Chapter 7 - THE BREAK-IN
Ben ran.
He crossed the street so fast he nearly slipped.
“Call the police!” Mercer shouted.
Ben reached the restaurant’s front door.
It was open.
The lock had been smashed.
Inside, chairs were overturned.
A display case near the register was broken.
“Hello?”
No answer.
Ben grabbed a metal broom.
He moved through the dining room.
“Who’s there?”
Something crashed in the kitchen.
Ben tightened his grip.
He pushed through the swinging door.
A man in a black hoodie stood beside the back exit.
He held one of Ben’s cash drawers.
“Hey!”
The man bolted.
Ben chased him.
The thief hit the alley at full speed.
Ruby barked.
The injured male dog lunged.
The thief screamed and stumbled.
The cash drawer flew out of his hands.
Coins scattered across the wet pavement.
Ben tackled him.
They hit the ground hard.
The man swung.
His fist caught Ben in the cheek.
Ben saw stars.
“You son of a—”
The thief scrambled up.
Mercer appeared at the end of the alley holding a two-by-four.
“Don’t.”
The thief stopped.
Mercer pointed the board at him.
“I’m old, wet, and extremely irritated. Try me.”
Sirens approached.
The thief looked left.
Right.
Nowhere to go.
Ruby stood between him and the alley exit.
Her teeth were showing.
He raised his hands.
“Get that dog away from me!”
Ben wiped blood from his lip.
“She doesn’t like thieves.”
Police arrived minutes later.
They arrested the man.
Most of the money was recovered.
But the damage was done.
Broken door.
Broken glass.
Two damaged chairs.
And after the storm, Ben’s freezer inventory was probably ruined too.
Lisa arrived at one in the morning wearing pajama pants under a raincoat.
She hugged Ben.
“You okay?”
“I’ve had better Tuesdays.”
“It’s Wednesday.”
“See? Even worse.”
She looked at the dogs.
“Oh my God.”
“You didn’t know?”
“I knew you were sneaking food out.”
“You did?”
“Ben, you are terrible at being mysterious.”
She knelt near Ruby.
“So these are the famous alley dogs.”
Mercer glanced at Ben.
“You really thought nobody knew?”
Ben sighed.
“Apparently I’m an idiot.”
Lisa looked around the damaged kitchen.
“How are we opening tomorrow?”
“We’re not.”
She turned.
“What?”
“The power’s out. Basement’s flooded. Front door’s destroyed.”
“Ben…”
“I know.”
She lowered her voice.
“We can’t afford to close.”
“I know.”
“You told me last week payroll was tight.”
Mercer looked at him.
Ben’s jaw tightened.
“Not now.”
Lisa whispered, “How tight?”
Ben didn’t answer.
She understood.
“Oh.”
The room went quiet.
Outside, the storm finally began to weaken.
Ben looked toward Ruby and her puppies.
Then at the ruined restaurant.
He had spent years protecting everyone who depended on him.
His employees.
His customers.
Now these dogs.
But nobody knew the truth.
Ben Carter was three weeks away from losing everything.
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And at two fourteen in the morning, his bank sent a notification.
BUSINESS LOAN PAYMENT DECLINED.
