Well, I guess it has been a while since I posted anything from the book. Well, to be honest with you, its because its been a while since I’ve written anything. I took a break and was working on yet another project. I’m have fun in a new RPG, but I have to slow my participation in that so that I can get back to my book! So, just so that you have some context, I posted the last part of Chapter 21 along with the opening sequence of Chapter 22. Enjoy…….
Darin, suspecting that there was going to be trouble, did not try to unpack everything he had in the car. He simply pulled in and got out and let Max go. Darin did not want to alert anyone who may be listening so he gave Max a seek command using hand signals. Max acknowledged the command and went about his job. There was obviously no threat outside. Max would have detected it. Looks like this was going to be an indoor party.
Darin unlocked the door and disabled the burglar alarm. But before putting his hand down, he hit the silent alarm button. This would alert the security company that there was a problem the house.l Darin did not see anybody, but as he and Max stepped into the wide open Foyer area, Max began to get a bit fidgety. Without even thinking, Darin’s gun was in his hand.
That’s when it happened. First one, then two, then three….. no four dogs came charging at Darin and Max. Max growled and barked his warnings, but these dogs would have none of that. Max took up his stance to make sure he had Darin protected, but even Max was at a loss as to how he was going to handle all of these dogs.
Darin knew that the dogs were not at fault and they were only doing what they were probably trained to do. He really hated having to take it out on the dogs, but he had no other choice. The next sequence of events occurred with a speed that seemed to be almost inhuman. The first dog leapt into the air to get at Darin only to be intercepted by Max. The two dogs began their tussle while Darin quickly tracked the other three. Two more dogs were up in the air at the same time. Darin fired and one then the other; killing them both instantly. They were dead before the hit the ground.
Unfortunately neither Darin or Max, who was busy with his initial opponent, were able to prevent the fourth dog from homing in on his target. It seemed that , at all costs, this dog’s main objective was Darin’s arm. Before Darin could swing around to shoot, the dog had latched onto the left are and was digging in with a passion; causing Darin to drop his gun. The sound of the gun clanking to the floor seemed to echo throughout the house. Darin’s arm was ablaze anew with a searing pain that he hoped that he would never feel again. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t shake the dog.
Max, having dispatched the dog he was fighting, took up the battle with the dog that was latched onto Darin’s arm. He was immediately able to get the dog’s attention, causing him to dislodge himself from Darin. While Max took care of his newest charge Darin rolled around on the floor of the foyer in agony. His cries of pain could be heard outside of the house.
These cries of pain were not welcome sounds to Jamie Carpenter’s ears as she entered the Frost home. She came through the door, gun in hand and ready for action. And she was none too soon. A fifth dog had seemingly come from out of nowhere and was making his way toward Darin. By the time Max saw him and broke way from the dog he had just dispatched it was too late. The dog was airborne and his snout and gnarling teeth were headed for a deadlock with the jugular vein in Darin’s neck. Jamie fired, and fired and fired. She could not have been more perfect in her shots, but she emptied her gun into the body of the airborne dog before it had a chance to descend. The dog dropped on foot away from Darin’s head.
Jamie ran over to Darin, who was still in sever pain. Trying to find out what she could do for him. She immediately called for an ambulance. Darin looked up at Jamie and smiled as he wandered away into delirium and then on into nothingness. Everything went black.
“Darin!” screamed Jamie, “Darin!”
“Yes!” yelled Mikey Campinieri. “Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes,.Yes!” Mikey went around the room giving high fives to all of the men seated around the room in his plush office chairs. He could hear the sobs of Jamie Carpenter coming through the speakers and he thought……Finally, I’ve done it….and lady..you’re next.
“Turn off those speakers,” said Mikey. “I’ve’ heard all I needed. to. The invincible detective lives no more!”
Brandon York had arrived on the scene. Emergency vehicles were everywhere, Darin lay either dead or unconscious on the floor, he couldn’t tell which. One of the paramedics said he could see some life signs, but he could not get to Darin. Max was not letting anybody by. Everyone turned to Brandon York for help. He tried talking to Max, but Max was not budging.
Jamie sat in the next room huddled in a corner, balled up in a fetal position, gun in hand and despondent. Yet and still she was crying uncontrollably. Her entire body was racked with sobs. So much so that she did not see or hear the Captain come up to her. Being a veteran officer, the first thing he did was gently disarm her from behind, just in case she got jumpy and decided to shoot first and ask questions later. She offered no resistance. He wasn’t sure what she had gone through, but it had to be a lot to put her in the state that she was in.
“Detective? Its Captain York,” said the Captain as he knelt down in front of her now.
“OH CAP!” said Jamie and she fell onto his shoulder crying even more uncontrollably.
“There, there.” said the Captain, “Listen, I need you to get yourself together quickly. I need your help.”
“How could you even think of asking me for anything right now?” she screamed. Whatever it is that you need, you’ll have to get it from somebody else.”
“Jamie!” Brandon York’s voice was stern and almost cold. It had the desired effect. He got her attention. “Listen,” he continued, “I don’t know what went down here and I’ll be really glad to find out when you can tell me. But at the moment we have another problem. Darin is in the other room dying —-”
“Darin is dead.” Jamie said flatly, cutting him off.
“No–he is not. But if we don’t get your help he will be!”
Jamie snapped out of her helpless state almost immediately. “Wha, wha, what do yo need?” she asked
“I need somebody to control Max so that Darin can get some help. Max won’t let anybody near him.”
“Oh my!” Jamie exclaimed. Immediately she was on her feet and into the room where Darin lay unconscious. “Everybody back away for a minute. Give us some room.”
“Look, I don’t know who you are,” said the paramedic, “but I need to get to that officer.”
“I intend to get you to him, young man.” Jamie said to the paramedic who looked like he was just scarcely out of high school. “Now if we don’t want to get the dog any more excited, I suggest you do as I ask.”
The paramedic backed away and Jamie began talking to Max.
“Hey Max. Come here boy.” said Jamie in a soothing voice. She had to repeat the request four times before Max settled enough to even recognize her, but he would not move. Jamie stepped in Max’s direction and he let out a low, guttural warning growl, but Jamie recognized it as not threatening to her.
At the point the young paramedic spoke up. “AW COME ON! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! SOMEBODY SHOOT THE DOG AND LET ME GET OVER THERE. I’VE GOT A MAN DOWN TO HELP!”
When Max heard the outbreak from the young paramedic and realized that it was directed at him, he immediately became on guard again. He was back in his defensive stance and not letting anybody near Darin. The paramedic was still ranting away.
“Somebody get him out here and shut him up!” said Jamie.
“You heard the lady.” said Captain York
“Look, you guys are in my way! Nobody tells me to shut up and nobody’s gonna make me.”
“Gentleman!” said Brandon York. And he did not need to say any more. Immediately 14 officers and detectives had their weapons drawn and aimed at the young paramedic. “Now listen to me, Jr. If we can’t get to this officer because you won’t keep your mouth shut, then to everyone in this room who loves this man dearly, that will be interpreted as endangering his life. We can’t let that happen. I suggest you grow up and shut up—-or you may not get the chance TO grow up.”
The young paramedic was visibly shaken and gulping uncontrollably. With 14 guns in his face he wasn’t so cocky any more. With him under control, Jamie could try again….
She got down in front of Max and he growled a little more menacingly, but she was not scared. Jamie put her hands up slowly and she began to pet Max gently. The she rubbed him behind the ears as she spoke calmly….
“Hey Buddy. It’s OK. It’s OK Maxie. Listen, these people are here to help Darin. We have to let them get by. Stand down Max.”
Max wanted to obey, but his first priority was Darin’s safety, and he just wasn’t sure. You could see the anguish in his face. And he was whining and crying because he was unsure of what to do. Max let Jamie by and she could see that Darin was breathing, but that he needed help. Then she had an idea
“Cap, does that guy have a partner. Max is definitely not going to let him by.” said Jamie.
“Here I am,” shouted a man in the crowd.
“OK, listen, I’m going to step into the other room and take care of something. Give me 1 minute and start walking toward Detective York. Don’t be scared the dog will move.” and then under he breath she said…”I think.”
Jamie stepped into the other room and called dispatch. “Dispatch this is Detective Carpenter. We have a Canine handler down and medical crews dispatched to the scene. It does not appear that the dog got the signal, was it sent?”
“Roger detective. We sent the signal to the frequency for the Canine Max, copy?”
“I copy. I don’t think he got it. May be a problem with his receiver. Send the signal over the open channel. With all of those officers in the room, he’s got to hear it.”
“10-4 sending now.”
Every police radio in the room was ablaze with the Canine radio signals coming through. The paramedic was unsure of himself and the cacophony coming over the radios was not helping him, but he did as Jamie had instructed. He waited 1 minute from the time she left and began to walk forward. Max recognized his signal and recognized the paramedic’s uniform and all but ushered him to Darin’s side.
As Jamie stepped back into the room, Brandon York said, “Girl, I don’t know what you did, but you’re a genius.”
“Well, lets just hope we’re in time. And Cap……you’d better get Toni and the kids in here.” said Jamie
“I’m on it.” Brandon York affirmed.
The paramedics were able to stabilize Darin’s condition and, as protocol dictated Max rode with Darin to the hospital. Jamie followed right behind in the cruiser so that she could reign Max in when they got to the hospital.
