Chapter 9 - The Empty Kennels
Walter entered first.
The smell reached him before the lights did.
Wet straw.
Dog food.
Bleach.
Inside the building were six metal kennels.
Five stood empty.
The sixth contained a stained blanket and a water bowl.
Deep scratches covered the lower section of the door.
Rebecca found gray fur caught in the wire.
“Grace was here.”
A shelf held bags of cheap dog food, medication bottles, and breeding records.
The documents were damp and partly destroyed.
Walter saw several dates and animal numbers, but no readable names.
A wooden crate near the wall matched the one abandoned beside the road.
Rebecca opened it.
Inside were small ropes cut to equal lengths.
Someone had prepared them in advance.
A vehicle approached outside.
Walter switched off the flashlight.
May you like
Through the window, they saw a black SUV stop near the building.
Dale Mercer stepped out.
