Loni’s smile widened. “I can? Great. Thanks, Emily.”
She watched the woman reluctantly back away then returned to her bakery through the door next to Mel’s.
“Well, that was a happy ending,” Carter said, handing her the crowbar.
She glanced down at the drain, noting the guys had already set the cover back in place. “Thanks for your assistance.” She nodded to both men as she put away the crowbar and net.
“No problem.” Carter grinned.
“Anytime,” Dex said with a nod and turned to head back to ESI.
She chewed her lip and debated a second before clearing her throat. “Hey, you got a minute?”
Both men turned around and retraced their steps.
“What’s up?” Carter asked, leaning against her truck while Dex stood next to him.
Emily exhaled. “Who’s Braddock?”
Carter’s brows rose while Dex’s narrowed.
“Holden mentioned him in his sleep last night as he tossed,” she told them quietly. She hated asking his friends but deep down, she knew they would have the answer, and perhaps she could help Holden better.
Dex scratched his temple. “Did you ask him?”
“Obviously, she didn’t,” Carter said. “And it isn’t a secret. Braddock was the dog Holden handled in our unit.”
Dog?
Carter produced a photo on his phone of all of them in combat uniform, posing in front of a blown-out building, and sitting at Holden’s side was a gorgeous Belgian Malinois. Then he swiped to another photo showing Holden in full combat gear, carrying the dog on his shoulders.
“Oh…” Her heart squeezed. “Is he…what happened to him?”
“He was fine there. That was a long-distance march. Holden was reserving the dog’s energy,” Carter told her.
“Where is the dog now?” she asked, afraid of the answer.
“Holden had to leave him behind when he left the military,” Dex replied.
Carter nodded. “Braddock is still active duty. He’s an amazing dog. A brother. One of us. He took a bullet for Holden once, when he was shot. He told me, last year, the dog pulled him to safety and took a bullet but never stopped dragging him to safety.”
Emily inhaled sharply and slumped back against her truck, not only shaken by the thought of Holden being shot, buthis pain over leaving such a special friend behind. Her heart squeezed tighter, and her eyes burned.
“I see. That explains a lot.” She blinked back her tears, but one escaped so she swiped it away.
“When Braddock is retired from service—if he retires—Holden will try to get him stateside,” Carter said. “He told me his former commander is supposed to help.”
The dog had to make it. Otherwise, Holden would be crushed. Emily wouldn’t let her mind go there.Live in the now, she told herself. Not the what ifs.
“There are charities and foundations that I’ve read can help,” she said, making a mental note to look into them.
Carter nodded. “Yeah, I believe Holden has one on speed dial already.”
A smile twitched her lips. “Sounds like Holden.”
“Roger that.” Dex smiled too. “Holden is a good man.”
“I know, and I’m sorry,” she told him. “I didn’t want to pry, but I’m concerned and want to help him.”
