Last night. Aneta’s face got hot. “The Fam knows?”
“Are you kidding?” Mom got off the bed and headed for the door. “The Fam has radar for news.” She turned at the doorway. “And they don’t love you any less, sweetie.”
Aneta relaxed then and stretched like a large cat. “I am a Jasper,” she said, a smile lighting her face. “Like you. Like The Fam.”
“Yes, my delightful daughter, you are. You are also going to be late for the Waddle if you don’t get moving.” Mom waved from the door, and she was gone. Her voice floated back. “The Fam will meet us at the park.”
Aneta jumped out of bed, dressed quickly in shorts and a WAY to WADDLE T-shirt—designed by her with Esther’s help.
Sandals or sneakers? She might have to chase a loose basset at the Waddle. Sneakers. After tying them, she pulled a bulging plastic bag from her dresser, tucked it into her messenger bag, and thudded downstairs.
The two of them ate what Mom called a “gargantuan” breakfast of thick-sliced egg bread stuffed with sweetened cream cheese and then baked in cinnamon honey butter. While they drove the few short blocks to the park, Aneta hid her smiles thinking about Wink in his costume. Mom would fall in love. Aneta would pull him in a wagon that Esther and her brothers and sisters had decorated. Then, when this very last plan worked—and it had to—she and Mom would fill out the adoption papers. Paws ‘N’ Claws Animal Buddies would visit their house and make sure they would be good owners. Only the best ever.
She reviewed each girl’s job for the day. Vee had the final checklist. Esther would work the sound system for her father, the pastor of the local community church, when he prayed the Blessing of the Hounds. Sunny would shoot off the air horn to signal the beginning of the Basset Waddle. As the girls had worked out, Paws ‘N’ Claws Animal Buddies would carry out the other details the girls had planned.
The thought of the S.A.V.E. Squad banishment suddenly snuffed out her excitement. She looked through the car window over at Vee, Esther, and Sunny standing next to a Paws ‘N’ Claws volunteer. Vee had graduated to a clipboard today. Sunny was twirling in excitement around the group. Esther stood with her hands on her hips. Who knew how long the banishment would be? She wouldn’t figure out where Vee went with the backpack or hear about the funny things Sunny’s brothers said. And who would be Esther’s friends?
“You okay, ‘Neta?” Mom asked, turning the Lexus into The Sweet Stuff parking lot.
“No,” Aneta replied, sniffing, smiling at Mom’s abbreviation of her name. The Fam had been great about the whole name thing. “I want to find proof that Mr. Leonard is a bad dog owner. Then the S.A.V.E. Squad banishment would be worth it. Dogs like Wink and the others would at least be safe from Mr. Leonard.”
Mom’s mouth twitched at banished. “I’ve been thinking about that,” she said as the SUV rolled into a parking space. “I called Nadine last night.” She looked away, seemed to forget Aneta was there, and murmured, “I must have been crazy.” Shaking her head, she looked at Aneta. “After I apologized for waking her up, I explained what you girls think. Now, don’t get your hopes up, honey.” Mom leaned over to smooth the flyaway strands from Aneta’s headband. “Nadine asked her friend, who’s a volunteer with Paws ‘N’ Claws and an animal control officer, to join her and me at the Leonards’ in a few minutes.”
Hope surged high in Aneta’s heart. Mom would make it right. She remembered The Dog Dictionary show and the conditions for the dogs. No room for mothers and puppies to move, to develop their legs. Stacks of cages in dark places. Mom would realize that Wink really did need a forever home and the Jasper home was just the one for him. And then maybe the parents would say yes—or at least maybe—to allowing the girls to see each other.
“Thanks, Mom,” Aneta said as she climbed out, eager to tell the girls. “I will tell the Squad. You are great.”
Mom’s eyes got bright. “So are you, Aneta Jasper. I’ll see you later, sweetie.”
Aneta stepped out of the Lexus. “You must watch the Waddle!” Aneta peered earnestly into the interior of the vehicle. “Wink has a special costume! Promise?”
“Promise. I wouldn’t miss it. I can’t wait to see your creativity.”
“Thank you for calling Nadine.” Adjusting her bag over her shoulder, Aneta hurried over to the girls who were waving. Many circular wagging tails and “Aroo! Aroo!” filled the parking lot. She tried to count how many dogs but lost track of which black, white, and brown dog was which, or maybe she had already counted the lemon-and-white gigantic basset, but missed this petite brown and black. She gave up. The count was A LOT. The Waddle would be a success with each of these Waddlers paying both an entry fee and submitting a donation pledge card for Paws ‘N’ Claws Animal Buddies. The S.A.V.E. Squad had done it.
She told them the news. “Don’t get your hopes up.” She repeated Mom’s admonition.
“Too late,” Sunny said. “I’m already thinking we saved Wink’s brothers and sisters—if they are all bassets—and that we might get a reprieve from being banished.”
“Me, too,” Vee and Esther agreed.
Aneta nodded. “Mom’s going to call your ATP, Vee, when they are done.”
Vee nodded then pointed. “I see the animal control truck now!” The Lexus, Nadine’s Toyota, and a brown truck converged on the Leonards’ house. “Let’s go over the checklist so we don’t have to stare at the house and wonder what’s going on.”
C.P. joined the group with Wink at the end of the red leash. “Nadine told me to give him to you. She’s meeting your mom for some secret mission.” He handed over the leash. “I wish I had a dog. This guy’s cool.”
“Why don’t you have one?” Vee asked.
“Allergies.” C.P. pantomimed great gusty sneezes. The girls backed up.
“Wink doesn’t give you allergies?” Kneeling down, Aneta snuggled her face into the soft puppy fur. “Your costume makes Mom fall in love with you,” she whispered, kissed him, and moved him to the crook of her right arm so she could dig into the messenger bag. He wriggled mightily; she dropped the bag and bent down to pick it up.
“Not me. My little sister.” C.P. shrugged. “So no pets for us. Hope you get Wink so I can visit him.”
“In between meals?” Sunny said with a grin. “Will you have time?”
C.P. cupped one hand behind his ear. “Sorry, next time talk into my good ear.” He dashed off, his cackling laugh floating back.
“Here,” Esther said, removing the puppy from Aneta’s arms. “I’ll hold him while you get his costume on.” She gestured at the covered wagon off to the side. “My sibs helped me decorate it. We had a blast. They want to meet Wink once you’ve adopted him.”
“If she gets to adopt him,” Vee corrected. Esther’s hands shot to her hips. Vee turned her shoulder and surveyed her clipboard. “Wink, costume, and wagon. Check. Sunny”—she turned to the girl who was bouncing on her toes—“you’ve got the horn to start—”
A Paws ‘N’ Claws Animal Buddies volunteer rushed up, looking like she’d been grabbing gobs of her hair and twisting. It stood out all over her head.
“The Hound Dawg. Isn’t. Here!” she croaked, hands gripped in front of her like she was praying. The long-legged, tricolored basset that wanted very much to sniff Aneta’s leg pulled the leash right out of the volunteer’s hands to reach his goal. A long line of drool ran down Aneta’s leg.
“Oh no!” Esther’s voice squeaked. “The Hound is the Squad’s coolest idea!”
This was the secret surprise Aneta had told the girls only last week. She and Mom had found a place in the next town over that rented a basset hound costume. Zeff had begged to wear it. When he discovered he was about a foot taller than the costume stretched, however, he roped one of his buddies into being the Hound Dawg. The antics of the Hound Dawg would draw even more people to watch the procession. Esther’s family had delivered the plastic tub with the costume to the parking lot with Esther. Aneta scanned the parking lot and then the park
. Where was the Hound?
“He’s supposed to lead the Waddle! What do we do now?” the volunteer said, reclaiming the leash and apologizing for the drool slinging.
Esther looked at Aneta, panic in her eyes. “Call your cousin!” She gestured to Vee’s pocket. “Use the ATP!”
Something bumped her back. “Oh, sorry,” she said, stepping aside before seeing it was C.P. “Oh, it’s you again. You’re eating already?”
“Hey, I had breakfast at six thirty with my crazy sister who had to get here to help. I had to come and carry stuff. I’m starving. Want some?” He thrust a still-warm fried dough toward her, butter dripping. Aneta’s quick move prevented the glob from landing on her shorts. Wink lunged toward the splotch of grease. It vanished under his long pink tongue. He made a happy puppy face at Aneta. Oh, she loved this little dog.
“C.P., we have an emergency. The Hound Dawg costume is in here“—she pointed downward—“and there’s no body in it.”
Stuffing the rest of the treat in his mouth, C.P. wiped his hands on his long shorts. “No problem. I’ll wear it.” He bent down.
“Um, C.P., you’re great to do that, but—”
C.P. lifted the costume from the tub. And lifted and lifted. There was costume as high as he could hold it with significant costume still in the tub. He glanced down then at the girls. His face reddened.
“You’re a great guy, C.P.!” Sunny flung an arm around him and with the other hand removed the costume from his hands and dropped it in the tub.
Aneta stepped in to distract C.P. from his embarrassment. She handed over Wink’s leash. “Hold Wink. I need to run and find my cousin Zeff. He’s here with The Fam. He must call his friend.”
“Ten minutes.” It was the Paws ‘N’ Claws volunteer again. This time her hands were in her hair, the leash stretched tight down to her dog’s harness. He craned his neck around to look up at her. “We have ten minutes before the Waddle starts. WHERE’S OUR HOUND DAWG?”
“I will run!” Aneta bent to tighten a loose lace on the right foot.
Vee’s phone rang. Aneta froze, crouched. Sunny and Esther clutched each other. Now everyone would believe them. Mr. Leonard would not run a puppy mill anymore in Oakton. C.P. looked from one to another, shrugged, and pulled an apple from a leg pocket of his cargo pants. He crunched while he watched.
Vee whipped the phone out of her back pocket and punched the green button. Sunny and Esther crowded close. The Paws ‘N’ Claws volunteer darted off, muttering about children and cell phones and what was the world coming to. Aneta didn’t dare move.
“Yes,” Vee said. Aneta shot a look toward the Leonards’ house. The brown truck was gone. Nadine’s Toyota left Mr. Leonard’s street and turned away from The Sweet Stuff to park where there was still some street-side parking.
“Oh,” Vee said, her dark brows pulling together. “Okay.” She punched off the phone and stuck it back in her pocket. Her brows lifted, and she raised her shoulders. “They didn’t find any puppies.”
“How could they not find puppies?” Sunny stamped her foot. “All the clues were there!”
Aneta rose to her feet. The tears drizzled down her cheeks, but she brushed them away. They could not do anything more about Mr. Leonard. They needed the Hound Dawg. She would find a Hound Dawg. She took off running through the gathering crowd, looking for Zeff. When she reached the middle of the park, she stopped, panting, and slowly turned in a circle. No Cousin Zeff. Now what?
She heard her name. Her gaze caught waving arms back at The Sweet Stuff parking lot. She squinted. The girls, waving and pointing past her. She turned. There, at the end of the park, nearing the path down to the lake was the Hound Dawg! Who had the girls gotten to wear it? Almost too tall for the suit itself. Whatever. The girls had come through.
She relaxed. She would thank the kind person. In August, the Hound Dawg would soon be a hot dog with the morning air warming quickly. Before she could move, however, something smacked her arm, and she cried out, wheeling. C.P. stood next to her, hands on his bent knees, breathing hard.
“Wink—!” he got out.
Alarm crackled out the tips of her fingers. No puppy at the end of the leash. “Where’s Wink?”
Chapter 21
Who’s Got Wink?
Some giant, furry paw bashed me in the head.” C.P., trying not to cry, gazed wildly about the crowd.
A big, hairy paw? Had C.P. had too much fried dough? What was he talking about? She told herself to calm down. She thought of two Squad members. What did Sunny and Esther do when things went wrong? When Esther muttered, she was usually praying, Aneta had learned. Sunny would talk to God as if He were standing with them. God standing with her sounded good right now.
“Okay, Sunny’s God,” Aneta said under her breath. “Someone takes Wink. Please help me find him safe.”
“Aneta! Aneeee-TAH!” Both C.P. and Aneta turned toward the sound. Vee, with long legs that ate up the grass of the park, hair falling out of her ponytail. She was pointing past them. C.P. and Aneta turned.
At the edge of the park, walking down the road toward the lake, was the Hound Dawg. What was he or she doing there? The Waddle was beginning any minute.
“Wink! Wink!” Aneta called, peering at the bassets thronging toward The Sweet Stuff. Too many long ears on tricolored small bodies among big dog bodies. Tears burned out of her eyes. “Oh, Wink!” she screamed.
When Vee blew past her, still pointing, Aneta heard her shout, “The Hound—Wink!” Without understanding—only hearing “Wink!”—Aneta charged after her friend. She yelled at C.P., “Get my mom! Get the police!” He veered off and headed into the crowd. Ahead, a kid and its mother approached the Hound. The mom lifted the child up toward the Hound’s arms. The costumed figure jerked away.
Then she saw it in the Hound’s furry arms.
A small, tricolored basset with a red harness!
“Stop!” Vee yelled. With a quick look toward them, the Hound broke into a dead run toward the lake. Aneta ducked past this person and that group, slowed at every move. All the people who would donate to Paws ‘N’ Claws Animal Buddies, all the probable Waddle watchers were getting in the way. When she shouted, “Help! Help! Stop that Hound!” people chuckled and clapped. They think it’s part of the Waddle!
The Waddle. Wink and his secret costume and a forever home. The air horn blast split the morning air. Cheers broke out; the crowds jostled her to get a good viewing spot. She pushed through, jumping up to keep an eye on Vee and the Hound. She smacked into the broad back of a large man bending to give cotton candy to a small boy. Knocked flat and breathless, she gasped, “Please, God, keep Wink safe.”
She staggered to her feet. The gargantuan Jasper breakfast reconsidered its location. For a few moments, she couldn’t run, couldn’t think. Wink! Her legs kicked into gear like they did after she dove into the pool. Faster, Aneta, faster.
She could see Vee’s white shirt disappearing around the bend. The Hound was already out of sight. What if the Hound did something to Vee? Who was this Hound, and why did he kidnap her little Wink?
She rounded the corner, pounding down the path to the lake. Two figures were struggling on the dock.
Chapter 22
The Race
Aneta shrieked in terror. The Hound, costume stretched up the too-tall frame, dangled Wink over the water while he twisted Vee’s arm behind her.
Vee screamed and bent forward. As the Hound leaned with her, Vee whipped her head up and bashed the Hound in the chin. Hard. He dropped her arm, but before she could run, he bellowed in pain and shoved her off the dock. Wink began to howl.
“Vee! Stop! Oh, Vee!” Aneta ran on.
Vee cried out once before she smacked the water like a rag doll. The Hound, with the yelping Wink under one arm, untied the boat. He stepped in and dumped Wink on the floor of the boat. Grabbing the oars, he rowed out into the lake.
Aneta pelted down the dock. “Vee!”
Vee stood, wiped lake water fro
m her eyes, and held the top of her head. She began to slog to shore. “That Hound has a hard head.” She waved Aneta away. “I’m fine! Go save Wink! I’m running for help!” Squishing water and mud, she darted up the hill.
Aneta hoped C.P. had already found help. Past getting to Wink, she didn’t know what she was going to do. It appeared the Hound would stop at nothing to carry off Wink. But why?
Leaping into the next rowboat, she squatted to regain her balance then pushed at the dock. The end of the boat floated away from the dock. She pushed again. “C’mon, stupid boat!” Her glance fell on the rope at the bow. Still tied to the dock. “Oh, please, please, please!” Tears made it difficult to see the rope. She frantically glanced over her shoulder. The Hound dipped the oars, pulling farther from her, a V-line widening from the bow. A little smooth head popped up on the seat. Then one paw. Wink would never be able to balance if he made it up on the rocking seat.
“Wink!” she called. “Stay!” Did he know stay? After what seemed like forever, she scrabbled the knot off the metal cleat. Terrible moments of futile splashing followed. Finally she settled into a dip-pull, dip-pull that sent the heavy, wooden rowboat gliding across a glassy lake.
Oh, Wink, Wink. She strained to see over her shoulder. Had she gained on the boat? Handicapped by the big furry paws that had smacked C.P., the Hound frequently lost its grip on the oars. Aneta’s steady dip-pull, dip-pull was shortening the distance. Now she could hear muffled shouts from the immense stuffed head. Wink put a second paw on the seat. He raised his head like a prairie dog peering out of its hole.
“Stay, boy!” She pulled harder. Pain shot up into her shoulders. Who was that Hound? Some crazy Waddle walker who wanted to make sure Wink was out of the running for the costume contest?
On shore, two police cars—sirens shrieking—and Nadine’s Toyota skidded at the end of the gravel road. Frank and Nadine leaped out. The police officers dashed for the remaining rowboats.
Dog Daze Page 10