Read The Badge Bunnies series: Ride-Along for Free Online Page A

Jessica?” she finally asked.
    “I would have.” His voice was wistful. “But it turned out that the only reason she’d been able to work up the courage to come onto me was because she was moving to New York City at the end of the week. We traded phone numbers, but neither one of us ever called the other.”
    Well, that was kind of a bummer. Laci was about to ask why he hadn't called Jessica when the car suddenly pitched forward as Jase hit the brakes.
     

Chapter Four
     
    “Shit,” he muttered.
    Around them, cars squealed to a stop. Laci tensed, expecting someone to hit the rear of the cruiser at any second. But thankfully, that didn't happen. As the screech of tires faded, she lifted her head.
    “What happened?”
    “I think a dog ran across the road.” Jase leaned over to grab something from the glove compartment, then flicked a switch on the console. “The cars in front all locked up at the same time.”
    Jase and Grant were out of the cruiser before she could even think straight. By the time she followed, Grant was already working the traffic jam.
    Laci looked around for Jase and caught sight of him kneeling down beside a car. She frowned. What was he doing? Then she realized he was talking in a soothing tone to a dog under the car. She hurried over, praying the pooch was okay.
    Jase held up his hand, motioning for her to stay where she was. “He's really freaked. Stay there while I lure him out.”
    Digging into his pocket, he came out with a plastic bag. Inside were doggie treats. Laci stared in amazement. He kept dog bones in his pocket? That must have been what he’d grabbed from the glove compartment earlier. Boy scouts should be so prepared.
    Jase held out one of the treats. “Come on, boy. It’s okay.”
    Laci saw a glimpse of glimmering eyes as the dog scooted closer little by little. A moment later, the frightened animal crawled completely out from under the car, eagerly taking the treat from Jase’s hand. Jase immediately scooped him up in his arms. Awww, how cute. She’d always been a sucker for a guy who liked animals.
    Jase ran his hand over the dog’s fur. He was a mixed breed with brown fur and floppy ears.
    “He doesn’t have a tag,” Jase said as she reached out to pet the animal. “Let's hope his owner chipped him.”
    Laci silently agreed. Unfortunately, too many people didn’t want to shell out the cash for the lifesaving device.
    Jase glanced at her as they walked to the car. “You don't mind sharing the back seat with this little guy, do you? We’ll need to take him to a shelter to see if he’s in the computer.”
    The little dog blinked up at her with the cutest eyes, as if wondering when he’d get some more treats.
    “Of course not.” She smiled. “He's adorable.”
    Laci sat in the back seat with the dog while Jase helped Grant get the traffic moving. The animal curiously watched the goings on around them for a few moments, then came over to curl up in her lap. She smiled and wrapped her arm protectively around him. If he didn’t have a microchip, she might just have to adopt him.
    “How’s he doing?” Grant asked when he and Jase climbed in a little while later.
    “He’s fine.” She reached into the bag and pulled out another treat. “I think he’s already eaten half the dog bones in here, though.”
    Jase laughed as he turned off the flashing lights and put the car in gear. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll resupply.”
    “You always carry dog treats?” she wondered.
    Grant nodded. “In case we see a stray.”
    That was sweet. Apparently, the dog must have thought so, too, because he leaned forward to lick Grant’s hand when the cop reached back to pet him.
    Laci reluctantly handed the little dog over to the woman at the counter when they got to the animal shelter. Unfortunately, it turned out that the animal didn’t have a microchip.
    She reached out to run her hand over the dog’s fur. She was afraid to hear the answer, but she had to ask.