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I’ll just have to see what’s going on in this particular case.

* * *

I’m incredibly confused as I peek into the car window. There’s a woman with long brown hair sleeping on her side in the driver’s seat. At least I assume it’s a woman, based on the person’s small frame and long hair. A sleeping bag covers most of her from view.

There’s a German shepherd stretched across the passenger seat that’s been reclined to give it more room, but its neck rests on the middle console. Its head pops up, and I take a step back.

Jesus.

Shepherds are one of those protective breeds that I have no interest in setting off, but it’s also below freezing.

At best, it can’t be comfortable sleeping in a car with no heat.

At worst, it’s dangerous.

Shit gets real around here with very little warning.

What is she thinking?

Is she trying to find her way up into the mountains to the ski resort?

We occasionally get travelers who take a wrong turn and end up here.

I doubt her car could make it up to the resorts and back down again with the storm that’s on its way. During summer, it wouldn’t be a problem, but driving in snow on icy roads is a much different story.

Dammit.

I’m going to have to knock and see if she’s okay.

I step forward and gently tap the backs of my fingers against the window, making the dog growl.

The sleeping woman jolts awake, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

Great.

Now I feel like an asshole.

* * *

I shove my hands into my pockets as I wait for her to get her dog clipped into its harness.

I better not get bitten for trying to be a Good Samaritan.

It’s too bad Lawson isn’t here. He was a dog handler in a past life—also known as his time in the military. He’s mostly retired from that now, but a few times a year, he’ll get a call from someone requesting his help to train a dog for military or police services.

Very rarely, he’ll get a call to evaluate a puppy to see if it has the right traits to go into a program for service canines. When that happens, he flies out for a week or two.

Law trained Shadow, and even though I call him a mutt regularly, he’s actually quite well-behaved for being seventy-something pounds.

I mean, he barks at everything, but he can also subdue a full-grown man, so I put up with his chatty ass.

He’s a Belgian Malinois rather than a German shepherd, but they’re both big dogs who love to work.

Yeah, Lawson would be much better equipped to handle this situation.

I’m the one who’s here, so I better figure out how to deal.

The woman opens the door, and the dog hops out, barking and growling while completely focused on me. The woman thankfully keeps a good hold on the leash so the dog doesn’t rush me.