“I don’t like people who switch the rules to suit their needs—or biases. I’m sorry if I butted in.”
“No. You were just what the scene needed. Disgruntled outsider saves the day. Up till then it was strictly amateur hour. I knew their policy. Still, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to generate enough heat to provoke a ‘moment’ for the camera.”
Cole’s face fell. “You wanted an argument?”
Shajuanna laughed. “I was doing this for my girls. They haven’t had much to do on our reality TV show the past few weeks and they really love shelter animals, so I wanted to make certain they would both get screen time. That’s why I created the drama. Reality TV is about drama, even if you have to provoke it.”
“I guess I messed up your drama.”
“No, girl. You did good. I always reward good. In fact, if you’ll sign a release, you can be on TV, too.”
Cole swallowed. TV? That’s the very last place she wanted to be seen while she was undercover. “No, thanks. I don’t feel comfortable with the idea of being on TV.”
Shajuanna subjected her to a shrewd look. “You don’t want to be seen on my show?”
Cole shook her head. “It’s not about your show. It’s just that, well, I like my privacy. I’m sorry if I messed things up for you.”
“You didn’t. My producer can do some clever editing and fuzz your features where she can’t.”
“Thanks.” Cole’s look of relief was genuine. “I only got involved because I don’t like it when people start making up rules to suit their own purposes.”
“You’re sweet. Na?ve as hell but sweet. What’s your name?”
Cole took a breath to recall the correct answer. “Noel.”
“Hi, ahh Noel.” Shajuanna mimicked Cole’s breathless reply then held out her hand. “I’m Shajuanna Collier. So what do you do when you’re not rescuing people from themselves, Noel?”
Cole chuckled. “Do I seem like a do-gooder? I’m a vet.”
“For real?”
“Once I’ve passed my licensing exam. I’m waiting for the results in October.” This rehearsed biography came more naturally. “Meanwhile, I’m hanging out, teaching a few dog obedience classes. I’m so tired of school, and not ready to work quite yet.”
“I hear that. After law school— Whoa, I saw your expression. You think a lawyer wouldn’t marry a hip-hop artist? You should know, Eye-C went to Howard University, just like P. Diddy and Chris Rock. Anyway, I passed the bar but then married Eye-C so I haven’t practiced in a formal way. However, I creep all over every legal document before he signs. See you later.”
Cole watched her walk away, hips moving to some inner rhythm possessed only by women supremely confident of their desirability. Cole consoled herself with the knowledge that now that they had met, she had an “in” with Shajuanna the next time they were at a competition. When she checked in with Lattimore to tell him about her luck today, she would ask him to check when her next competition was scheduled. Yardley’s spur of the moment notice today had rattled her. Speaking of which, here came Yardley and Scott.
“Nice work with your objective, Noel.” Yardley patted Cole’s shoulder. “I need to get back to work. You’re riding back with Sam.”
Cole stared after her teacher. Yardley couldn’t have known about what Shajuanna said was a last-minute decision to participate. Could she?
“Shit! I think I lost my phone.” Cole looked back to see Scott patting down his pockets.
She grinned. “Ask Hugo about it.”
*
An hour later, Cole and Hugo watched Shajuanna’s team breeze through their Excellence A course. The woman had exchanged her teetering heeled sandals for sports shoes. Every eye in the park was on the curvy Amazon as she led her dog through a much more complex course than the one Cole and Hugo had run.
A little cheer went up from Shajuanna’s daughters as Shujaa finished the course in record time.
Cole added her own applause. Shajuanna was the real thing, a skilled handler who loved her dog and whose dog adored her in return. That, of course, didn’t prove that she wasn’t a drug smuggler.
“You could beat her, with some practice.”
“I don’t know about that.” Cole looked over at Scott, who had walked up with Izzy on a leash. “How was your visit with the other competitors?”
“We met some characters. Sniffed some butts. Izzy signed on medical marijuana. Nothing serious.”
Cole nodded. The chances of them stumbling across criminal acts at a competition were slim. The competition setting was Cole’s chance to make personal contact with their target.
Cole gave herself points for having made a bit of progress with that. Shajuanna Collier now knew her name.
Scott bumped her shoulder with his. “By the way, you owe me an apology. Your dog’s a klepto. He had my cell phone in his crate.”
“Consider yourself complimented. He only steals from those he likes. If he didn’t like you, he’d have chewed it up and buried it.”