Mace didn’t come out with the starter pistol. Leland came out instead, and brought along a short, wiry trainer named Paulie Budress. Scott had met the man twice during his first week of handler school, but didn’t know him. Budress was in his mid-thirties, and sported a peeling sunburn because he had spent the past two weeks fishing with three other cops in Montana. He worked with a male German shepherd named Obi. Leland said, “Forget that business with the starter pistol for now. You know Paulie Budress?” Budress gave Scott a big grin and firm handshake, but put most of his grin on Maggie. Leland said, “Paulie here worked K-9 in the Air Force, which is why I want him to talk to you. These Military Working Dogs are taught to do things different than our dogs.” Budress was still smiling at Maggie. He held out his hand to let her sniff, then squatted to scratch behind her ears. “She was in Afghanistan?”
