Page 36 of Unseen Danger

He tried to shrug it off. They were here for a job, not a singles mixer. It didn’t matter if she liked him or not as long as she did her job and didn’t interfere with his.

The squeezing sensation in his chest called him a liar. But he donned a smile. “Anything to report?”

“No. Nothing alarming.” Jazz turned her head to look at Nevaeh. “You want to tell him about the puppy walker?”

Nevaeh took a couple steps closer on the other side of Jazz, enabling Branson to see her better.

Fatigue that hadn’t been there earlier lingered like a shadow under her eyes and in the set of her mouth. Eight hours was a long shift for patrol, but the scheduler at Phoenix K-9 had told him that was standard for the agency. That didn’t necessarily mean it couldn’t take a toll.

“A man in his early sixties came by the property on the north side at five to eleven. He was walking a black Labrador puppy.”

“Oh, Tim Wilson.” He grinned. “Great guy. I’ve met him and Gilligan—that’s his puppy—on my runs.”

Nevaeh’s already big eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t give any other response.

“She determined he wasn’t a threat, as well.” Jazz drew her gaze away from Nevaeh to land her green eyes on Branson. Did she always do Nevaeh’s talking for her?

A disappointed sigh bunched at the base of his throat, but he swallowed it down. So much for his hopes he could engage with Nevaeh and have a better interaction this time.

The coolness had returned to her eyes and her stance. Worse than that, she had an edginess about her now. And was keeping her distance, as if afraid he was dangerous.

“Well, thanks for your good work tonight. I’ll—”

A strange sound, like a cross between a growl and a strangled whine, cut Branson short.

“Flash, leave it.”

The Belgian Malinois strained at the end of his leash, ignoring Jazz’s stern command.

Branson turned to try to see what the dog was pulling toward.

Movement by the far end of the nearest sofa caught his gaze. A fluffy white tail lingered past the lime green upholstery.

“Princess?” Branson walked toward the suspicious bit of fur and gently lifted the escapee. He gathered up the pure white, seven-pound cat and held her against his chest as he walked back to the ladies.

And the dog that let out a yippy bark.

“Flash, leave it. Look at me.” Jazz watched Flash as he finally looked her way, his stare locking on her face. “Yes.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out what he assumed was a treat. The dog gulped it up too fast for Branson to actually see it.

“Sorry about that.” The redhead gave him a chagrined smile. “Cats are his weakness, I’m afraid.”

“No problem. Princess is used to having admirers, aren’t you girl?” He scratched the cat under her tiny chin, and she rewarded him by crawling higher in his arms to rub the soft top of her head under his chin.

“She is beautiful. And so darling.” Jazz sent Nevaeh a look he couldn’t quite read, but he didn’t try once his eyes landed on Nevaeh.

Her gaze shifted from Princess to his face as she closed her mouth that must’ve been slightly open. The coldness in her expression was gone, replaced by…curiosity? Or maybe just perplexity. Maybe she thought he was weird. Most people didn’t expect a guy in his line of work to have a cat.

But at least she seemed to be letting her guard down. So he tried another smile. “Could you both do me a favor and keep it to yourself that you saw Princess out here? She’s technically not supposed to leave my room. I must not have closed the door tightly when I left.” In a rush to make sure he didn’t miss seeing Nevaeh, but he’d keep that part of the explanation to himself. “D-Chop’s not a fan of cats.”

“Why is that?” Nevaeh actually asked the question. Without hesitation, her gaze not leaving his face.

“He says cats don’t go with his tough-guy image.”

“I can see that.” Her gaze traveled to Princess and back up to him.

Then it happened. Her lips shaped into a gentle curve—a hint of a smile that was like the lovely prelude to the most beautiful of sunsets.

Something in his chest twisted almost painfully. If that was the prelude, he didn’t know if he’d be able to handle Nevaeh’s full smile. But he’d sure like to find out.