Payback (The Canine Handler Book 1) (10 page)

Dave pulled into the parking area where the abandoned car had been found. The missing subject’s car still sat vacant and unattended. The small irregular-shaped lot was covered in gravel and met up with a large grassy knoll that bordered the lake. You didn’t have to enter the park to come into this lot as it was directly accessible from the main road.

It was a favorite area for parents with small children just learning how to fish, and people who wanted to feed the local geese. The main trails were also easy to get to from there. During warmer months, although a small area, it could be very busy with lots of car and foot traffic.

There were a few state police units on site as well as the head ranger from yesterday’s water search. They had secured the area and already scoured for possible obvious clues. Hunched together, coffees in hand, they were deep in discussion, waiting for Dave and his new bloodhound, Bella. Dave sat in the SUV that was outfitted for canines as he finished up paperwork for a previous call. They all pointed and laughed at him.
Up to no good as usual,
Dave thought, smiling back. He was used to their good natured harassment.

Dave had positioned his vehicle along the edge of the lot under a shady pin oak that still held onto its autumn-colored leaves. Since Bella had accompanied him today, Dave drove a late model SUV outfitted with insulated dog boxes in the back. The dog boxes had their own separate air conditioning as well as a security system. Bella rode in style. The boxes were padded and made of steel. They were top safety rated and could withstand a crash or rollover.

Dave and Bella had spent twelve long, arduous weeks in canine boot camp. Bella was just over a year old, already professionally trained for tracking when Dave had been paired with her. Dave had to understand how to work a tracking dog and then learn to work with Bella. They had to discover how to partner together as a successful team and pass stringent certifications before graduating from their class. Once completed, Dave had been transferred from traffic to canine. He took it on as a challenge and new adventure. He had never owned a dog in his life but delighted in just about everything so far.

Sarah called to let him know she and Kellee would join the search this morning with Gunner and Sam. Two more canine handlers would be able to join after 1400 hours. She gave him an ETA of 0900 hours for herself and hung up. Dave relayed the information to base camp and turned over the dispatch and contact duties to another officer. With the mystery surrounding yesterday’s search, the state police wanted to keep a tighter hold on this undertaking. They only called out select teams that management considered capable to handle a high profile case: Sarah’s team, a mounted unit, and a highly trained ground-pound unit consisting of volunteers from the local fire department.

From training and the few searches she had already worked, Bella knew the drill and began to bay. She was excited and loved her job. She did what came natural to her, sniffing a track. And when she was done, her handler rewarded her with food. She wasn’t obsessed with toys like Gunner and Sam. She worked on a higher pay scale. Bella demanded rewards that consisted of hot dogs and roast beef.

“Hey girl, sounds like you’re ready to go. Hang on a minute.” He really didn’t care if she continued to be vocal, he loved to hear her eagerness when they were getting ready to run a track.

Opening the rear passenger side door, Dave reached in and grabbed his police-issued vest. He pulled it over his uniform. The vest had several lined pockets where he could stash food rewards. A few pockets were reserved for scent articles and other search supplies. The vest was a hideous neon green color with Police Canine Unit printed in bold letters across the back. The color helped illuminate and make him more visible if he had to work along the edge of a road.

The other troopers and park ranger gravitated to Dave and began to lightheartedly harass him. “I see you brought your girlfriend today,” one of his co-workers remarked.

“At least he brought a partner that can get the job done,” another one teased.

“Stand back,” Dave grinned at the other troopers, “or I’ll have to unleash the fury of Bella on you.”

“Fury?” one laughed. “What fury? Will she slobber us to death?”

In his mid-twenties, Dave was considered a youngster among his law enforcement brothers. Though they chastised him from time to time, they were his protectors and confidantes. He was still innocent in many ways, not as hardened as they had become. He had not seen or dealt with what his older brothers had yet. It was all part of the job.

Dave popped the hatch to expose the dog box and Bella in the back of his truck. She was standing in her enclosure, still baying. Her long, thick tail whipped the inside walls of her steel restrictions. Dave opened the front of her enclosure just enough to allow her head to stick out. He quickly attached a leash to her wide leather collar. She looked up at him with saggy, deep soulful eyes. He rubbed her ears and scratched her exposed neck as she stretched. Bella had grown quite fond of her handler in a short time.

Once the leash was attached, he allowed her to come out the rest of the way from her crate. She jumped down from the back of the SUV to the gravel. “Easy girl, be careful,” Dave cautioned Bella. He spoke to her as he would another human. They had developed a great relationship in their short time together. He knew he spoiled her sometimes, but he felt she deserved it. Numerous arrests had already been made thanks to her skill. The arrests were directly due to Bella tracking and locating the subject.

Dave pulled a Kevlar vest over Bella’s head, adjusting it so she could move freely. He attached her badge to the front of the vest. Bella wasn’t just another canine, she was a state trooper—given the same rights and protection any human trooper was given. Dave was responsible for her care and protection. He took that responsibility seriously.

She didn’t have or need the obedience Sarah’s dogs had. Bella was a bloodhound, a different breed and worked in a slightly different capacity. Although they needed a strong, stern handler to take charge, they worked best with a calm firm partner. Someone who was forceful or overbearing could cause a bloodhound to become disobedient and disrespectful.

Close to 90 pounds, Bella was large for a female. Mainly black and tan, she had a black mask and saddle that lay over her dark tan body. She also had dark points along her ear tips and tail. She was fit and well-muscled, a handsome animal. Naturally, she would go to the ground to track a scent due to her history and breeding. The long ears and folds of skin helped hold the subject’s odor and skin follicles in place to assist her scenting abilities.

“Were you able to secure a scent article from the subject’s vehicle?” Dave asked the other troopers. He continued to ready himself and Bella, stashing a couple all-beef hot dogs into his vest.
Only the best for you, Bella.

“Yeah, we pulled a hoody from the back seat that appears to belong to the subject. We used silicone gloves to pick it up and sealed it in a plastic bag.”

“That should work,” Dave replied. He outfitted her with a thick leather harness which he slipped over her protective vest. The harness had dense wool padding on the chest area and rounded brass buckles. He checked the pockets of his vest to make sure he had zippered the reward pockets shut. He checked his pants pockets to verify he had his phone and radio.

“Okay, Bella girl, ready to do this?” Dave spoke to her as he patted her head and sides. Appearing calm, Dave was really reeling inside with excitement. He couldn’t wait to show Bella off and get to work.

“Okay, we’re ready,” Dave addressed the other troopers and the ranger. “Once we do a thorough check around the subject’s vehicle, I’m going to open the car doors and let Bella check out the inside. After she’s finished with the car, I want you to bring out the scent article and let her take a good whiff.”

“Sure, will do. Just let us know when you’re ready for it and if you need anything else.” The troopers and the ranger stood back in a group, giving Bella and Dave plenty of room around the parked car to work. Standing with authority, they crossed their arms to watch their comrade work his dog. No doubt they looked like an imposing force, or believed they did.
More like the three stooges,
Dave thought.

Dave hooked Bella’s long leather tracking line to her harness. Unhooking her leash from her collar, he wrapped it around his waist and re-connected the leash back to itself so it fit snug around him so he wouldn’t lose it. Bella was in a sloppy sitting position at Dave’s side waiting for his command to begin her task. She didn’t jump around like Gunner or Sam. She didn’t seem to be that excited actually. She had energy and was ready to go, but didn’t waste it on unnecessary rambunctiousness. Her intensity was all in her gaze, her stare at her handler.

Looking down at Bella and her droopy, soggy eyes, Dave told her, “Okay,” and headed to the subject’s vehicle. He had her walk around the car a few times. Opening the driver’s door, he allowed the dog up into the front seat to sniff around. Slow and methodical, Bella took her time, taking in all the smells and scents within the vehicle’s confines.

When Dave saw that she had enough and was ready to exit the car, he had one of the other troopers bring the bag over with the hoody. Opening the top of the sealed baggy with gloved hands and making sure he didn’t touch any part of it, Dave lowered the item to Bella and let her take in a good, long sniff.

Like a vacuum cleaner, Bella sucked in the smell, letting the scent of its owner pass over her receptors. She was a “scent specific” canine. They were trained to look for a specific human. Bella would now only track whoever had the strongest scent left on this article.

“Find him,” he asked her. Bella put her nose back down to the ground. She turned in small circles around the gravel directly below the driver’s car door. After a few moments, she started to move out from the vehicle, trying to follow a particular scent. It had rained since the vehicle had been parked which made tracking difficult. Also many people had hiked through, which was another added variable for the bloodhound.

Bella continued to work hard. She found a “hot track” and followed it several feet, lost it, cast around and found it again. She repeated this process several times and slowly moved forward toward a wooded area and a trail head. It was frustrating for the dog, but she was dedicated. She was still young in her work experience but proved to be an outstanding dog with her scenting capabilities and perseverance to her work. Dave stood by unobtrusive, offering verbal support where he thought she needed it, but mostly, he was patient and let her do her job.

After an hour of losing and re-picking up the subject’s scent, Bella finally lost the track completely. She started to head down the main trail from the parking lot. With several attempts to re-start her, trying to pick the track up further down the trail, Dave finally called it and brought Bella back to the parking lot.

He pulled out a hot dog from a zippered pocket in his vest. He offered the reward to Bella. The food brought out another beast in Bella which she showed by almost taking Dave’s flesh with the hot dog. “Easy, Bella, that’s my hand too!” Dave warned her. It didn’t faze the dog. She had swallowed the hot dog whole and gave Dave a look that said, “Is that all?”

“She’s got your number,” the fellow officers chided Dave. “I can see the headline now—Trooper gets mauled by his own canine.”

Dave took it all in stride. It was good-natured mocking from his fellow compadres. It didn’t bother him in the least. He kept his focus on his dog, checking her over before lifting her up into her dog box.

“Well, at least we have a lead in the missing subject’s direction of travel. I need to call this into base.”

Dave made the call. He checked to see if Sarah had shown up yet with her dogs. “Okay, perfect, I’m heading that way now. Can you hold off deploying Sarah until I get over there? I think she should work this area with her dogs.”

The communications officer replied, stating he would let the lieutenant know the track that was discovered and relay Dave’s request.

He finished packing up Bella and headed over to base camp. Dave had an ulterior motive regarding his request for Sarah and her dogs. He wanted to learn more about how air-scenting dogs worked. But mainly he wanted to spend more time getting to know her.

He would volunteer to work with her again as her escort. Hopefully Sarah wouldn’t mind him tagging along again today. Aside from the dogs, he found her very interesting. There was something about her that really piqued his curiosity.

Sarah sat parked on the shoulder of the road intersecting the main highway and the park entrance. Kellee had asked Sarah to wait and lead her to the new base camp since she was not as familiar with that area. If they arrived at the same time, Sarah and Kellee could also park beside each other.

Even though Sarah had handled the stress of yesterday’s water search well, she was grateful Kellee could accompany her and lead the team today. Kellee would be the liaison between search management and her team which meant less mental work for Sarah and made the whole search event easier on her. She would be able to concentrate just on the search work itself and her dogs. Feeling thankful, she smiled inwardly. A weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Sarah rubbed her eyes and yawned while she waited. Removing her baseball cap, she tightened the bandana and pushed a few stray curls up under the material. She chugged down the rest of her cold coffee, wishing she’d packed a second thermos again.
Never enough coffee!

Lately, it seemed she was always dragging, tired. She needed the extra caffeine boost to get her moving.
Maybe third shift is finally catching up with me
.
Maybe I need to eat better and get more sleep too,
she laughed, thinking of the burger and beer from the night before
. Easier said than done,
she thought.

Looking in her rear-view mirror, she spotted Kellee’s maroon mini
-
van
heading her way.
About time.
Although a little tired and irritated for having to wait, the sight of Kellee lifted her spirits.

Even though she was still fatigued, getting the chance to work her dogs gave her the motivation and a burst of energy to carry on. It’s what she lived to do. It had become her main passion in life. The bright blue skies and drier air gave her soul a much needed lift as well.
Another gorgeous day to work Gunner and Sam! This weather’s perfect to be outside in the woods with the dogs doing search work.
Humidity levels were down; there was just enough breeze and dampness for the dogs to air-scent. Ideal conditions for this type of work. The trees were in all their autumn splendor. Harvest time, her favorite time of the year. Sarah could think of no other place she would rather be.

Sarah pulled off the gravel shoulder onto the asphalt road in front of Kellee. She knew the park well and hadn’t needed to set her truck’s navigation system. Turning onto the thoroughfare that would lead the way to base camp, Sarah spotted a county sheriff’s officer standing along the roadside.
Wonder what this is all about?

The deputy’s car was positioned at the main intersection to the horse lot and its blue and red lights were flashing. Sarah slowed down. As they approached the intersection to make the left turn, the deputy stepped out and flagged them down along the shoulder. The dogs had settled and quieted in the back, but when Sarah pulled to a stop, both started barking wildly again.
Looks like they stepped security up today.

Although both of the women’s vehicles had search logos visible on each side and rear, the deputy demanded they each produce appropriate identification. Sarah pulled her driver’s license from her wallet and her search team’s identification that she wore on a lanyard around her neck. She also wore a name badge with “Sarah Gavin, K9 Handler” pinned to her team’s bright orange authorized uniform shirt. It was obvious and evident as well.

“Are you here for the search?” the deputy questioned.

“Yes,” Sarah replied. “The woman in the van behind my truck is with me also. She is my canine’s flanker, her name is Kellee Durham.”

The deputy searched a sheet of paper attached to a clipboard. Finding Sarah’s name, he checked it off and wrote the date and time beside it.

Not seeing Kellee’s name on the sheet of paper, he asked both women to wait while he radioed to base. The deputy asked Kellee for her ID and called in to clear her. Becoming a little apprehensive, Sarah felt her pulse quicken as she scanned the area.
Deep breath
. Her angst was due more to her need to move and ready for the search. There were steps she needed to take to get her and the dogs ready and she replayed them over and over in her head. It took her anxiety up a step.
Stop it!
she tried to tell herself.
OCD? You think
? Always worried she would forget something, she had to laugh at her own shortcomings.

After what seemed like forever, but was really only a few minutes, the deputy returned Kellee’s ID. He stood to the side and waved both women through the stone gates to the base camp area. Sarah didn’t realize she had been holding her breath. She exhaled sharply with a happy sigh of relief.

Sarah slowly drove along the access road. This area was one of her favorite spaces within the park. The horse trailer parking lot was a well-used area for avid trail riders. Many other park goers stopped there because the site lent well to dog walkers and hikers. The lot was large and open. There were several picnic tables available as well as wide well-groomed bridle trails that park goers liked to hike. The trails near this lot traveled close along the lake’s contour.

The space was level with an entrance and an exit. The horse trailer lot featured crushed stone and sported a portable bathroom. It was the perfect location to be set-up for a wilderness search within the park parameters. The site would accommodate several searchers, their vehicles, media and the county’s large command center if that was also being utilized.

Across from this site was a sizeable hay field that could hold overflow vehicles. There was also capacity for a helipad if the need arose. Helicopters were useful for searching areas with difficult to access terrain, and the use of infrared at times was beneficial as well. You never knew what a search would entail—or the outcome—even though you hoped it would be a good ending. But, that is why training involved as many scenarios as possible.

Searchers always kept their hopes up that it would end with a live find—subject found alive and well—and everyone goes home afterwards. But a helicopter would came in handy if a search victim was found with debilitating injuries, requiring emergency transport. Even that was better than a deceased subject find—which turned into a recovery rather than rescue.

Sarah followed the narrow road’s twists and turns with Kellee trailing close behind. Amazed at the recent storm’s devastation, Sarah spotted downed and uprooted trees. She made a mental note not to forget to wear gaitors over her hiking boots and pants to help protect her feet and legs from rough patches they might encounter while out in the field. Made of tough, waterproof Gore-Tex, the gaitors zipped up the side of her calf like a half chap covering from the top of her boots to the bottom of her knee.

Sarah passed the glistening lake. She marveled at how the morning sun bounced off the overflowing body of water. Her thoughts turned toward the water search for a moment. She was thankful there had been a portion of beach to run the shoreline searches yesterday. All the recent rains had swollen the lake and in turn, the water level was at its highest. Some of the lake’s normal rocky shoreline that met the grassy edge had completely flooded the beach on this side of the lake.

Close to 0900 hours, Sarah and Kellee arrived at the lot, already at capacity and full of activity. The area was full of deep, wide puddles. The ground looked soft and muddy where it met the crushed stone. Sarah quickly scanned to find an open and less soggy spot where both vehicles could park side by side. She also wanted a spot away from most of the activity. If she could back the truck in, the dogs would not be as distracted by the comings and goings of other personnel attending the search. The less motion the dogs took in while in their crates, the more they could relax, or so she thought.

Heading to the back of the lot, Sarah spied the perfect spot. Dropping into four-wheel drive with the flip of a switch, she executed a three-point turn and parked on the soggy grass between the porta-potty and a small clump of trees. Kellee opted to park her front-wheel drive van on the gravel in front of Sarah’s truck.
Good thinking,
Sarah thought,
no use getting stuck and causing a second rescue today.

Sarah saw the local media and a news commentator heading her way as soon as she put the truck in park. “Great!” she voiced out loud with a bit of irritation. This was the last thing she wanted to deal with at the moment.
Calm down,
she told herself,
don’t let the red-headed attitude show through. You can handle this.
Taking a deep breath, she thought back to her training and how they were taught to deal with the media. She slowly opened her truck door to step out.

Luckily for Sarah, Kellee sprang from her van to intersect the reporter and entourage. Although at times, the media can be positive for a search, they can also be a hindrance, trying to glean information from search responders, especially at the most inappropriate and inopportune times.

I wonder why and how they got in. I thought this was a “closed” search? Maybe it’s to show the public how their taxpayer dollars are being utilized.

Kellee blocked the reporter and the cameramen. Sarah could see the spokesperson continue to point toward Sarah’s truck. Sarah made busy with the dogs and her gear until Kellee could satisfy them. Finally, the news team turned and headed toward another group of searchers who had just pulled into base camp. Kellee threw her hands up in the air and smiled as she walked to Sarah. Sarah responded by rolling her eyes and shrugging her shoulders and a slow, sly smile crept across her face.

Sarah let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Sarah gave Kellee a quick hug. “I owe you big time!”

“Oh, don’t thank me,” Kellee retorted with a smirk and a wink. “I said you’d give them a full interview after the search was concluded. Including all about how your dogs work, what’s involved with training air-scenting canines—and even a demo.”

“Great, Kellee. I know I can always count on you,” Sarah said sarcastically. “We better go sign in.”

The command unit and sign-in table were not far from their vehicles. Sarah felt confident leaving the dogs unattended for the short time she would be away. She opened up the back of the truck to allow air to vent for Gunner and Sam. The dogs stood up in their crates. They had stopped barking but were still whining. “Okay, guys, I’ll be back in few. Just chill out for now.” The dogs tilted their heads at Sarah as they listened. They stopped their whining for a moment as she spoke, but it picked right back up when she turned to leave.

Sarah looked around base camp. There were units already on scene from other volunteer search organizations she and her team trained with on occasion. It looked like the ground-pounder team and mounted unit had already checked in and were headed out on search tasks. She saw a couple gentlemen who were highly skilled man-trackers. Even though her anxiety was high and her adrenaline was pumping, she felt right at home among all the other searchers and frenzy of activity.

With such a large turn-out from the search community, Sarah hoped for a task far from base. Or at least an area up-wind of other searchers for Gunner and Sam’s sake. If there were less people for the dogs to check out, it would make it easier for her to control their whereabouts since they would work off-leash.

Sarah knew her boys would waste valuable time checking out any human they caught scent of who might be working close by. Sam and Gunner weren’t trained to scent discriminate like Dave’s bloodhound Bella. She would only search for a certain person’s scent. But the German Shepherds were taught to search and locate any unfamiliar human that happened to be in their assigned search area. And dogs didn’t understand search task boundaries. If there were searchers in an adjacent area they wouldn’t check the GPS before following whatever human scent blew their way.

Sarah noticed the state had brought its larger mobile command post today. It was centrally positioned in the parking lot.
Geez, an impressive bit of a beast
. The mobile unit was a large Class-A motorhome that had been morphed into a highly utilized resource center, complete with the county’s 911 logo and other contact phone numbers emblazoned on the outside.

Several large antennas sprouted from the sides and top of the vehicle. Its windows were darkened glass so no one could see in, but people working inside could easily peer out. Spotlights were attached to the sides of the unit, as well as a huge awning. Generators were running, but were semi-quiet and barely audible. They made a low humming noise and a low rumble Sarah could feel through the ground.

Normally on a search, there was a certain “hurriedness” to getting there and being ready, but usually, there was a lot of down time as well. It was pretty much a “hurry up and wait” game. Most searchers would use the down time to check packs or take a nap and get as much information on the area and the missing subject as they could. Today’s search resembled the norm more than yesterday’s water search. To Sarah, it epitomized the atmosphere of a regular call-out and search.
Thank God,
she thought,
doubt I could handle the stress that surrounded yesterday’s deployment two days in a row.

Both women headed over to the crowded sign-in table and stood in line behind other first responders waiting to check in. Sarah was fidgety and the line seemed to move slow.
Finally
, she thought as she made it to the table. “Sarah Gavin, local county canine team,” Sarah began when it was her turn. The officer manning the table looked up when she stated her name.