Second Chance Soldier is dedicated to all dogs and those who train them, including police and military K-9s.
And, as I always do, I dedicate this book to my wonderful husband, Fred. Good thing he likes dogs, too.
Since I have been well trained by my dogs so far, and not so much vice versa, I want to thank everyone who advised me about dog training. That includes the Hollywood Dog Obedience Club and its wonderful officers, trainers and members I’ve met. They have shown me what pet dog training is all about.
I have also watched several demonstrations of police K-9s in the Los Angeles area, which have proved to be fascinating and useful, and I have additionally been privileged enough to have had discussions with some K-9 officers. I particularly want to thank the Glendale Police Department and its K-9 unit, most especially Officer Shawn Sholtis and his K-9, Idol.
Thank you all!
Of course, Second Chance Soldier is a work of fiction, so if anything seems incorrect that’s because I’ve modified reality to fit the story.
Many thanks also to my wonderful editor, Allison Lyons, and my fantastic agent, Paige Wheeler.
Contents
Was this demonstration going to be as unimpressive as all the others had been so far?
Amber Belott could only wait and watch—and hope that, finally, she and her mom, Sonya, had found their answer at last, a skilled person who could take over training potential police K-9s and other dogs, as well as additional trainers, now that her father was gone.
Evan Colluro was the eighth person who’d come to the Chance K-9 Ranch, just outside Chance, California, to perform a demonstration. A tryout. An audition of sorts.
Evan had just arrived. At least he was right on time, unlike most of the others, whose excuses tended to be how remote this place was. At the top of the driveway near their house, he exited his black sedan along with his dog, who was, unsurprisingly, a German shepherd.
His résumé had described his extensive work with dogs, particularly in the military, but nothing had prepared her for how good-looking he was. He was tall and slender with broad shoulders, and the fit of his charcoal knit shirt implied strong muscles beneath. He wore black slacks and new-looking athletic shoes, somewhat informal attire, yet he looked ready for both a job interview and a critical dog-training test session.
Again unlike some of his either more formal, or more sloppily dressed, predecessors...
Amber, on the other hand, wasn’t dressed