CHAPTER 1 — THE DOG REFUSED TO ATTACK
Nobody on the rooftop breathed.
Thirty stories above the city, a desperate man stood with both heels hanging over the edge of the building. Below him, flashing police lights painted the streets blue and red. One wrong move, and he would disappear forever.
Around him, twelve armed officers formed a tight circle.
There was nowhere left to run.
Officer Daniel Hayes slowly raised his hand.
"Don't do anything stupid."
The man shook violently. His face was pale, covered with sweat. His eyes darted from one officer to another.
"You've got the wrong man!" he shouted. "Please... someone has to believe me!"
No one answered.
Only an hour earlier, one of the largest jewelry robberies in the city's history had taken place. Millions of dollars' worth of diamonds had vanished.
The stolen jewelry had been found inside an expensive hotel suite.
And standing beside it...
...was this man.
His fingerprints were everywhere.
The evidence looked perfect.
Officer Hayes had arrested criminals for over twenty years.
To him, this case seemed open and shut.
When officers entered the hotel room, the suspect had panicked, shoved an officer aside, and sprinted toward the emergency staircase.
Twenty-nine flights.
No elevator.
No stopping.
Now the chase had reached its end.
Officer Hayes looked toward his K-9 partner.
"Rex."
The German Shepherd immediately locked eyes with him.
"Attack."
Rex exploded forward.
His paws slammed against the concrete roof.
Everyone expected the powerful dog to leap, bite the suspect's arm, and pull him safely away from the ledge.
Instead...
Rex suddenly slowed.
Five feet away...
Three feet...
One foot...
Then something impossible happened.
The dog gently placed both front paws against the suspect's chest.
Not to knock him down...
To hold him steady.
Then Rex leaned his head against the man's shoulder.
The suspect collapsed to his knees.
And the dog...
...began whining.
Not barking.
Not growling.
Whining like he had just found someone he loved.
Every officer froze.
Officer Hayes whispered,
"What are you doing, boy?"
Rex had never disobeyed a command.
Not once in seven years.
Yet now tears appeared in the dog's eyes as he continued pressing against the trembling man.
The suspect slowly wrapped shaking arms around the German Shepherd.
"I knew you'd remember me..."
Silence covered the rooftop.
Officer Hayes felt goosebumps spread across his arms.
"Remember him?"
The suspect buried his face in Rex's neck.
"I raised him..."
Every officer stared in disbelief.
Hayes frowned.
"That's impossible."
The man slowly reached into his jacket.
Immediately every gun was raised.
"Hands where I can see them!"
"It's only a photograph..."
Very carefully he pulled out an old, folded picture.
Years of wear had almost erased the colors.
But everyone could still see it.
A much younger version of the suspect...
Holding a tiny German Shepherd puppy.
The puppy wore the exact same white patch on his chest...
...that Rex still had today.
Officer Hayes suddenly felt the ground disappear beneath him.
If the suspect really had raised Rex...
Then why had the police files always claimed Rex had been rescued as an abandoned stray?
Someone...
May you like
Had lied.
And that meant the robbery might not be what it seemed.
