Mave had seen frightened dogs before.
She had also seen angry dogs.
There was a difference.
An angry dog might stiffen, guard something, or deliberately move toward a perceived threat.
A frightened dog could become so overwhelmed that every sound, movement, and unfamiliar person seemed dangerous.
Brutus was showing signs of extreme distress.
His breathing was rapid.
His muscles were rigid.
His eyes kept moving between Toby, Declan, and the restaurant entrance.
And beneath his collar, Mave could see a small irritated patch of skin.
Something was wrong.
But understanding that did not make the animal safe.
Brutus still weighed one hundred and twenty pounds.
Toby was still trapped beneath him.
And Declan was struggling to maintain control of the leash.
Mave knew one sudden movement could make everything worse.
"Mr. Gallagher," she said quietly.
Declan looked at her.
"Don't pull him toward me."
"What?"
"Give him room to move away from the boy."
Declan glanced at Toby.
The teenager was crying.
His jacket remained caught between the dog's teeth.
Mave kept her voice steady.
"Toby, don't try to stand up yet."
"I can't—"
"I know. Just stay still for a second."
She looked back at Brutus.
"Easy."
The dog released a deep, uneven breath.
Mave did not reach for him.
She kept her hands low.
Declan loosened his backward pull slightly while maintaining control of the leash.
Brutus shifted his weight.
The fabric of Toby's jacket stretched.
Then, unexpectedly, the dog opened his mouth.
Toby scrambled backward.
One bodyguard immediately stepped between the teenager and the animal.
"Get him out of here," Declan ordered.
Toby was helped toward the kitchen.
Brutus remained standing, trembling.
Mave did not move closer.
She watched the dog's eyes.
Then she saw him turn his head toward the private entrance.
The three unfamiliar men were still there.
One had his hand inside his jacket.
Brutus growled.
Mave followed his gaze.
"Who are they?"
Declan did not answer.
His bodyguard spoke instead.
"People who should have stayed outside."
The man with the ponytail smiled.
"Relax, Gallagher. We came to talk."
Declan's expression hardened.
"Then you picked a bad time."
The man glanced at Brutus.
"Looks like your dog has a problem."
Mave noticed something strange.
The dog was staring directly at him.
Not at the other customers.
Not at the fallen dishes.
At him.
Arthur finally emerged from behind the bar.
"Everybody out! We're closing!"
The remaining customers hurried toward the front entrance.
A woman collected her purse with shaking hands.
A waiter helped an elderly couple around the broken glass.
Mave remained beside the overturned table.
Declan's bodyguards escorted the three unfamiliar men toward the exit.
The man with the ponytail paused.
"Tell your dog I said hello."
Brutus growled again.
Declan's face became unreadable.
"Get him out."
When the doors finally closed, the restaurant fell into an uncomfortable silence.
Mave slowly rose.
Her knees ached.
Her hands were trembling.
She hid them beneath her apron.
Declan noticed.
"You should sit down."
"I'm fine."
"You're shaking."
"So are you."
His eyes narrowed.
Then he looked down.
His own hand was trembling against Brutus's collar.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Finally, Declan said, "You could have been killed."
Mave glanced toward the kitchen.
"So could Toby."
The teenager was sitting on a stool when Mave entered.
His uniform jacket had been torn at the shoulder.
His face was pale.
Arthur stood nearby, speaking rapidly into his phone.
Mave crouched beside Toby.
"Are you hurt?"
He shook his head.
Then nodded.
"I don't know."
"Let's get you checked."
Toby looked toward the dining room.
"Is he going to kill the dog?"
Mave hesitated.
"I don't know."
Toby's eyes filled.
"It was my fault. I dropped everything."
"No."
"But I scared him."
"You tripped. That doesn't make you responsible for what happened."
Arthur ended his call.
"An ambulance is coming."
Mave nodded.
"Good."
Then she turned toward the private dining room.
Declan was standing beside Brutus.
The dog had lowered himself onto the floor.
His head rested against Declan's shoe.
The enormous animal looked exhausted.
Not victorious.
Not aggressive.
Exhausted.
Mave watched Declan gently stroke his head.
There was something unexpectedly tender about the gesture.
"You're all right," he murmured.
Brutus closed his eyes.
Mave felt a strange ache in her chest.
For the first time, she wondered what kind of man could inspire so much fear in a city and still look so helpless beside an animal he loved.
Twenty minutes later, the restaurant was almost empty.
Toby had been taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Arthur was discussing insurance with the restaurant owner.
The broken dishes had been swept away.
But Declan had not left.
Neither had Brutus.
Mave approached with a bowl of water.
"May I put this down?"
Declan nodded.
She placed the bowl several feet from the dog and stepped away.
Brutus looked at it.
Then at her.
Eventually, he lowered his head and drank.
Declan watched silently.
"How did you know what to do?"
Mave folded her arms.
"I didn't know exactly what to do."
"You walked toward a dog everyone else was running from."
"I walked toward Toby."
Declan considered that.
"Have you worked with dogs?"
"My mother volunteered at an animal shelter when I was younger. I helped sometimes."
"That explains it?"
"No. It explains why I knew not to grab his face."
Declan glanced at Brutus.
Mave continued.
"He needs a veterinarian."
"He has one."
"Then call."
Something in her tone made Declan look up.
"Are you giving me orders?"
"I'm telling you your dog doesn't look well."
His expression changed.
"What do you mean?"
Mave pointed toward the collar.
"There's something irritating his neck."
Declan crouched.
He carefully examined the leather collar.
Beneath it was a small area of reddened skin.
And beside the irritated patch was a tiny puncture.
Declan's face went still.
"That wasn't there this morning."
Mave felt her stomach tighten.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
He reached for his phone.
"Get the car," he told one of his men.
Then he looked at Mave.
"You're coming with us."
She stared at him.
"No, I'm not."
Declan blinked.
People rarely refused him.
Mave pointed toward the kitchen.
"My shift isn't finished. My manager is already furious. And I don't get into cars with strangers."
"You know who I am."
"That doesn't make you less of a stranger."
For the first time that night, Declan laughed.
It was brief.
Almost involuntary.
Then he became serious.
"I need someone who can tell the veterinarian what happened."
Mave considered the dog.
Brutus had stopped drinking.
He was staring at the floor.
She sighed.
"Call the veterinarian first. I'll speak to them on the phone."
Declan looked at her for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
"Fair enough."
The veterinarian's name was Dr. Rebecca Shaw.
She operated an emergency animal hospital on the north side.
After hearing Mave's description, she asked several questions.
Had Brutus eaten anything unusual?
Had he received medication?
Had anyone handled him earlier that evening?
Had he shown signs of discomfort before entering the restaurant?
Declan answered what he could.
Mave described the rapid breathing, tense posture, and irritation beneath the collar.
Dr. Shaw's voice became serious.
"Bring him in immediately. Keep him separated from unfamiliar people, and don't attempt to examine that area yourself."
Declan ended the call.
Mave stepped back.
"Good luck."
He looked surprised.
"You're leaving?"
"My shift ended twenty minutes ago."
He reached into his jacket and removed a thick roll of cash.
Mave's eyes widened.
Declan held out several hundred-dollar bills.
"For helping him."
She stared at the money.
It was more than she had earned in three days.
Enough to pay her electricity bill.
Enough to buy groceries.
Enough to cover part of her mother's medication.
For one terrible moment, she wanted to take it.
Then she remembered Toby's frightened face.
She shook her head.
"Pay the kid's hospital bill."
Declan lowered his hand.
"I will."
"And make sure your dog gets help."
"He will."
Mave turned toward the employee exit.
"Mave."
She stopped.
Declan was watching her.
"Thank you."
She nodded.
Then she left.
Outside, the night air was cold.
Mave walked toward the bus stop with her arms wrapped around herself.
Her phone vibrated.
A message from Arthur.
DO NOT COME IN TOMORROW. WE NEED TO DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENED.
She stared at the screen.
Then another notification appeared.
Her landlord.
RENT MUST BE PAID BY MONDAY.
Mave closed her eyes.
She had saved a frightened teenager.
She had helped a dangerous man's dog.
And she might have lost the only job keeping her mother in medical care.
She started walking.
Behind her, a black SUV pulled away from the Copper Anchor.
Inside, Declan Gallagher sat beside Brutus.
The dog rested his enormous head against his owner's knee.
Declan gently touched the irritated patch beneath the collar.
Then his phone rang.
His head of security was calling.
"Boss, we checked the restaurant cameras."
Declan looked out the window.
"And?"
A pause.
"There's something you need to see."