Still, it looked huge. She scanned the beach for owners waving a leash or calling a name, but the sand was empty for hundreds of yards. The dog moved closer. Its coat was dark gray, almost black when wet, and the animal’s size became harder to ignore.
This was no petite pet. It was tall at the shoulder, broad across the chest, and powerful in the way professional racers were lean. No collar glinted in the light, and there was a heavy confidence in its stride that felt nothing like a house companion looking for a ball. Noemi felt the first prick of unease but tried reason.