Look What The Husband Dragged Home

Chapter 3

A Puppy Grows Up

William and Eliza were in their office when Max started barking as he looked out the window of the upper floor office. The Scarlet/Wellington Private Detective Agency was located on the second floor of a building across from Central Park. They bought that office after they had moved to New York permanently. Eliza received the money from subletting her office in London. Eliza kept the office in London for two reasons: it had been her father's once and there was also an office should they ever decide to return to England. William doubted they would return to England, but one never knows.

"What is it, boy?" William said as he bent down to look out the window through the blinds. It had only been a few days since the rock incident and both he and Eliza were on constant alert that something was trying to prevent them from discovering where the missing funds had been funneled.

"Eliza?" William called quietly.

Eliza's head was buried in the studying of a map with marks where the kidnapper had taken Harbinger's brother. It tracked around Central Park and then led to a dead end near a vacant lot.

"Yes, William."

"Get down!"

William pushed Max's head down and Eliza crouched almost underneath her desk as someone had opened fire on them. Max barked wildly and William tried to hold him down when suddenly Max bolted from the door. He had learned how to open doors just by watching Eliza and William. Max used his long paws to turn the knob. He went barking loudly and constantly flying down the stairway.

The bullets continued to fly through the open window punch holes in their wall across from the window.

"William! Max!" Eliza called to William who was on his hands and knees. He quickly went to his feet and hastily grabbing Eliza's hand they bolted down the stairs and out the door, down the stairs, and across to Central Park where they found Max standing on top of the gunman who was flat on his back looking frightened at an enraged Max stood on top of him growling and barking. A policeman with a drawn gun stood pointing the weapon down at the recumbent gunman.

As William and Eliza came up to where the policeman stood with Max, William knew the policeman and said, "Will, Mrs. Wellington, is this Max?"

"Max, come here," William commanded and Max turned around at William's voice and took his place in front of both his human parents. Eliza bent down and held his collar gently and scratched his ears and gave him a snack she always kept in her pockets for Max.

"Thank you, Matt. Yes, this is Max."

After a few minutes Matt's backup came and they arrested the gunman.

"William, Officer Johnson, I know that man," acknowledged Eliza.

"You do?" William said looking at his wife and petting Max to calm him.

"Yes, that's the missing Harbinger brother. He's not missing apparently."

"Matt, we need to question that man in reference to a case we've been working on. Is it possible we can have a chance to question him?"

"Sure. Let me get him over to the precinct."

"We can follow you, Matt," Eliza suggested.

"No, that's ok. Take your time. We would have report this anyway, Mrs. Wellington," Officer Johnson stated.

William, Eliza, and Max returned to their office and examined the damage. The bullets that were fired were mostly lodged in the far wall across from the window but a lamp had been shattered and the map that Eliza was looking at had been shreded with bullets that just missed her.

William sat at his desk across from Eliza's and said, "The police will be here to look for shells and will need our case files and statements from us."

"Yes," Eliza said trying to calm herself down and took a seat. Max walked over to her and put his nose in her lap.

"Good boy, Max." Eliza continually scratched his ears.

William then walked back to Eliza's desk. Leaning one hand on the back of Eliza's chair, he crouched down in his wife's line of vision and also petted Max. He eyed Eliza.

"Are you hurt? That was close. I'm used to being shot at."

"William, this isn't the first time I've been shot at either, if you remember."

William smiled and then kissed her.

"Yes, true. I just don't like to putting you in danger like that."

Eliza placed her hand against William's cheek and smiled at him. "William, you didn't put me in danger. It's the work we're doing. It's bound to happen every now and again. I know, though, love that you do everything to protect me. You always protect me the best you can."

William smiled and kissed the palm that lay on his cheek. Then William rose and walked with his hands in his pockets and leaned against his desk with his legs outstretched.

"So you said that was the missing Harbinger brother, Darrell. He must have embezzled the money from the company and set up a false note for us to follow while he would run out of town with the funds."

"Why run the risk of returning just to shoot us? He must have realized that if he missed he could be identified and prosecuted."

"Eliza, my love, the criminal mind is strange. I think because this man is not a hardened successful criminal he was bound to give himself away."

"Also the criminal always comes back to the scene of the crime," Eliza stated. This was something that William had told her a long time ago when she was trying to get her business started and he was still with Scotland Yard.

"I have a feeling it won't take much to get a confession out of him. Let's contact his brother," Eliza said.

"Right. As soon as you're finished we need to take Max home and then report to the police."

Eliza bent down again to Max who was laying next to her desk. She pet him and scratched him and rubbed his belly when he turned over.

"Oh, belly rub time," Eliza said aloud rubbing his belly as Max eyed her and gave her a playful bark. She then went to the newly installed phone on the wall and contacted Darrell Harbinger's brother, Jason.

Eventually, William gathered the few things they would need for the police and giving Max an appreciative pet. All three left the office and went on their way.

After a few weeks, The Harbinger case was closed and the missing funds recouped and the correct criminal brother was put in jail. Because Max had apprehended the criminal and was responsible for saving the lives of his human parents, Max received a special commendation of the New York City Police Force for saving lives and preventing another crime.

Max was groomed well and was given a new collar by Eliza and William. At the ceremony, Max was awarded a medal that was pressed to a parchment suitable for framing. He was also awarded a small medal that he could proudly wear on his collar with his name and his date of the commendation.

After the presentation, the current Chief of Police, Glen Oldsten came up to the Wellingtons and asked who trained him to do what Max did.

"We both trained him, but we had him enrolled with a professional trainer when he did all this on his own. Because of his natural abilities he was able to hear what was about to happen and saved us," William explained.

"I see," Chief Glen said. "I know that we employ Blood Hounds for sniffing out trails and things like that, but I was thinking along with some other like minded individuals that these types of dogs, German Shepherds, are good guard dogs and can be trained for protection. Are they hard to train?"

William looked at Eliza and then both said, "No."

"William brought him home I suppose he was about eight weeks old and he started responding to common commands like 'heel', 'fetch'; 'sit', etc.," Eliza said

"If I can convince the powers that be that having a troop of protective dogs would be advantageous to the force, would you be willing to let us train Max or use Max as an example?"

William looked at Eliza and Eliza looked back at William petting Max who was panting as the early July morning was very hot. They were outside for the ceremonies as it was a beautiful sunny day, but a typical New York July day.

"Could we be there?" Eliza asked.

"Certainly. We would not have it any other way," Chief Glen said. He then bent down to pet Max who licked him and shook his hand.

"You're really a good dog, Max. I am sure your family loves you very much."

Rising from his bent position, Chief Glen shook William's hand and tipped his hat to Eliza.

"Thank you both. Have a good day."

William moved and put his arm around his wife's shoulder as Eliza held Max's leash.

"I think we ought to go home now and have some lunch," William said kissing the side of Eliza's head.

"What say you, Max?" Eliza asked.

Max barked and began to walk the path home.

William and Eliza smiled.

Two years later, Max was laid to rest in the police burial grounds as he was shot and killed in the line of duty. William and Eliza mourned his death and were very proud to accept his leash and medals.

It was around this time that Eliza told William she was with child again.