Forte tilted his face toward the ceiling, glad not to have to fight to keep his dog. “I appreciate the trust.”
Beckhorn chuckled. “You’re a good dog man, Forte. You, Rojas, and Cruz provide quality training. We had to conduct a serious investigation into your most recent report but, as I said, extenuating circumstances.”
Forte grunted. “Sa was a solid referral. Thank you for sending him our way, too.”
Sa had been a huge help in recent events, and all things considered, Forte planned to maintain a positive working relationship with Sa’s squad. Forte still didn’t plan to take on any private contracts, but he felt the need to build up his network. Even though the immediate danger had passed for Sophie and the contract for her life was no longer out there, the company that’d taken the contract was aware of its failure. Never a good way to end a situation.
But he and Cruz and Rojas had plans to mitigate the issue. They were going to make sure Sophie could build her life the way she wanted it, and the rest of their loved ones could go on living theirs.
“Glad the referral worked out.” Beckhorn let out a gusty sigh. “Actually, are you planning on expanding your operations any?”
Forte turned to look at Haydn, who’d rolled onto his back and started snoring. “How many military working dogs do you need?”
“Actually, I’ve got some experienced handlers coming out of active duty looking for work. Some of them would make good trainers, but I can only hire so many directly.” Beckhorn headed up the dog training program at Lackland Air Force Base. He tended to keep in touch with his students.
Ah. Forte considered the concept. “I’ve got room to expand conservatively. Depends on the demand for well-trained dogs from year to year. I’d be open to meeting with a few.”
“Good. Would want to see these handlers become trainers with your kind of professionalism.”
Haydn yawned in his sleep. His jaws remained partially open and his tongue hung out one side of his mouth. The big dog passed gas. Yeah. Hope’s Crossing Kennels. Professional polish and dignity all around the place.
Forte stepped out of his office. Rather, he’d been literally gassed out. “I might expand the training we do here.”
“Yeah?”
“There’s a need for military working dogs, for sure. I plan to extend into search and rescue training, too.” Forte had been considering it over the past year, actually. “And there’s also a need for service dogs to work with soldiers after they’ve come home. We’ve got at least three examples now of dogs who’re doing veterans a hell of a lot of good in life after active duty.”
Beckhorn made a sound of approval. “You considering training up service dogs for PTSD?”
“PTSD, yeah.” Forte had more in mind, though. “And wounded veterans in need of a service dog to help with a physical disability. There’s a lot of room to evolve over time. I’m thinking that kind of work would require more handlers staying here at the kennels for a certain amount of time to meet the dogs. I’ll be developing specialized training for each pair based on the need and the dog personality.”
There was a lot to define in his idea. It was a broad scope and there’d be research to do into the financial aspect. He would be looking for grants for the project, most likely.
“Sounds like you’ve got big plans for the future.” Beckhorn laughed. “Just make sure you maintain your current work, too. It’s hard to find trainers of your caliber to work with, and we’ll continue to need dogs from your facility.”
Forte chuckled. “We’re not changing direction. This is definitely an expansion.”
“Good. Sounds like things are going well for you and yours.”
“Maybe.” Forte sobered.
There was still a shady feeling nagging at him when it came to Sophie. He’d been poking at it all day, chewing on his thoughts about her. He could be bitter. He didn’t want to be the man who couldn’t take no for an answer. And he was fairly certain her answer to him and their relationship had been a solid “no.”
But his gut kept twisting, and he kept looking out the window. There was still an issue. He needed to tie up the loose ends or Sophie wouldn’t have the chance to live her life.
Without him.
Didn’t matter if he was there as her lover or as her friend. He wasn’t even sure he’d be welcome as the latter. But he’d be there on the sidelines, making sure she was okay.
Right now, she wasn’t.
It was time to see to it that she and anyone else close to Hope’s Crossing Kennels now or in the future would be safe from this particular threat.
Plans in place.
Go time.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Forte had been waiting for exactly twenty minutes. In a suit. He’d opted not to sit because every chair in the reception area was the soft kind that swallowed a person if they sat back into it. And he was not in the mood to relax into any kind of comfort at the moment.