It had taken ten days of backbreaking labor, but the shelter was finally up and running. At least ready to be running. Mike had toiled until after midnight every night, so exhausted by then he fell into a deep sleep almost at once, but the diligence paid off. He stood for a moment and looked up at the sign he’d just hung over the front door. Everything’s ready. Will the phone start ringing?
Two days later, he had to admit the answer to that question was not so much. He’d even made a few drives around Black Gap to look for any dogs he might find roaming loose without a collar and tags or chained in the open without food, water, or shelter readily available. He knew he’d hesitate just to take a dog that clearly had an owner, even if an uncaring one, but if things seemed bad enough for the a
