Chapter 9 - The Final StandThe red glare of the road flare cast long, twisted shadows across the dry grass near the property gate.
Vance stood near his SUV, his expensive suit rumpled, holding a second unlit flare and a gas can he had pulled from his trunk. He looked completely unhinged—the polished corporate developer replaced by a desperate criminal facing total ruin.
"You think your dogs scare me, Bennett?!" Vance screamed across the dark field, his voice hoarse. "I lost thirty million dollars today! My company is gone! My reputation is gone!"
"You did that to yourself!" I called back, slowly advancing down the gravel driveway with Bacon and Keno moving in perfect sync beside me. "Drop the gas can, Vance! The police are already on their way!"
"They won't get here in time!" he roared, striking the second flare and tossing it toward the dry wooden fencing near the front kennels.
Dry cedar brush ignited instantly with a loud WHOOSH, bright orange flames climbing up the fence post toward the dry grass line.
"Bacon—TAKEDOWN! GO!" I commanded, thrusting my arm forward.
The two-year-old Malinois launched forward like an arrow released from a bow, his paws flying across the gravel in total silence, clearing thirty yards in seconds.
Vance saw the massive dog charging through the red flare light and panicked. He dropped the gas can, reached into his jacket, and pulled out a small silver handgun.
"KENO—COVER!" I shouted, sprinting behind the dogs.
Before Vance could raise the weapon, Bacon hit him dead center in the chest at thirty miles an hour. The impact knocked Vance clean off his feet, sending the silver handgun flying into the tall grass.
Vance hit the ground hard, letting out a strangled shriek as Bacon pinned his left arm with a full-mouth bite grip, holding him down with immovable working-dog force. Keno reached the fallen handgun first, standing directly over it, letting out a low, terrifying growl that echoed through the night.
"GET HIM OFF ME! GET HIM OFF ME!" Vance shrieked, squirming in the dirt, completely broken.
I reached the gate, grabbed the emergency fire extinguisher mounted near the kennel entry, and blasted the flare fire with heavy chemical foam, extinguishing the flames before they could reach the dry brush leading to the main house.
Once the fire was completely dead, I walked over to Vance, who was weeping in the dirt under Bacon’s chest-weight.
"OUT," I commanded Bacon softly.
The Malinois released his grip instantly, stepping back two feet, remaining in a tense, watchful guard stance over the shivering developer.
In the distance, red and blue emergency lights crested the hill along the rural highway. Three Edmond police cruisers sped down the road, sirens wailing, pulling up through my gate and surrounding the SUV.
Officers poured out with weapons drawn, securing Vance, retrieving the silver handgun from the grass, and slapping heavy steel handcuffs onto his wrists.
Captain Reynolds stepped out of the lead cruiser, looking at the extinguished fence post, the pinned developer, and my two working dogs standing calmly at my side.
Reynolds looked at me and shook his head with a tired smile. "Nice work, Grant. We intercepted Evelyn twenty minutes ago—she signed a full confession regarding Vance’s financial arson plans."
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I took a deep breath of the cool night air, the adrenaline finally leaving my veins. "Is it over, Frank?"
Reynolds clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder. "It's completely over, buddy. He's going away for a very long time."
