Red and blue lights cut through the dusk, washing the roadside in uneasy color. Tina exhaled shakily, relief mingling with dread as a police cruiser and animal control van rolled to a stop. At last, she wasn’t alone in this.
Two officers stepped out, scanning the scene quickly, their movements sharp and controlled. An animal control officer followed, carrying a long catch pole and a heavy-duty flashlight. Tina waved them over, her voice catching as she tried to explain what she’d seen.
The dog’s head snapped up at the commotion, body taut as wire. A guttural snarl ripped from his throat, deeper and louder than anything Tina had heard before. The officers froze, assessing him carefully, clearly wary of provoking a lunge or bite.
“Stay back, ma’am,” one officer instructed, his hand out as though anchoring her in place. Tina obeyed, her legs buckling slightly as she stepped behind the barrier of flashing vehicles. Her breath came fast, eyes locked on the ditch.
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