Jamie

"Hey! Over here, girl!"
But his dog wouldn't budge. She stood right by the door of the building, sniffing the ground and wagging her tail, as if waiting for something to happen.
"Come here!"
Still no answer.
It was 1am in the morning. The tired police officer had spent all day looking for a lost toddler. The mother had gone with the little one, Jamie, to the park, and had left him playing with other children as she gossiped with her friends. Next thing, she came back to pick him up and head home, and he was gone. None of the little kids could tell exactly where he was. Initially she thought he had just been pursuing a rabbit or something. She soon became hysterical, however, when the park had been thoroughly combed and her son was nowhere to be found. It was then she called the police.
This police officer had gone with his assigned dog, checking friends' houses, playgrounds, even the kindergarten. Still Jamie remained missing. He had gone on the streets, through alleys, hideouts, name it. Other officers were out as well. Each of them reported a negative. Though he hated to give up, our police officer had finally been too bone-tired to continue. He wearily called at the station and signed off, intending to head straight home and grab some sleep, to be in time for tomorrow.
And now the dog wouldn't move.
Half-wearily half-angrily, the officer walked back to his companion. "Come on. It's over, at least for now, for us. Others will replace us. Jamie will be found, don't worry. You'll see."  He tugged at her collar.
The dog gave a low whine and remained in place, wagging her tail.
Exasperated, the officer let out a long sigh. Then he walked back into the old building near the park where the boy was reported missing and began to climb the rickety stairs. But the dog wouldn't move beyond the first step. She gave a low bark and went under the staircase. The officer followed her, curious now.
There was a small sound of movement, and then the gray dog squatted down beside a little form. The officer bent down beside her. It was a little boy! But was that thing he was clutching so close to his chest?
"Jamie?"
A timid, little voice. "Who are you?"
"I'm from the police. We've been looking all over for you, son. Your mama is so worried. Shall we get you back home?"
"What of Brownie here?"
The officer leaned closer with his torchlight, and discovered the 'thing' was a squirrel.
"She hurt her leg while we played here, and I can't leave her alone".
"Of course, son. We'll look after Brownie. She'll be fine real soon."
And so it was that our officer returned the boy to his mother.
As he left the dog's cage by 3am that night for his bed, he thanked her. "If you hadn't been so stubborn, ...I wonder."
Could it be because she was also a mother?