The Case of the Missing Family

by Dori Hillestad Butler

  I round the corner ... keep running down another street ... turn another corner ... and then I stop. That big van is right in front of me. I watch as the door opens and somebody steps outside. A girl with dark braids.

  My heart starts to pound. Could it be?

  The girl sees me at almost the exact same time as I see her. Her mouth drops open. Then her whole face lights up.

  “King?” she cries.

  I drop the book. “Kayla!” I say.

  We are running to each other as fast as we both can run.

  “Is it you, King? Is it really you?” Kayla asks as she throws her arms around me.

  “It’s me,” I tell Kayla as I kiss her all over. “It’s really me. Except my name isn’t King anymore. It’s Buddy.”

  “I never thought I’d see you again,” Kayla says. “How did you ever find me?”

  “Well,” I say. “It’s kind of a long story ... ”

  Kayla spots the book I dropped on the grass. “And you even brought my book!” She runs to grab it. “That means you looked for me at Grandma’s house first, then you came here.”

  “I sure did!” I wag my tail. Kayla is such a good detective!

  “C’mon.” She hugs me some more. Then she says, “Let’s go back to Grandma’s house.”

  “Okay,” I say, trotting after her. I would follow her anywhere.

  “I heard Uncle Marty said he took you to the pound,” Kayla says as we turn the corner. “I was really mad when I found out. He was supposed to find you a new home, not take you to the pound.”

  “It’s okay,” I say. “I found a new home—” Right behind yours.

  “There was a tornado here,” Kayla interrupts. “That’s why Dad and I never came back. And now Dad wants to stay here and help rebuild the town. He even talked to Mom about us building a new house here so we can be closer to Grandma.”

  So that’s why there was a sign that said For Rent in front of their house in Four Lakes.

  “But I don’t think we’re going to get a new house anytime soon,” Kayla says glumly. “Dad got hurt working on Grandma’s house. He’s in the hospital.”

  Oh no! “Is he okay?” I ask.

  “He’ll be okay,” Kayla says. “But I miss him and Mom and you so much!”

  I lick her leg. “I’ve missed you, too,” I tell her.

  “Dad said it would be too hard to have you here when we’re all working so hard,” Kayla goes on. “That’s why he told Uncle Marty to find you a new home. But now that you’re here, he and Grandma won’t send you back to Four Lakes. I know they won’t! Now that you’re here, you can stay forever!”

  Forever? But ... what about Connor and Mom?

  We are back at Grandma’s camper now. Kayla and I sit down together on the grass out front, and I rest my head on her knee. She runs her hand down my whole body, from my head to my tail. Just the way I like it.

  “Some new people are moving into our house in Four Lakes today,” Kayla says.

  That’s why Uncle Marty and Raina came and moved Kayla, Dad, and Mom’s stuff out of the house last night. Dad couldn’t do it, he’s in the hospital.

  And since Kayla and Dad don’t have a new house yet, Uncle Marty and Raina had to put Kayla, Dad, and Mom’s stuff in a big garage.

  I’ve solved the Case of the Missing Family and answered all my questions except this one:

  Will I stay here with Kayla or will I go back to Connor and Mom?

  I know Kayla wants me to stay here. But Connor and Mom would want me to come home.

  I don’t think a dog can have two families especially if those families don’t live in the same town.

  “Kayla!” says a sharp voice behind us. It’s Grandma. She’s standing at the door of the camper.

  “What are you doing with that dirty dog?” Grandma asks.

  Dirty dog? I just had a bath twelve or seven days ago.

  Kayla brushes some dirt and cornstalk stuff off my coat. “This isn’t just any old dog,” she tells Grandma. “It’s King! I don’t know how he found me, but he did! Isn’t it wonderful?”

  Grandma shakes her head. “That’s not your dog, honey,” she says. “Your dog is with another family in Four Lakes. This dog just looks like your dog.”

  “No, this is King,” Kayla says. “I know it is.”

  “Well, even if he was your dog,” Grandma says, “you wouldn’t be able to keep him. There’s no room for a dog in this tiny camper.”

  10

  Back Where I Belong

  Water pools inside Kayla’s eyes, then dribbles down her cheeks.

  Grandma steps outside and walks over to us. “I know you miss your dog, honey,” she says in a soothing voice. “But you’ll get a new dog when you move into your new house. That’s what your dad said.”

  “I don’t want a new dog,” Kayla cries. “I want King.” She hugs me.

  The door to Grandma’s trailer opens again. This time Uncle Marty steps outside. “What’s going on?” he asks.

  “Kayla thinks this stray dog is her dog,” Grandma says.

  Stray dog? “I’m not a stray. I am her dog,” I tell Grandma. I can’t believe Grandma doesn’t recognize me.

  “That’s not your dog, Kayla,” Uncle Marty says. “Your dog has a nice new family. I called the pound and checked on him myself.”

  “He is too my dog,” Kayla insists. “Do you think I don’t know my own dog?”

  Grandma and Uncle Marty talk to each other with their eyes. But I can understand what they’re saying. They’re saying they’re tired. They’re worried. And no matter what Kayla says, they don’t believe I’m really her dog.

  Finally, Grandma says out loud, “Why don’t we call the hospital and talk to your dad, Kayla. We’ll see what he has to say about all of this.”

  “Okay,” Kayla says with a sniff. She runs to the camper and goes inside with Grandma and Uncle Marty.

  I hurry after them, but the door closes before I get there.

  “You stay outside.” Grandma points her finger at me.

  It’s okay. I don’t mind staying outside. I can still hear Kayla’s part of the conversation.

  I listen as she tells Dad about how she came out of the bookmobile and there I was! “Can you believe it?” she cries. “We can keep him, can’t we? He came all this way! And he doesn’t take up much room. He can sleep with me!”

  I can’t hear what Dad is telling her, but I can tell Kayla doesn’t like it.

  “Please, Daddy,” she says in a small voice. Sad sounds come out of her nose and her mouth.

  All of a sudden I hear the phone clatter to the floor. The camper door bursts open, and Kayla runs outside. She flings her arms around me and hugs me so tight she’s squeezing the air right out of me. Water pours out of her eyes and soaks into my coat.

  Dad must have told Kayla I couldn’t stay.

  Grandma comes outside then. She walks over to us. “We just can’t take care of a dog right now,” she tells Kayla, rubbing her back. “I wish we could, but we can’t.”

  I’m not sure Grandma really wishes they could take care of me. But that makes me stop and think for a minute. I know what it means for a dog to take care of a human. But I never thought about what it means for a human to take care of a dog.

  Dogs don’t need a lot from humans, but we do need humans to feed us, give us water, and drive us to the vet when we need to go there. We also need humans to let us outside, and take us for walks, and throw the ball so we can go get it.

  Wow. Taking care of a dog can be a lot of work. Especially for humans who have so many other things to worry about.

  No dog ever wants to be a burden on humans.

  Hmm. Maybe I should go back to Four Lakes.

  I have another family there. A family that is probably very worried about me right now.

  While I’m thinking about that, Uncle Marty comes back outside. “I told your dad you’d call him later,” he says to Kayla. “He wants you to know how sorry he is the dog can’t stay.” />
  Kayla sniffs.

  I lick her hand. “Tell him it’s okay,” I say. “Tell him I understand. Tell him you understand. You do understand, don’t you? It’s better for everyone if I go back to Four Lakes.”

  Does she believe me?

  Kayla looks up at Uncle Marty. “Did you really call the pound? Do you know for sure that King has a new family?”

  “Yes,” Uncle Marty says. “He’s with a nice family that has a boy around your age.”

  Kayla’s eyes grow watery again. “Then they’re probably pretty worried about him since they don’t know where he is.”

  Uncle Marty presses his lips together. He still doesn’t believe I’m King. But he pretends that he does. “Maybe we should call Animal Control so they can get him back where he belongs,” he says.

  “We don’t have to call Animal Control,” Kayla says. “If he’s got a new family, he should have a tag with their name and address on it.”

  Well, I did have a new tag ... but I lost it when I went through the secret tunnel.

  Kayla feels around my collar. “Here it is,” she says, turning around my other tag. “Wait. This tag doesn’t have any name or address on it.”

  Uncle Marty squints at the tag. “It looks like it’s a microchip tag. This dog has a microchip to identify him. There’s a phone number to call.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell phone.

  I have a feeling I’m going home.

  The person Uncle Marty talked to on the phone told him to bring me to a vet. They said any vet can scan my microchip and find out who I am. Then they can call my family and tell them to come and get me.

  Kayla gave me some water to drink and four or nine pieces of bread to eat. I LOVE bread. It’s my favorite food!

  Now I am back in Uncle Marty’s van and we are on our way to a vet’s office. This time I’ve got the whole back of the van to myself. There are no boxes or furniture back here. Kayla is sitting in the front with Uncle Marty. No one is talking.

  When we get to the vet’s office, the vet scans my microchip. “This dog’s name is Buddy,” he tells Uncle Marty and Kayla. “His owner’s name is Sarah Keene. I have her phone number right here. I’ll call her and let her know we have her dog.”

  I don’t know if I’m happy or sad. I’m happy I’m going home. But I’m sad to leave Kayla.

  Kayla’s eyes grow watery again, and she wipes the water on her arm. “Can I say goodbye to him before we go?” she asks Uncle Marty.

  “Of course,” Uncle Marty replies.

  The vet smiles. “Why don’t you say goodbye while I make the phone call.” Then he goes into a back room.

  Kayla gets down on her knees and rubs my ears. She leans in and whispers to me, “I’m going to miss you so much. But I’m glad you have a new family. I hope they’re nice.”

  “They are,” I tell her. My throat and chest feel choky. It’s hard to say goodbye.

  “Maybe I can visit you when I go back to Four Lakes to visit my friends,” Kayla says.

  I kiss her cheek. “I’d like that,” I say. “And then I can show you where I hid your detective’s notebook.” But I’m not sure she understands.

  “Buddy’s owner is on her way,” the vet says when he comes back. “She sure was happy to hear someone found him. It sounds like he was supposed to take a test today so he can be a school therapy dog.”

  “A therapy dog?” Kayla says, petting me. “I bet you’d be a good therapy dog.”

  “I’m going to try,” I say.

  She gives me one more hug. “Be happy,” she says. “I’m so proud of you!”

  “I’m proud of you, too,” I say. “You’ll have another dog someday. And you’ll take care of each other just like you and I took care of each other.”

  Kayla smiles at me. And then she is gone.

  The vet puts me in a cage with some dry dog food and water and leaves me there for a long, long, long, long, long, long time. When he finally comes back, Connor and Mom are with him.

  “Buddy!” Connor cries, running over to me.

  The vet lets me out of the cage, and Connor and Mom hug and pet me all over. I’m happy to see them, too!

  “I’m so glad we got you microchipped,” Mom says.

  “And I’m glad we found that hole in the backyard,” Connor says.

  I gulp. “You found that?”

  Connor clips my I.D. tag to my collar. “You won’t be getting out of the yard again for a very long time.”

  Well ... not until I dig a new hole.

  I missed the Pet Partners Team Evaluation while I was in Springtown yesterday. But the lady who gives the test lets Mom and me come and take it today.

  It’s a very strange test. First Mom and Perfume Bottle (that’s the lady who gives the test) shake hands and pretend they didn’t just meet each other a little while ago. Then Mom walks me around a bunch of cones. She also walks me past wheelchairs and past people using walkers. She even walks me past another dog. The dog doesn’t talk to me, so I don’t talk to him. I don’t know if that’s rude or not.

  Mom drops a liver treat on the floor and tells me not to take it. Now that’s definitely rude. But I don’t take it. I have a feeling that I’ll get a better treat later if I leave it alone.

  Perfume Bottle pats me on the head, feels my paws and my ears, and lifts my tail. Then she tells Mom to make me sit, lie down, stay, and come.

  Finally, the test is over.

  “Congratulations,” Perfume Bottle says. “You pass!”

  Mom gives me a hug and tells me what a good boy I am. And then she gives me twenty or four bites of hot dog. I LOVE hot dogs. They’re my favorite food!

  “You know what this means, don’t you, boy?” Mom asks.

  “I get to go to school with you and Connor?” I say, wagging my tail.

  “You get to come to school with me and Connor,” Mom says.

  Oh, boy! SCHOOL! I just know it will be my favorite thing!

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook onscreen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  copyright © 2010 by Dori Hillestad Butler

  Illustrations copyright © 2010 Jeremy Tugeau

  978-1-4532-1949-2

  This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media

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