She stood again, allowing her gaze to move between the human pair. “What exactly is the issue here?”
“It’s my fault, ma’am.” Cole ignored Scott’s look of surprise. “A misunderstanding occurred between Agent Lucca and myself when he was introduced to Hugo last week. Hugo misread my reactions.”
“I doubt that. Hugo is so tuned into you that if you sneeze he licks his nose.” Yardley folded her arms and jutted out a hip. “Want to try again?”
“Officer Jamieson and I were once married, Ms. Summers.” Scott noted Cole’s glare but continued. “As you might imagine, we have a few unresolved issues.”
Something between a grunt and laughter erupted from Yardley. “DEA must be really desperate to even consider putting exes together undercover. The probability of disaster is astronomical, and John knows it.”
Cole and Scott exchanged glances at Yardley’s use of Agent Lattimore’s first name.
“What the hell. I can’t make things worse than they are. Let’s move out.” Yardley pointed in the direction of the practice field. “Officer Jamieson, lead the way.”
“Yes, ma’am. And you can call me Cole, ma’am. Hugo. Hier.” Hugo moved instantly with her as Cole turned to walk away.
Cole’s hands were shaking as she held Hugo’s lead. She had met the K-9 legend once before but she was more intimidated today than the first time. Yardley was her idol. Cole cringed. After the way Hugo behaved, her idol must think that she couldn’t control her emotions any better than her K-9. And why did Scott tell her they were acrimonious exes?
In the male-dominated field of K-9 law enforcement, Yardley Summers was both an enigma and a rock star. Rumor tagged her as everything from a retired Special Ops to a sometimes still-operative spook. What she did have was access to the highest echelons of both political and military arenas.
Cole hadn’t missed the look of admiration on Scott’s face when Yardley appeared. Okay, she couldn’t blame him. The entire male population probably responded like that when Yardley appeared.
At five feet nine inches tall with long dark red mahogany tresses and coal-black eyes, Yardley was what Cole’s grandmother would call a striking woman. Yet she most often hid her long-legged Victoria’s Secret curviness beneath military fatigues and windbreakers. Today, as usual, her hair was stuffed up under a fatigue cap.
Some said there was a man out there who had her complete and utter loyalty. No one seemed to know who he was or what he did. Yet, almost every man who passed through here envied him. A few learned, to their regret, that she wasn’t interested in second-best.
Above all, she radiated a no-nonsense intensity and competence that made even SWAT teams and military Special Ops call her ma’am with absolute respect.
Cole led the way past a sprawling facility that housed classrooms, a dining hall, a series of canine training suites, and farther on, barracks for handlers. Next they passed the temperature-controlled low-roofed barn that served as the kennel for the animals Harmonie Kennels bought and/or trained for law enforcement and the military. At any given time the kennels might be simultaneously hosting law-enforcement K-9 handler classes on the local, state, and national levels. Only military classes and drills were held in seclusion.
As she followed them, Yardley reviewed what she knew of the pair she’d promised to whip into shape. She knew them both, though Scott Lucca much better than Nicole Jamieson.
Officer Jamieson had come to her attention six months ago as part of Montgomery Police K-9’s annual training week at Harmonie Kennels. Most law-enforcement K-9 departments made certain their officers got professional refresher training at least one week a year. Though a rookie, Officer Jamieson had a gift for working with dogs. And she was eager to prove herself, pushing Hugo and herself every day. At the time Yardley had wondered why. Now watching Agent Jamieson’s posture as she gazed at her ex, Yardley suddenly understood a lot more. Something to tuck away for use later.