Page 57 of Smoky Mountain K-9
“I’m sure.” This wasn’t the first mine he’d handled. He knew what he was doing. Wrapping his gloved hands around the canister, he rose and pivoted in one smooth movement. In three rolling strides, he crossed the porch and set the device inside the box.
Gunderson moved in with the lid.
“Careful.” Carter held up a hand. “Set it down slow. That pin was hanging. If it goes off before we lock it, it’ll blow the lid off.”
“Not my first rodeo.” Gunderson laid the lid on top.
Carter helped him secure the latches, then Gunderson radioed for his men to back the robot away from the house. Holding his breath, Carter watched it roll over the grass, then down the driveway to the middle of the road. It lowered the box, then backed away. The two men walked to the truck and around to the rear.
Gunderson pulled off his helmet and addressed one of his men. “Give me the disposal charge and roll that robot back here.”
The robot appeared around the door. Carter stepped back so Gunderson’s crew could change out the arm on the machine. They were going to remotely detonate the charge and set off the mine in the box.
Once the robot was ready, Carter watched on the screen built into the wall of the truck as Gunderson piloted the robot up to the box and unlatched it. After checking the scene was secure, he armed the disposal charge and dropped it inside, then latched the box once more. A minute later, a soft boom shook the quiet night. The lead box rocked. Carter breathed a sigh of relief that the mine was no longer a threat.
Thirty
Aloud bark in her ear snapped Mara’s eyes open. Heart thundering in her chest, she glanced back at Maverick. He whined and licked her face.
“Oh!” She wiped her cheek. “Thanks, Mav.”
Tapping on her window made her jump, and she let out a soft shriek. Maverick barked again, his front feet on the console as he leaned around her, barking at the dark-haired man on the other side of the window.
“Hush.” Where was Carter? She wasn’t about to open the door. She wouldn’t put it past the dog to climb over her and rush out. Instead, she cracked the window. “Yes?”
“Ma’am, I’m Agent Finley Porter, ATF.” He held up a badge. “Can you answer a few questions for me?”
“Sure.” She had to yell to be heard over the dog. “Could you find Carter first? I don’t want to open this door.” She gestured to the furious animal at her side.
He nodded and turned away.
Mara glanced at Maverick. “You’re a menace. He’s going to have to teach me to handle you.”
His barks changed to yips and whines. She reached up and scratched his neck with a sigh, which quickly morphed into a yawn. It was late. Almost morning, really. At least it was Saturday, so she didn’t have to go to work. Once she finished answering the multitude of questions sure to come her way and the cops cleared her house—and someone sealed up her back door—she planned to crawl into her bed and sleep. The catnap she just had wasn’t nearly enough.
Through the windshield, she saw Carter and Agent Porter walking over. Ben was with them, as was another man she didn’t recognize. Carter came around to the driver’s side and opened the rear door. Maverick disappeared into his kennel in a flurry of whines and toenail scrabbles. He was ready to get out. Mara knew how he felt. She was tired of being cooped up too.
Rolling her window down, she poked her head out and looked at Ben. “Can I get out?”
He nodded.
Thank Heavens. She opened the door and swung her legs out, wincing as she stood up. Her back and hips ached from being stuck in the car so long.
“Mara, Agent Porter said he introduced himself.” Ben stopped in front of her and gestured to the tall, dark-haired man at his side.
“He did.”
Ben’s head bobbed once, then he pointed to the other man with them. “This is the local police chief, Randy Cage.”
The older man nodded to her. “Ma’am.”
Mara offered him a tired smile.
“Mrs. Roth, I just need to ask you some questions about what happened. I know you already talked to Deputy Townsend, and he’s relayed what you said, but I’d like to hear it from you, if you don’t mind?” Agent Porter tipped his head to Carter, who came up beside Mara.
“Of course.”
“Great. Can you start at the beginning? Walk me through what happened.”