued.
"Her name is Sophie. She's alive. And she's been living under a different identity for years.""
I felt my heart pounding.
"Where is she?""
Richard looked at the computer.
"The archive contains the answer.""
I turned toward the screen.
A new notification had appeared.
*FILE TRANSFER COMPLETE.*
Someone had accessed the evidence remotely.
Richard smiled.
"Too late.""
Damien grabbed him.
"Who received the files?""
Richard said nothing.
Corbin crouched in front of him.
"Who?""
Richard looked directly at me.
"Your sister is closer than you think.""
Then he suddenly lunged toward the cabinet.
He pulled out a small remote.
Julian shouted.
"GET DOWN!""
The lights went out.
An explosion rocked the hallway.
Glass rained from the ceiling.
When the emergency lights came on, Richard was gone.
The guards rushed toward the damaged doorway.
Damien didn't follow.
He was looking at Shadow.
"Come on, buddy.""
He lifted the dog carefully.
For the first time since I'd met him, Damien Ashworth was crying openly.
"You're not leaving me too.""
We rushed to the SUV.
At the animal hospital, the staff moved Shadow into emergency surgery.
A veterinarian named Dr. Patel met us at the entrance.
"What's happened?""
"Gunshot wound to the chest," I explained.
"He's lost blood. His breathing is compromised.""
She nodded.
"How long since the injury?""
"Approximately twenty minutes.""
"Any medication?""
"None administered.""
She looked at the dog.
"He's in critical condition. We'll do everything we can.""
The operating doors closed.
Damien stood motionless.
His hands were covered in Shadow's blood.
My mother sat beside me.
Julian paced the corridor.
Corbin remained near the entrance, staring at the floor.
After forty minutes, Damien finally spoke.
"I should have told you everything.""
I looked at him.
"Yes.""
"I should have protected Daniel.""
"Yes.""
"I should have found Julian.""
"Yes.""
He swallowed.
"But I couldn't lose Shadow.""
I looked at the operating doors.
"Then don't.""
A few minutes later, Dr. Patel emerged.
Her expression was serious.
"He's alive.""
Damien closed his eyes.
"But the next twenty-four hours are critical. The bullet damaged tissue near his lungs. We managed to stabilize him, but he's not out of danger.""
I began crying.
Damien sat beside me.
For a long time, neither of us spoke.
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
A young woman stood outside the animal hospital.
She had dark hair, green eyes, and the same scar beneath her eyebrow as my mother.
May you like
Underneath the photograph was one sentence.
*MY NAME IS SOPHIE. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, BIG SISTER.*
