A Nose for Mischief Read online

  Alexis reached inside the box and pulled out a small canvas bag with the image of one of her team’s dogs on the front. Waffle snuffled it suspiciously, decided it wasn’t going to explode, then sprawled out on the cool, hard floor for a well-earned nap. Alexis chuckled and examined the bag more closely. It was custom treat bag she could wear like a fanny pack; the bag was large enough to hold dog food but small enough to wear comfortably while training the dogs. A high-energy shepherd mix named Gizmo, a graduate of her very first training class, had located explosives near a commercial building that produced logo wear in all shapes and sizes. Alexis had told the owner repeatedly that they were just doing their jobs, but he’d gotten the sweetest gleam in his eyes and told them he’d be thanking them all the same. He was about the same age as her grandfather and had similar smile lines around his eyes. His grandchildren had been visiting him in the building the day they’d neutralized the explosives and there was no talking him out of his plan.

  Now, Alexis had a thousand custom dog treat bags with Gizmo’s regal profile on the side. She moved the box to the ground and pulled out a bag for herself. She’d also mail a few to Gizmo’s handler, a fellow special agent and weekend marathoner who’d been an excellent fit with the eager shepherd. She clicked the bag onto her waist and filled it with a handful of food. At the sound of the kibble hitting the bottom, Waffle snapped out of his apparent nap, eyes firmly on the bag that he now recognized as a magic kibble dispenser. She looked down at him, eyebrows raised. He hauled himself up into a sleepy sit, thumped his tail, and managed to make his face look extra innocent, pushing his ears forward and sitting perfectly for maximum cuteness. She put her hands on her hips. “Okay, but only because you are such a good dog.”

  Waffle gave her a goofy doggy smile and thumped his tail. Alexis pulled out a few scent containers and placed them under the distraction scents she often used to train her students. While the distraction smells could be effective for puppies new to her training methods, Waffle barely paid them any attention. He quickly found his prize, so she tossed him a few pieces of food. He bounced up and wolfed the kibble down before his front paws found solid ground again.

  Alexis looked at her computer and back at Waffle, who was starting to settle himself on a dog bed next to her desk, close enough to ensure he wouldn’t miss out on any pets. While she’d like to go back out with the dogs, administrative duties called. When Alexis applied for special funding to start a new canine facility to increase the number of trained dogs for the FBI, she’d never expected to get it. She certainly hadn’t expected the Bureau to put her in charge of it. While the FBI had other training facilities, explosive detection dogs were in high demand. Not only were they experts at sniffing out what was invisible to the human eye, they were also easy to bring around public spaces. In fact, she’d had to wave off more well-meaning requests to pet Waffle from both adults and children than she could count. Still, sometimes the unexpected turns in life paid the best dividends. Running a dog training school for the FBI in the surprisingly charming town of Riverbend, Indiana had certainly been one of them. And if that meant she had to handle some emails and the budget, so be it. She gave Waffle a pat and sat down in her swivel chair, sneaking one last look at the busy training yard and green hills beyond. Riverbend, Indiana was in an adorable piece of the country only half an hour away from her husband’s workplace at Indiana Polytechnic. Still, despite its proximity to the university and dotting of industry around the town, Riverbend itself remained small with a big heart. This morning’s local news headline had proudly announced that Riverbend would soon be adding their tenth stoplight inside city limits.

  Alexis checked her watch. She had just enough time to check her email before meeting her husband, Matt, at home in time for dinner. She’d married well for a number of reasons, but she regularly joked to him that his cooking skills were near the top of the list. Her stomach rumbled. After all that walking today, the sooner she got home, the better. She moved around a few meetings for the following day before digging into her list of unopened emails. Her schedule had gotten completely out of hand since she’d had to dismiss one of her trainees. Aside from the more obvious stress of dealing with a bad situation, it had wreaked havoc on her already full to-do list, and she hadn’t quite recovered. She still hadn’t found someone else to train the high-energy rescue dog he’d been working with, but one of her instructors was helping train the dog to buy them some time to find a replacement. Alexis rubbed her foot along Waffle’s side absently. Her coworker of the past five years would soon be out cold. His tail gave a few sleepy taps in response. She answered all the usual business emails in short order, updating her calendar and to-do list as she went, but paused when she saw a message from Zoey Butler.

  Any time a potential witness to a crime contacted her, Alexis’s heart rate spiked. It hadn’t been that long since she’d worked in the field, and her cases were usually some of the most volatile the FBI Chicago office took on. It took a moment to remember what investigation Zoey Butler had been involved with. Ah, the infamous case of Future State Energy defrauding investors. The Chicago team had been pulled in for staffing reasons, even though it was in Colorado. She wrinkled her nose. She’d never forget the look of shock on Zoey’s face when they stormed the building. Unfortunately, the situation had required they take the building by surprise, so nobody could destroy evidence. It was a good thing, too, because Ophelia Wagner had already started loading documents into the shredder by the time her team reached Ophelia’s office. It had taken Alexis some time to determine Zoey wasn’t involved, but the evidence proved that Zoey was an innocent bystander. Or, more accurately, she’d been collateral damage.

  When Zoey found out what was happening at the company, she had answered every question they asked, helping Alexis root out the remaining details they needed to button up the case. She was smart and more than a little angry that the company had used her expertise for cover. But Zoey was still early in her career with plenty of opportunities in front of her. She’d land on her feet. Hoping the message would be a happy update on Zoey’s success, Alexis clicked to open it. She sighed. Zoey was still job searching. Then, she got to the end of the email and chuckled. Well, she had a healthy helping of moxie. Waffle looked up from his almost-nap. Alexis began to compose a response, then thought better of it. She spotted Zoey’s number on the email and dialed it.

  Zoey answered on the second ring. “Hello, Zoey Butler speaking.”

  “Zoey, it’s Special Agent Alexis Thompson. I got your email.” Alexis leaned back in her chair, phone pressed against her ear.

  The phone was silent for almost two full seconds. “Hi, Agent Thompson.” Zoey cleared her throat. “What did you think?”

  In the background, Alexis heard a woman’s voice yelling, “Zoey, I swear, if the FBI breaks down our door, you’re repainting it.”

  Alexis bit her lip. “So, since it’s our fault you’re unemployed, you think we should hire you? Just like that?”

  Zoey cleared her throat. “Yes, ma’am. I think I can bring something unique to your team and frankly, Agent Thompson, I’m not really hirable anywhere else. Normally, I’d dance around the topic, network, and slowly build to it, but I don’t have that luxury. I need a job.”

  “That’s surprising. Your résumé is very impressive.”

  “I’m glad you think so. But every time someone sees that I worked for Future State, I’m done as fast as they can type, ‘We regret to inform you.’”

  Alexis rubbed a spot between her eyebrows. Zoey was sharp and independent. She was a little more high-strung than Alexis and her coworkers at the Academy, but Alexis would be a little on the high-strung side too, if their situations were reversed. If Zoey was reaching out, she really had exhausted every other option. “I was impressed with you when we first met, and I don’t have any problem communicating that to potential employers if you need me as a reference.”

  “I’d appreciate that.” Zoey let out a long breath. “Better yet, if the FBI or someone you work with can get me past the initial screen long enough to explain myself, that would be huge. I need something on my résumé beyond a company that is currently the subject of a white-collar crime podcast.”

  Alexis looked down at Waffle. “With regards to your specific request, I’d love to bring you in to work with my team. Goodness knows I need the help, but I don’t have the budget at the moment.” Alexis looked longingly at her growing to-do list. It’d be another few months before the funding to replace Tasha’s handler would be approved.

  “How about an unpaid internship?”

  Alexis paused, the silence hanging in the air. “I wouldn’t feel right about not paying you.”

  “Then room and board. Can the FBI swing room and board?”

  “You’re serious?” Alexis scoffed. “That’s quite a discount.”

  “Completely. I can make the finances work. I’ll hop on a plane tomorrow, as long as I can list the job on my résumé. What do you need, an analyst? I can do just about anything in a spreadsheet.”

  Alexis grinned. Yes, this was exactly how she remembered Zoey. Waffle stirred and Alexis gave him a pat. “How do you feel about dogs?”

  Chapter 3

  Less than a week after sending the email to Alexis, Zoey packed her most important items for the move to Indiana. She pushed her suitcase down with one hand, finally getting it zipped shut with a non-trivial amount of strength and willpower. Elise, for her part, was leaning against Zoey’s bedroom doorframe for what she claimed was moral support, but her moral support clearly came with a healthy dose of concern about her sister’s decision-making. Elise would keep Zoey’s furniture for now and Alexis promised her a furnished apartment when she arrived. It was a simple enough plan in theory, but Zoey still f
ound it nearly impossible to comprehend the speed at which her life had changed once again. Apparently, the move had been made easier by several empty FBI-owned apartments near the dog training facility. With no more new employees scheduled to arrive anytime soon, she was free to stay. It was unconventional but necessary. If Zoey was ever going to get past the résumé gatekeepers, she was going to have to be flexible. She straightened her suitcase and clicked the handle into position. She patted her pocket to check for her cellphone and made sure her wallet was in her purse one last time.

  Elise followed Zoey into the hallway. “You’re sure you are okay with this? You really want to work for the institution that put you out of a job?”

  “That’s at least five times you’ve asked me now. I’m going to start keeping a formal tally.”

  “The first four times were to make sure you were okay with it. This one’s for me.”

  Zoey shrugged. “I mean, it wasn’t the FBI’s fault that Future State imploded. This a great option in the short term. I’ll get housing and help the agent who, for some incomprehensible reason, didn’t send my demanding email straight to the garbage can. If listing the FBI on my résumé doesn’t undo the damage from working for a crooked company, nothing will. I’ll have to change my name and go back to school for something different if it comes to that.”

  “I love you, and if it gets too crazy, you can come back here. I won’t charge you rent. And I will feed you.” Elise gave her a hug. “You have options, okay?”

  Zoey stayed in the hug for several seconds. While they hadn’t always been close, they’d lost their parents before either of them had graduated college and since then, they’d been inseparable. Shared tragedy had a way of doing that. “I will take advantage of you if it goes sideways, okay? But if being an assistant to the director of a K-9 program means I shovel dog poop for a little while, I’m good with that. The next few months will be a cakewalk compared to the past several. It’s not like anyone will be pointing a gun at me or anything.”

  Zoey hoisted her luggage, and her sister followed her to the waiting rideshare. Elise stood at the curb as Zoey loaded her things into the trunk, waving goodbye without fully smiling. Fortunately, it was late spring in Indiana and Zoey had been able to fit everything she needed in her suitcases. She’d be back home before she needed the thick winter gear she’d left hanging in the closet.

  A few hours later, Zoey’s flight touched down in Chicago and she deplaned without fanfare. The rental car information the FBI was supposed to provide hadn’t shown up in her email yet, but Alexis had mentioned the company on the phone, and she could check at the rental counter. She looked up from her phone to a woman waving. Was that Alexis? The woman she’d spotted had her brown hair up in a ponytail and she wore sporty clothing, much like many others at the airport. However, unlike the others, Alexis had a giant red Labrador by her side. Yes. That was definitely Alexis and her K-9 partner. Waffle was wearing a vest and standing, eyes and ears alert, watching the passengers carefully as they walked by. To her surprise, his tail began to wag when she started walking towards them. Alexis waved, reaching out to give her a hug when she got close enough. Zoey nearly cried at the warm welcome. After losing her parents, her mom from cancer and her father from a heart attack shortly after, Alexis’s concern felt borderline maternal. Or maybe Zoey was super overwhelmed by the idea that things finally might be taking a turn for the better and overinterpreting someone being polite. It was probably that. Emotions tickled her throat. When she pulled back, she noticed Waffle was sniffing her, tail still wagging. His vest said WORKING DOG DO NOT PET, but Waffle gave her a doggy grin, tongue hanging out one side of his mouth. “Can I pet him?”

  “One sec.” Alexis looked down. “Waffle, it’s okay.” Waffle wiggled in earnest and nudged his head under Zoey’s hand, explaining to Zoey that he needed extra attention, specifically extra attention from her, to make his day truly complete.

  “I remember you too.” Zoey squatted down to scratch him behind the ears, and he leaned into it, tail thumping against the floor. “We’re going to be great friends. I just know it.”

  Alexis smiled. “He has that effect on people. I was in the area for a meeting and figured we could welcome you properly if we took a little detour.” Before Zoey could thank her, Alexis gave Waffle a command and the dog promptly snapped back into duty mode. “Come on, let’s go get your things.”

  The two women walked towards the baggage claim, questions bubbling in Zoey’s mind. Waffle, for his part, sniffed the ground, suitcases, even the air. People stared at him curiously but didn’t approach, likely due to Alexis’s no-nonsense power walk and Waffle’s vest. When they reached the baggage carousel, a crowd from Zoey’s flight had gathered and soon, she found her luggage. She hefted them one by one off the carousel and Waffle gave each bag a sniff, tail wagging. Alexis gave her a bright smile. “Is that everything?”

  Zoey shrugged. “Everything small enough to check. My sister is keeping the rest of my stuff while I’m interning as a dog pooper scooper.” She gave Alexis a sheepish smile. “I mean, I assume. It’s all I’m qualified for in this industry. Not that I’m complaining. I’m grateful, truly. It beats being unemployed.”

  “I’m sorry this happened to you.” Alexis gave her a sympathetic look. “I’d love to say your situation is unique. Unfortunately, in our business, there are usually a lot more victims than criminals.”

  “If I’m just one in a very large crowd, why did you answer my email so quickly?”

  “Very few reach out the way you did.” Alexis chuckled, then turned serious. “And honestly, it was a little selfish. When we first met, you reminded me of a really good friend of mine. She’s also an engineer. Without her know-how, we might have missed some pretty important things on a number of our investigations. Did you know the FBI hires engineers and scientists?”

  Zoey stared at Alexis incredulously. “No, but the FBI career website doesn’t exactly have a lot of openings right now.”

  “It won’t be that way forever, and management agreed that it’s in our best interest to keep you at the ready in case something opens up. You’d be surprised how often we need someone with your skill set.” Alexis turned to face her. “Unfortunately, my endorsement is no guarantee. So, if you have other full-time offers, I would recommend taking them. We may find it’s not a good fit. In the meantime, I’d be foolish to turn down an offer of discounted, highly-qualified help.”

  “Even if my email was a little sassy?”

  Alexis’s eyes twinkled. “If you can write that well when you’re angry, I’d like to see what you can do when you aren’t.” She tipped her head towards the exit. “Let’s get you to your new home.”

  An hour later, Zoey dragged her suitcases through the front door of her new apartment. Fancy, it was not. However, it was very clean and had all the necessities. With a couple of personal touches, it would work just fine for a few months. She’d used a little bit of precious suitcase space to pack some watercolor paint and a large pack of rough paper in her bag. She would find time to make it a little homier for the next few months. And she definitely wouldn’t be staying past a few months. Riverbend was a rounding error of population compared to the bustling city of Denver—it’d hardly be a fair fight to compare the two. Waffle put his nose in her palm, and she gave him another pet. He plopped on the floor next to her, his thick tail thwacking into her foot. “Thanks, Agent Thompson. I really appreciate this.”

  Alexis waved a hand. “Call me Alex. And truly, I’m the one benefitting from your help. I’m just glad you made the leap out here.” She gestured to Waffle, now fully leaning into Zoey for maximum attention and chin scratches. “You meant it when you said you liked dogs.”

  “I mean, I would hope so, since I just volunteered to work with them for a few months. But yes, I love dogs. I had them when I was a kid. I wanted to get one of my own, but our apartment doesn’t allow dogs.” Waffle looked up at her adoringly and she smiled at the giant dog. “You are a very good pup.”