"Civil suit. His claim is that your dogs created an unlawful, threatening situation and caused him emotional and physical distress. He's calling it menacing by use of dangerous animals." Marcus paused. "He's asking for $500,000 in damages."
The kitchen was very quiet.
"And the dogs?" she asked. She already knew; something in his voice had told her before he had said a single word.
"He's requesting permanent seizure." Another pause, shorter this time. "And euthanization of both animals."
Jade put her hand flat on the table. She pressed it down hard against the wood and breathed through her nose and did not say anything for five full seconds.
"Who's behind it?" she said.
"Councilman Bryce Caldwell. He's retained a top civil litigator for Harlan, no cost to Harlan personally. And Jade, there's more. Caldwell has been working the city attorney's office. There's a motion being fast-tracked to impound Zeus and Ares pending trial. If a judge grants it—"
"How long?"
"Days, maybe less."
She closed her eyes just for a moment. Then she opened them. "Fight every single motion," she said. "All of them. Whatever it takes."
"Already on it," Marcus said. "But I need you to stay off social media, stay away from the press, and let me work. Can you do that?"
"Yes. I'll call you this afternoon."
She sat at the table for a long time after she hung up. The house was still. Finn was upstairs; the dogs were in the backyard. She could hear the ordinary sounds of a morning, and they felt strange and far away, like sounds coming through a wall.