The entrance was just as she remembered seeing it from the road and driveway. Considering she was an even five feet, she’d decided that the ornate fence was double her height, with razor-sharp edges along the top. There was never more than a three-inch gap between the various wrought-iron branches, leaves and pods, and a quick check along the bottom revealed a two-foot cinder-block footer buried beneath the ground, making it damned near impossible to tunnel under, especially in the time it had taken to snatch the dog. Furthermore, a careful look revealed scrupulously maintained sod and no evidence of excavation—attempted or otherwise—all the way around. Since the dog hadn’t been abducted here, she’d expected as much. Still, she couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that she was missing something. Certain that she’d covered every inch of the fence line, Charlie decided that she’d get the jump on Jay by talking to Burt, the gatekeeper, first. Even though her rival couldn’t see it, she directed a dark look at the backyard and imagined her displeasure sending a cold shiver down his admittedly handsome spine.
