Working Like a Dog

[Nate Foxwell]

Nate ambled quite casually around the back of the police station, prepared with a story about how he was just on his early morning walk if anyone else happened to be back there. He was pleased with his story and even more pleased with the explanation that he had ready if the hypothetical anyone else there pointed out that he'd never gone on early morning walks before. So it was slightly disapointing that the case was perfectly clear. He turned, beckoning to the bushes.

[Milton Hughes]

Milton dashed out of the bushes, performing a secondary surveillance of the area. "Lucky, huh?" He grinned and walked over to Nate. "Do you really think he expected me to stay in there? All night? Could I have a leg up?"

[Nate Foxwell]

"Maybe he was counting on your honest and honorable nature," Nate said, managing to get through it before cracking up.

[Milton Hughes]

Milton shot Nate a glance. "You need to get that sorted, a straight face is something very useful sometimes. And I'm fairly honourable, I'll have you know." He pointed at the cage. "At least I'm coming back. Do I look as though I've been in a cage all night?" Milton looked his same scruffy self as usual.

[Nate Foxwell]

"Oh, so you're not coming back so you don't risk being arrested again for escaping the law?" Nate asked. He looked Milt over carefully. "You might want to roll around in the dirt a bit so your clothes don't look so clean. And try to look tired, like you didn't sleep in a real bed last night."

[Milton Hughes]

Milt smiled at Nate. "I'd rather not. I like the idea of their finding me fairly fresh and well rested. Give me that leg up, would you?" Milton approached the cage, looking in it carefully. "And I'm coming back for all sorts of reasons, of which honor is one."

[Nate Foxwell]

Nate crouched down, making a stirrup out of his hands for Milt. "What are the others?'

[Milton Hughes]

"One." Milton squared his foot in Nate's hands and hopped over the fence. "I don't want to miss the chance to torture Frankie about it. Two, an inside report on the police station wouldn't go amiss, three, I can't wait to see Cutter's face when he has to bail me out." He grinned. "Shall I can continue? Anyway. So now I'm behind bars again."

[Nate Foxwell]

"Ah," Nate said, nodding wisely as he stood. "You came back because you have a death wish."

[Milton Hughes]

"No need to be quite so morbid." Milton squatted down on the ground, eyeing the dog food next to him. "Do you suppose I'd have eaten that if I couldn't get out?"

[Nate Foxwell]

Nate gave the question and the dog food careful consideration. "Depends on if you thought eating dog food made a better story then going hungry because that was your only option," he decided.

[Milton Hughes]

"I guess." Milton sat back on the floor. "They get a pretty rough deal, these police dogs. It's hardly welcoming." He tipped his head back and looked at the sky. "You're a farmer." He said, slightly dreamily. "What's in dog food? It's smelling pretty good."

[Nate Foxwell]

Nate raised his eyebrows. "You want me to go down to the diner and get you some real food?"

[Milton Hughes]

Milton paused for a second, then sat up. "Yeah, I didn't get time for breakfast. Don't be surprised if I've eaten this by the time you're back, though." Milton stood up again, and reached up to stick his hand over the fence. "And thanks, Nate."

[Nate Foxwell]

"I'll try to get back before it comes to that." Nate shook Milt's hand and loped off to the diner.