My K9 wouldn't stop howling at the boy in the lobby. When I saw what the dog was protecting, I unholstered my weapon. Chapter 1 They say dogs can smell fear. But Bear? Bear could smell pain. I was three hours past the end of my shift. The precinct lobby was a zoo—the usual Friday night chaos of drunk tank intakes, petty theft reports, and people arguing about parking tickets. I just wanted to go home. My knees were shot, my coffee was cold, and my patience was thinner than the budget for the new