Morning Investigation
It was well past eight in the morning as he drove. The cold was amplified, considering layers of clouds still covered the sun and the streets were covered with snow.
He was nearing the end of the neighborhood when something black caught his eye. He grew curious as he watched the black dog pacing back and forth. He wanted to know why the dog was outside, but he had no idea how soon he would be calling for backup.
Serving In The Big Apple
Levi Whitman was your average police officer in New York City. A man of the law for more than two decades, Levi loved everything about his job.
Serving in New York for half of his career, Levi had seen everything the city had to offer. But what he’d find that morning would be a first in his career.
To Serve And Protect
When Levi enrolled to become a policeman, he’d only ever wanted to serve and protect. He started his career in Chicago before changing stations after ten years. There was nothing Levi loved more than being a police officer.
To him, a chance to help the locals of New York was everything he ever wanted in his life. So when he found that black dog wandering the cold streets on a snowy day, he knew he needed to investigate.
A Dog Person
Levi had always been a dog person. He had a five-year-old German shepherd he loved to the stars and back at home.
When he saw that dog braving the cold morning snow that day, he didn’t care whether it was a stray or a dog out for a stroll. He decided then and there to try and get it to a warmer place. He had no idea what he was bargaining for.
The Day Is Here
That fateful morning started like any other for Levi. He woke up early and ran through his morning routine. By seven, he was on his way to the station to go through the day’s objectives before his morning patrol.
The station was almost full when Levi arrived, even though half the streets in the neighborhood were impassable because of the night’s snowfall. Though he knew he should wait for the city sanitation department to cater to the snow, he felt like he needed to be out there patrolling.
Department Of Sanitation
The city’s sanitation department was usually in charge of taking care of snow whenever it got out of control. For the most part, Levi’s department usually sat back to wait until the streets were passable before they could patrol.
But today, Levi felt something drawing him outside. It was too cold to be walking out as the sun hadn’t shown its face yet, but that pull became stronger the more he thought about not going.
A City Layered White
At half-past eight, Levi hopped into his cruiser to cater to the burning feeling within him. He’d never been one to believe in coincidences or to ignore his gut feeling.
After downing a quick cup of hot coffee, he kicked the cruiser into gear and started his patrol. He drove slowly as the sanitation department had only begun defrosting the streets. The morning was still cold and white, but he saw a stark black spot in the distance as he drove.
He Sees It
At first, Levi thought he was looking at a garbage bag. But then the bag began moving, pacing up and down the street. It was a dog.
Levi didn’t pay it much mind at first. New York had many dog owners who let their dogs go out to play from time to time. But as he got closer, Levi noticed something that made him step on the gas.
Taking A Closer Look
Levi could tell the pup was in distress as someone who had a dog at home. It was whining and barking, pacing and panting.
Knowing he’d spook it if he pulled up too aggressively, Levi parked his cruiser on the side of the street and hopped off. What he’d find would send chills colder than the snow around him up his spine.
Caution
Levi neared as carefully as he could. He lowered down, calling the dog to him. When the dog didn’t go to him, he resolved to continue nearing.
The dog stood alert as he took his next step. Its ears perked up, and its body grew stiff. It bared its teeth, but Levi didn’t stop. He had no clue what he was walking toward.
A Tussle Of Wills
The dog stopped barking, seemingly realizing Levi was not stopping. It whined and returned to pacing, barking louder as if telling him to hurry.
When Levi increased his steps, the dog tore off. Levi stopped, dumbfounded at what was happening. But then the dog appeared again and barked at him, disappearing past the snow again.
Follow Him
It dawned on Levi that the dog wanted him to follow. Where was it leading him? Levi wasted no time. He dashed forward, disappearing behind the mounds of snow.
What he ran into made him slide to a stop. Before him stood the black dog, whining next to a woman who was out cold on her porch chair. What was happening?
Jumping Into Action
The dog barked at Levi, and he jumped into action. The first thing he did was check the woman’s pulse. He couldn’t feel any, but instead of panicking, he took off his coat, covered her, and sprinted back to his cruiser to call for backup.
Luckily enough, there was another officer nearby who came to help Levi. Together, they called the neighborhood’s trauma team center as they helped the woman into the house. But it didn’t stop there.
Taking It A Step Further
Levi and his fellow police were able to locate the woman’s name and call her next of kin. They found her daughter, a student at the local college, and informed her of her mom’s condition and their dog’s heroic deed.
They informed the daughter a team would be coming to take her mom to the emergency room, giving her the location. As the paramedics arrived to take the woman to the hospital, Levi realized his job was far from done.
A Very Good Boy
Seeing that the woman’s dog would be left alone at home, Levi took him into his cruiser and trailed the ambulance to the hospital. After a few hours, the woman regained consciousness.
Her doctor revealed her heart condition had caused the incident. Everyone thanked Levi for what he’d done. But he said all praise should go to the dog, Bruce, whose cleverness spurred him into action.
Visiting Her
Levi now felt as if he had a responsibility to see the elderly woman. The next day he decided that he would do something unexpected when he got a break from his shift. He woke up the next morning and started his work for the day.
When he finally had a break, he stopped by a florist and got a bouquet of flowers. Then he stopped by the hospital.
She Was Awake
Levi was told that the old woman's name was Catherine, but her friends called her Cathy. He asked the nurse to direct him to her room and walked down the sterile corridor. Levi hated going to the hospital. He saw enough injury and death on the streets.
But it would be worth it to check up on the woman. But he had no idea what she would ask of him when he got there.
A Strange Request
Levi was happy to see Cathy awake. She was looking great now that the doctors had managed to get her what she needed for her heart. The feeling was mutual, and Cathy was happy to see her savior. Levi put her flowers on the table by her bed.
But the next thing she said caught him off guard. She had a peculiar request for the officer.
Taking Care Of Bruce
Cathy asked Levi to do something for her. She asked if he could look after Bruce while she was in the hospital. Her daughter would spend a lot of her time by her side and be allergic to dogs. So the responsibility fell to him.
He wouldn't normally get so involved in people's personal lives. But Cathy was different. If he didn't help her, no one would. But he had no idea what would happen.
Taking Bruce Home
Levi agreed to look after her until she was out of the hospital. She'd be monitored for the week before she'd be discharged. It would only be a week that he'd have to take care of Bruce. And Levi knew the dog so it wouldn't be so bad.
But Levi was kidding himself when he thought that the week would go smoothly. Things would change drastically in the blink of an eye.
Getting Supplies
Levi drove to her house and picked Bruce and his dog's food up. He picked up a cheap blanket that the dog could sleep on while he was in his care. He drove both of them to his residence and set everything up.
He didn't mind having the pooch around for a week. He might even enjoy the company, and his wife would look after the pooch while he was at work. But if he knew what was going to happen, he would never have left him alone with her.
One Day At Work
After looking after the dog for two days, everything seemed to be going well. Bruce had adjusted well, and Cathy was improving every day. But on the third day, Levi left for his shift. It would be a long one, but he was sure everything would be fine.
He kissed his wife goodbye and left. But he was dead wrong if he thought nothing would happen.
An Ordinary Shift
Levi continued working the day shift while his wife worked from home. It was a boring, ordinary day of patrolling city centers and shady streets. He had no idea that what he should have been worrying about was the dog he had left behind.
Just as he ended his shift, he got a call from his wife. But instead of her usual sweet voice, she sounded different. He had to rush home to find out the truth.
The Phone Call
"Levi, you have to come home now. It's the dog. Just get here, please." His wife said in a high tone. Levi was on his way already and had to make it home before anything bad happened.
All sorts of scenarios flooded his mind as he drove like a maniac. Was she in danger? Was the dog in danger? Something wasn't right, and he had to get to the bottom of it.
Getting Home
After driving like a maniac for 10 minutes, he finally made it to his street. He mounted the curb and stopped in front of his house. He got out of his cruiser and sprinted into the house, not knowing what to expect.
He opened his front door and looked for his wife. But what he saw he almost couldn't believe.
Bruce
Levi found his wife in the kitchen with Bruce on the tiled floor. He looked around for the danger. Why had she called him with desperation in her voice? He needed answers, but he wouldn't be prepared for them once he asked.
His wife stared directly into his eyes and told him the truth. But once he understood the situation, there was no going back.
The Truth
"He's been staring at the wall all day, and it's been unsettling me. Please check it out. I have a funny feeling about it." His wife begged him. As the man of the house, it was his responsibility to check it out.
He walked up to the drywall and put an ear to it. He immediately heard a scratching sound. He needed to take action.
Opening It Up
Levi didn't hesitate. If it was an infestation, he had to take care of it personally. He started opening the drywall and pointed a flashlight inside. But he didn't expect to hear the sounds of meowing.
He looked inside and reached a hand into the wall. He felt something furry and pulled it out. He couldn't believe it. There was a cat inside his wall!
Rescued
Levi couldn't believe that there was a cat stuck inside his wall. He recognized it as his neighbor's cat. But what caught him by surprise was what else was in the wall. He took another look and saw a litter of kittens!
He immediately called his neighbor, who arranged to come to pick up the cats and her litter. Levi was just relieved that there wasn't anything wrong.
Everything Goes Back To Normal
With the cat problem sorted out, Levi just had to look after Bruce for the rest of the week before Cathy was out of the hospital. The rest of the time flew by, and in no time, Cathy came by to pick the pooch up.
With Cathy making a full recovery, he missed seeing Bruce. But a lifelong friendship had been made. In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.