Breaking Creed

25

The SUV had slowed to a crawl. Probably trying to avoid the slightest tap on the brakes that would flash the red backlights. By the time it came to a stop it was less than twenty feet from the entrance to the driveway. Creed and Bolo crouched in the ditch, already within striking distance.

The big dog knew to be quiet, but Creed could smell his sweaty coat and feel his anxiousness. He held firm the strap on the back of Bolo’s harness, just in case the dog decided to bolt and play hero.

As far as Creed could see there was only one person inside the cab. Though the vehicle had stopped, the driver had not killed the engine. So Creed was surprised when the driver’s door creaked open.

He felt Bolo tense and go rigid. Thankfully, he didn’t lunge. Instead, the dog cocked his head to the side. Both dog and master waited, Bolo sniffing the air and Creed squinting to see through the tall grass.

In the forefront of his mind he kept thinking, What the hell does a drug-cartel’s hit man look like? Anything he imagined certainly didn’t match up with the small man who leaned out and took jerky glances all around him. He seemed jittery and nervous, even knocking his head on the door frame as he jumped down.

The man moved around to the back. His hands swung free at his sides. No weapon. When he popped the liftgate and opened it, Creed could see a large bag with bulges, slick and black, almost like a body bag. But the man wasn’t messing with it. Instead, he started yanking and pulling at another shadow that was up against the inside of the vehicle. Creed heard a yelp and knew it was a dog even before the man dragged it out and dropped it to the ground. The dog fell on its side, and as it tried to get to its feet the man kicked it.

He could feel Bolo pulling and struggling against the leash. Before the man could lift his leg for a second kick, Creed let go of the leash.

Bolo hit him full force, slamming the man to the ground. He started to scream, but Bolo’s front paws came down hard on his chest and Creed could hear the gasp as air literally got knocked out of him.

“Good boy, Bolo. Stay put.”

“Are you… nuts?” the guy managed to stutter.

He ignored him and went to check on the dog — a skinny black Lab with a sagging belly that up until recently had been nursing puppies. Creed petted her and helped her to her feet. Told her she was a “good girl” and asked her to sit in the grass.

Before he stood back up to look inside the open liftgate, he knew what he’d find. His fingers couldn’t untie the knot quick enough, so he ripped open the end of the black plastic bag. He expected them to be already dead, but one by one the puppies started wiggling up and out.

He didn’t need to ask what this guy had intended to do. By now, Creed knew too well. People had gotten into the bad habit of dumping their unwanted dogs at the end of his driveway. It was how he had acquired many of his dogs, including Grace.

But so as not to take too much advantage, this guy was going to leave only the adult dog. The puppies he had gathered up into a trash bag. He probably would have dumped them in the river after he left Creed’s place.

“What’s your name, mister?” Creed asked, without leaving the puppies and without giving Bolo a command.

“Can you get your dog off of me?”

“Even if you don’t tell me, I have your license plate number.”

“We couldn’t afford one dog, let alone six.”

Creed counted the puppies, making sure all of them were still alive.

“Can you get your dog off of me? I can’t breathe,” the man complained.

“Yeah, that feels pretty bad, doesn’t it? To not be able to breathe.”

“Damn! You’re crazier than people say.”

“Oh, you don’t know the half of it, mister. Because if I so much as hear that you get another dog or even think about getting a dog, I’ll come find you. Do you understand that?”

The man went silent.

“Bolo, stay.”

Creed gathered all the puppies back into the bag, using it to hold them in his arms but letting all five little heads poke up and out. The mother dog saw that he was taking them, and he didn’t need to ask her to follow. She was already at his heels.

“You can’t leave me here with this dog!”

He ignored the guy again and kept walking. When he got back to the house, he’d whistle for Bolo to come home.