by Andrew Cope
‘Why?’
‘Because I want it! And I always get what I ask for.’
‘Right now, you’re asking for a poke in the eye! Don’t tempt me!’ growled Lara.
‘It’ll have to be yours, then,’ squeaked Cupcake, turning to Spud, who had been strangely silent so far.
‘Yeah, sure, you can have it,’ said Spud, pressing the release stud on his collar. ‘I didn’t like it anyway.’
‘Spud! What are you doing?’ woofed Lara and Star as Spud pushed Professor Cortex’s expensive gadget across the floor to Cupcake.
Spud didn’t answer. He was too busy gazing at Cupcake with a goofy smile on his face.
‘Oh, look!’ cried Summer Rayne. ‘Spud has just given Cupcake a present. How sweet is that?’ She clipped Spud’s locket on to Cupcake’s collar and then scooped her up. ‘There. You look lovely!’
‘Of course,’ sighed Cupcake. ‘I always do.’
‘Ms Rayne, would you like to say hello to some of your fans before the show?’ asked Mr Cartwright.
‘That would be lovely,’ said Summer, slipping Cupcake back into her shoulder bag and standing up.
Lara and Star were still gazing at Spud in astonishment, so they didn’t notice Princess Pretty staring greedily at Cupcake.
‘You said we’d never catch you going soft over some girl!’ hissed Star, digging Spud in the ribs as they followed everyone out of the dressing room.
Spud shook his head as though he was emerging from a trance. ‘Don’t know what came over me,’ he muttered, giving his sister a shamefaced look. ‘She must’ve poisoned me with something.’
Star nodded seriously. ‘You know what I think? I think she gave you a very strong dose of BBE.’
‘BBE? What does that stand for?’ yapped Spud, looking worried.
‘Big brown eyes,’ barked Star, trotting after Lara.
‘Huh! Very funny,’ yapped Spud, catching up.
‘We need to get that locket back,’ woofed Lara. ‘It wasn’t yours to give, Spud. It belongs to Professor Cortex.’
‘Leave this to me, Ma,’ growled Spud.
He caught up with Summer Rayne and barked at the shoulder bag until Cupcake poked her head over the top.
‘Yes, mongrel?’
‘Can I have my locket back?’
‘It’s mine now. You gave it to me.’
‘That was a mistake,’ yapped Spud. ‘I need it –’
‘I need it more,’ interrupted Cupcake. ‘I am the most photographed dog in the world! I always have to look my best. It’s a lot of pressure.’
‘Pressure? Don’t be daft,’ yapped Spud.
Just then, Mr Cartwright pushed open the theatre doors and ushered Summer Rayne outside into an explosion of screams and camera flashes. Spud staggered back, stunned by the noise and the light, but Summer kept walking, waving and smiling, and Cupcake struck a pose, turning this way and that for the cameras. Princess Pretty and her Troll Prince followed close behind.
Hmm. She might just have a point about the pressure, Spud admitted, blinking the camera flashes away.
‘Keep up!’ woofed Lara. She plunged into the crowd, followed by Spud and Star. By the time they reached Summer Rayne, she had stopped walking and was cheerfully signing autographs. She had pushed her shoulder bag round behind her back to keep Cupcake safely out of the way.
‘What do we do now, Ma?’ yapped Star.
‘We stay close and watch for our chance to get that locket back,’ woofed Lara.
But the chance never came. Summer Rayne signed autographs until Mr Cartwright held up his hands and called a halt. ‘That’s all, folks. See you at the show tonight.’
The autograph-hunters fell back and Summer brought her shoulder bag round to the front again. She looked inside and then gave a horrified scream. ‘Cupcake! My Cupcake’s gone!’
‘What!’ gasped Mr Cartwright. ‘Well, I’m sure she can’t have gone far; she’s only got little legs.’
‘No, you don’t understand!’ Summer wailed. ‘Cupcake would never run away. Someone’s stolen her right out of my bag!’
Lara turned cold with shock and then hot with shame. The pick-pocket she had been searching for all day had struck again right under her nose and she hadn’t noticed a thing! How did I miss that? I was staring right at Summer Rayne! She could hear Professor Cortex’s voice in her head. ‘Spy Dogs don’t just stare, GM451; Spy Dogs observe.’
Lara shook herself and turned to her pups. ‘Full Cupcake alert! Star, you go left. Spud, you go right. I’ll go straight ahead. We’ll see if we can sniff her out.’
They set off, noses to the ground, but the crowd were all searching for Cupcake too, getting in the way and stomping all over any possible scent trails.
Lara glanced across at Mr Cartwright, hoping he might take control, but he was standing beside a weeping Summer, gazing helplessly at the chaos all around him.
That was when Mum and Dad Cook sprang into action. Lara felt a surge of pride as she watched them. I adopted the right family, she thought. No doubt about it!
Mrs Cook put her arm round Summer, produced the clean, white hankie she always seemed to carry and told the superstar that crying wouldn’t help to find Cupcake.
Mr Cook pushed his way into the centre of the crowd, drew himself up to his full height and yelled, ‘STOP!’
And the whole crowd stopped.
Just for a second, Mr Cook had everyone’s full attention. He didn’t hesitate. He knew exactly what to do next because he was a dad! Years of hunting for lost hamsters, lost pet snakes and lost children had prepared him for just this moment.
‘Stay absolutely still!’ he ordered.
The crowd froze.
‘Good. Now, everyone turn full circle on the spot. If you see any sign of Cupcake, raise your hand!’
The crowd obeyed but, when they had finished turning in a circle, nobody raised a hand. Cupcake had disappeared.
‘Thank you,’ said Mr Cook. ‘I think it’s time to search the rest of the park. I’m dividing you into four search groups.’ He held out his arm and marked off each group. ‘North, south, east and west. If anyone finds Cupcake, please bring her straight here to the theatre, where Summer and Mr Cartwright will be waiting.’
Hearing his name seemed to shake Mr Cartwright back into action. ‘Yes!’ he cried. ‘And if – I mean when – Cupcake is returned, I will announce it over the park’s PA system and call off the search.’
‘Thank you, Mr Cartwright,’ said Mr Cook. ‘Off you go, everyone – and good luck!’
The crowd gave Mr Cook a cheer and then scattered to search the park.
‘Can we search too, Dad?’ asked Ben.
‘As long as you stay together,’ said Mr Cook.
‘Lara, will you keep an eye on them?’ asked Mrs Cook.
‘Of course,’ woofed Lara, giving Mrs Cook a nod. ‘Come on, pups! We can watch the children and look for Cupcake at the same time.’
Spud and Star ran after Ben, Sophie and Ollie. Lara was about to follow, but something made her look back. Mrs Cook was leading Summer Rayne into the theatre, followed by Mr Cook and Mr Cartwright. Princess Pretty and her Troll Prince were at the back of the sad little group.
Lara frowned. Except Princess Pretty doesn’t look at all sad, she thought.
Look at the way she’s bouncing along, swinging her arms and – her hand is bleeding! Could that be a dog bite? Could she have stolen Cupcake? But, if she did, where is Cupcake now? Princess Pretty didn’t have time to hide her …
The Cook children, and her pups, were already far down the street. Lara hesitated, looking between them and Princess Pretty. I’ll have to stay with the children, she thought. I made a promise to Mrs Cook. But be warned, Princess Pretty, I’ll be back. You’re the very next thing on my list!
9. The Show Must Go On
Lara kept an ear cocked for an announcement that Cupcake had been found, but the announcement never came, and so they kept searching the park right up to the time
when Summer Rayne’s show was due to start.
‘It’s no good,’ sighed Star as they trailed back to the theatre behind Ben, Sophie and Ollie. ‘Cupcake seems to have vanished into thin air!’
‘And I think I might know who made her vanish,’ Lara admitted. ‘But I just can’t figure out how!’
She told Spud and Star about the blood on Princess Pretty’s hand.
‘Girls!’ growled Spud. ‘Nothing but trouble! Why don’t we tell Mr Cartwright?’
‘Because we don’t have a scrap of evidence,’ woofed Lara.
‘What about the blood?’ asked Star.
Lara shook her head. ‘A scratched hand doesn’t prove anything. No, I think it’s up to us to investigate Princess Pretty ourselves.’
‘Yay! Spy Dogs to the rescue!’ yapped Spud. ‘Come on! Let’s go find her!’
But when they reached the theatre and hurried up to the VIP box where Mr and Mrs Cook were waiting for them, there was no sign of Princess Pretty or her Troll Prince.
‘How about this for special treatment?’ said Mr Cook, pointing out the leather armchairs and velvet curtains. ‘Pity it’s not in happier circumstances.’
Once Ben, Sophie and Ollie were sitting down, Lara pointed to the remaining two empty armchairs and then raised her eyebrows questioningly. Where’s Princess Pretty?
‘Of course you can sit down, Lara,’ said Mr Cook. ‘You don’t need to ask.’
Lara shook her head. Thanks, but no thanks. I’m a bit busy being a Spy Dog.
‘He’s not getting it, Ma,’ said Star. ‘Try again.’
Lara held up imaginary skirts and gave a curtsy before raising a paw to her eyes and pretending to search the box. Princess Pretty. Where is she?
‘Oh! “I’m a little teapot, short and stout”?’ guessed Mrs Cook.
Lara slapped a paw to her forehead. I’m not playing charades! This is serious!
‘She’s asking where Princess Pretty is,’ said Ollie.
Lara sent him a grateful look. Thank you, Ollie.
‘Oh! I see!’ said Mr Cook. ‘She’s gone home, Lara. She and her troll finished work at five o’clock. She’ll be back bright and early tomorrow morning, ready for the launch of Storm Spell.’
‘Oh, look! The curtain’s going up!’ said Mrs Cook. ‘Summer’s a brave girl. She told me the show must go on. Out of the way, Lara. You’re blocking my view.’
Lara gave up. She climbed on to the remaining leather armchair and settled down for a good think. I can do The Times crossword in record time, so I’m sure I can figure out how Princess Pretty managed to steal Cupcake in full view of two hundred people and three Spy Dogs!
A single spotlight shone down on to the stage. Summer Rayne was standing there, head bowed, holding her empty shoulder bag. The audience rose up from their seats and clapped and clapped. Summer waited quietly until they sat down again and silence descended on the theatre.
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘Before I begin, I’d like to offer a reward for the return of my dog, Cupcake. I will pay ten thousand pounds to the person who brings her back to me safe and well.’
An excited buzz went round the theatre and some audience members got out their mobile phones and started texting. The word would spread fast.
‘And now,’ said Summer, carefully placing the empty shoulder bag at the front of the stage and lifting the microphone from its stand, ‘I’d like to sing for you – and for Cupcake, wherever she is.’
‘She’s a lot closer than you think, Summer Rayne,’ sneered Princess Pretty, from her lair beneath the stage. ‘Aren’t you, you little rat?’ Princess kicked the plastic travel crate at her feet and a muffled whimper came from behind the grille.
‘Did you have to tie her paws together and wrap that elastic band round her muzzle?’ said Darren, peering in at Cupcake.
Princess Pretty pointed to the plaster on her hand.
‘I’m not giving her another chance to sink her teeth into me! Besides, we don’t want her barking and giving us away, do we? Now, be quiet while I finish this ransom note. There’s enough noise to put up with already, what with that awful singing right above my head!’ Princess cut one last word from the newspaper with her scissors and then stuck it to a sheet of paper. ‘Ten thousand pounds?’ she muttered as she worked. ‘That’s peanuts! She’ll have to fork out a lot more than that before I’m finished. There!’ she said, holding up the sheet for Darren to see.
To get Cupcake back, come to the theatre at 9.00 tomorrow morning and leave £100,000 in a backpack on the stage. Don’t call the police. Come alone, or you will never see your dog again. When Storm Spell is launched, make sure you are on it. If the launch is delayed, you will never see your dog again. If you do everything I say, you and Cupcake will meet again at the end of the ride.
Darren nodded miserably. ‘As long as they do meet again.’
Oh, there’s no doubt about that, thought Princess Pretty, imagining Summer’s screams as her Storm Spell carriage crashed into the forest. In fact, I think their meeting will make quite an impact. On the ground!
‘But how?’ said Darren stubbornly. ‘How do we reunite them?’
‘You, Darren, get to ride on Storm Spell with Summer Rayne, you lucky boy! Don’t wear your troll costume, though; it’ll make you too big to fit into the harness. While you’re keeping an eye on Summer, I’ll make sure that Cupcake is ready and waiting for her at the other end.’
Bye-bye, Darren, she thought. You’re no use to me any more. I’m off to Hollywood on my own!
‘But aren’t you supposed to be on the launch ride too?’ asked Darren.
‘You can tell them I’m too scared to go on it, cos I’m only a girly-girl,’ said Princess Pretty, putting on a baby voice.
Darren nodded. ‘What happens now?’ he asked, watching Princess Pretty fold the ransom note and put it in an envelope.
‘Once the show’s over and the park is empty, I’ll take Cupcake to a little hideaway in the forest.’
‘And then will you untie her and take the elastic band off her muzzle?’
‘If you insist,’ sighed Princess Pretty. ‘No one will hear the little rat way out there. While I’m hiding Cupcake, you deliver the ransom note to the hotel.’
‘How do I do it without being seen?’
‘Don’t worry about that, Darren. I have a plan. After that, we sneak back here and wait for my money to arrive. Simple!’
Lara was still deep in thought when Summer Rayne’s show came to an end, but she was no nearer to solving the puzzle.
When the applause finally stopped, Mr Cook picked up a sleeping Ollie and held him against his shoulder, and Mrs Cook put her arm round a yawning Sophie.
‘Coming, Lara?’ asked Ben. ‘We’re heading back to the hotel.’
Lara gave him an affectionate lick and then raised her paw. We’ll be along in a minute.
Ben shuffled off after his mum and dad, rubbing his eyes tiredly. It had been a long day.
‘Come on, pups,’ woofed Lara.
‘Where to, Ma?’ asked Star, stifling a yawn as she jumped down from the armchair she was sharing with Spud.
‘Back to the place where Cupcake went missing. Time for a crime scene investigation.’
‘Can it be a quick investigation?’ Spud muttered, snuggling down in the warm spot Star had just left.
‘Very quick,’ said Lara, feeling guilty. It had been a long day for her pups too.
Outside the theatre, they waited quietly in a shadowy alley that ran down the side of the building. The stream of people leaving the theatre died away to a trickle and then stopped altogether. The theatre lights went out one by one until, finally, the building was in darkness.
Good, thought Lara. Everyone’s gone home. Now we can investigate in peace. ‘Ready, pups?’
‘Ready,’ whispered Star.
‘Zzzz …’ snored Spud.
Lara and Star looked round. Spud had gone to sleep standing up. He was leaning against a door with his chin resting on th
e doorstep.
‘Spud!’ hissed Star.
Spud jerked awake. ‘I didn’t eat the last biscuit!’
‘Come on,’ Lara chuckled, nudging him into an upright position.
They had taken only a few steps away from the door when an eerie crreeaak came from the shadows behind them. Spud and Star froze in place, their eyes wide.
Crreeeaaakkk …
Lara looked over her shoulder. The door Spud had been sleeping against only a second ago was slowly opening!
Someone, or something, was coming out from under the stage.
10. Moonlit Chase
‘Run!’ Lara hissed.
Spud and Star needed no second telling. They raced away from the opening door as fast as their short legs would go. Lara ran behind her pups, hoping they wouldn’t trip over their own paws. Just as they reached the front of the theatre, Lara risked a glance back. The door was now fully open and a dark shape was stepping down into the alley.
Lara threw herself round the corner after Spud and Star. ‘Quick! Behind that hedge!’
They leapt over a low hedge and then flattened themselves to the ground. Lara could hear two pairs of soft footsteps walking down the alley towards them. She raised her head so that just her eyes and her sticky-up ear were above the top of the hedge. Two people dressed in black came out of the alley. One was very tall and the other was small and slim. The smaller person was leading the way and the tall one was carrying a small plastic box with a grille on the front.
‘Princess Pretty and her troll,’ breathed Lara.
‘How do you know?’ whispered Star. ‘They both have camouflage paint on their faces and black beanie hats over their hair.’
‘Hurry up, Darren!’ snapped the small figure. ‘I haven’t got all night!’
‘Yep, that’s Princess Potty, all right,’ growled Spud.
‘So, the troll’s in on it too,’ Lara mused. ‘I think I’m beginning to see how they stole Cupcake without anyone noticing.’
‘Speaking of Cupcake,’ whispered Star, sniffing the air. ‘She’s in that cage. Where are they taking her?’