Check out Donna Bell's new oil painting for sale. It's a 16x20 oil painting on canvas and framed. I love this one …. okay … I love them all 💜 please visit CranberryStudios.Etsy.com and as always …. hugs

I especially pray this day for wisdom & gratitude 💚

Please drop by out etsy shop … we'd love to have your thoughts CranberryStudios.Etsy.com Mom and I have been working hard and hoping you'll like it … as always,  hugs xoxoxo

Hell-o Sweet Friends … since I wasn't smart enough to figure out how to make my short story "Douglas Danner" C.I. (canine investigator) into a link I'm going to have to put the whole story on my blog … rats. Ha.  I hope you'll take a few moments and give it a read. I would love to know your thoughts. As always, Hugs xoxoxo

Douglas Danner   C.I.   (Canine Investigator)

By Cindy Riley

Garrett enjoyed the walk from the edge of his property where he parked his 97’ pick-up truck. (Always have a clear get-away) he chuckled to himself as he walked the ¼ mile path to his cabin carrying a few groceries.

Garrett turned towards a clearing as he headed for home. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he saw his golden retriever “Douglas” sitting behind the water tank. Douglas was quietly waiting for him.

Garrett stashed his bag of groceries behind some bushes & crouched behind a few smaller fruit trees. Douglas didn’t move a muscle waiting for his command.

They’d been together for over seven years.  Garrett rescued him as a pup from drug dealers during a meth raid.  They had kept him in a glass gallon jar with a few air holes poked in the lid.

When they raided the house & Garrett saw him … the puppy stood up against the glass and began wagging his tail and letting out some short-excited yips.  His fur standing out like it was electrified and his sleek snout.

“Uh-oh … love at first sight,” Randy Folks his partner joked.

He was finally named Douglas and followed Garrett everywhere.  His toenails clicking all day long on the Agencies highly polished floors.  Bringing smiles to all his co-workers.

As he grew older he became quite the stealth walker.  Silently showing up at someone’s desk just when they were going to unwrap a sandwich.

Despite his floppy ears he had a serious expression & was so intuitive concerning people that he became a genuine asset to the team.

Riley – Page 2

From his vantage point Garrett could see two Black SUV’s backed and parked on the other side of his garage.  Evidently, they were expecting him to drive up his front driveway.

Douglas turned to watch the action at the cabin then back at Garrett.  His ears perked up when one of the men approached his dog house.

Garrett motioned him to come to him and when Douglas stooped to pick up something before joining him, he had to chuckle in spite of their predicament … Douglas had rescued his floppy doll “Violet” (so named for her purple dress & embroidered name on the dress) from the cabin.

Pulling Doug close, Garrett began back tracking towards his truck.

Garrett smiled when Doug glanced over to the bushes where he had hidden the groceries.

Grabbing the sack of groceries Garrett prodded, “Come on Eagle Nose.”

They stopped by a small group of rocks so Garrett could dig up a metal suitcase.

“Grab a shovel and help, will you Doug?”

Douglas gave him a patient look and hopped into the back of the truck next to the groceries.

Garrett swung the suitcase up into the back of the truck just as a huge explosion shook the ground.

Douglas let out an involuntary bark as Garrett yelled out, “What the Hell!”

Riley – Page 3

“Come on boy … up front with me!”

Douglas was quick on command.

On the way back to town so many thoughts were racing through Garrett’s mind.  Garrett was heading to his Safe House … something he learned early in his career … not even his sister knew. His parents had both passed away but, he thought maybe his mom had figured it out.

Thinking back to the problem at hand he pulled into the driveway of a small cottage. All his important assets were stored there in a large safe.  This house was gifted to him by a very savvy and old family friend.

Putting on a pot of coffee, Garrett checked on Douglas’s water and food dish. Douglas was fast asleep by his dishes with Violet sitting in his food bowl.

Taking his mug of coffee to the kitchen table, Garrett began writing down his thoughts:

There were 3 men & 1 woman going in and out of his cabin … carrying files, his computer and all of his cameras.

“Too bad for you that you won’t find the originals there,” Garrett joked out loud.\

He had looked for some kind of Logo but, decided not to waste too much time racking his brain as to why this was happening.

Instead he would head to the CDS.

He’d been retired for 3 years from the CDS (Crime Detection Squad).

Riley Page-4

Retiring young at age 51, Garrett had spent 30 years serving his country having been recruited while in college.

He’d been determined to reconnect with his family after retiring … his Sister Shelley & her husband Gary and their 3 grown kids.

He started a new career, he was a travel food writer with Douglas, “Traveling with Man’s Best Friend.”

Garrett had stayed in contact with the guys from CDS and couldn’t resist showing up from time to time when they needed a consultant. When it came to detangling a puzzle … he & Douglas are the best.

Before heading down to the CDS he put together a sandwich and filled Douglas’s bowl carefully putting Violet off to the side.

Douglas was silent on their ride to the agency while his ears were twitching out some kind of top-secret code.

His old team were relieved that they were unhurt in the explosion.  They were meeting behind closed doors in his old boss’s conference room. Douglas followed them into the room carrying a magazine in his mouth.

Randy his old partner took it from Douglas and teased, “Hey, you two made the front cover.”

“Yeah, on our last trip to New York we were eating outside so I set up the tri-pod to take a series of 15 photos while we ate.”

“Douglas is the obvious photogenic one … Hey! Wait a minute!” Randy said.

Riley – Page 5

“Look inside the restaurant at that table in the back,” Randy continued.

They all gathered around to look. Including Douglas.

There were 3 men & 1 woman meeting inside. “Isn’t that Rose Lee?” Dennis asked.

“She is suspected to have caused that bombing in Spain six months ago,” Greg offered.

Garrett’s old boss was already on the phone to his boss sharing the news.

Garrett used Randy’ phone to talk with his sister and let her know he was in hiding for now. Then, he and Douglas headed back to the safe house.

Four days later they were asked to return to the Agency.  Even Violet went along for the ride.

Randy shared the good news, “All four were captured this morning.”

“They were caught trying to leave the country at a small airport,” he added.

Garrett turned to Douglas and said, “Evidently they’re not smarter than you Doug.”

Douglas scooped up Violet & headed down the hall.

Garrett could only imagine what he was thinking.

While praying …

We are the Protection Squad

We stand bravely in the Gap for others ❤

Just wondering, does tone of voice count when I'm praying for my enemies? :)

Being a tiny speck in a vast … expansive … huge … cosmic … colossal … whopping Universe created by a God who cares about my every need … my every thought … my every tear & numbers the hairs on my head … and listens to my every prayer … Hey!  Don't let your heart be troubled being a teeny tiny speck is really no big deal … 💛 He's an awesome God!

Evening Prayer ...  Dear Lord, please forgive my sins that I may sleep this night in peace. Amen.

Morning Prayer … Dear Lord, May I be kind this day. Amen.

"ELK Lovers …. ELK Lovers"  We put another Acrylic painting download of Donna Bells in our Etsy Shop  www.CranberryStudios.Etsy.com it's called Landscape with Elk.  Please let us know what you think and thank you again for your shop visits … as always, Hugs

Please …. pretty please will someone visit my Etsy shop so my total visits will change from 666 to a higher number … pleeeease?  www.CranberryStudios.Etsy.com Thank you. Hugs