It was hard saying goodbye to the little kitties, but the couple were going to take good care of them. Hannah knew they would be happy. Every pet belonged in a family and now two were going to be smothered with love.
She found her mood lifting; it was hard to stay sad when she had just created a family. She heard Harry arrive for his shift, she reflexively checked her watch – he was almost an hour late. He was never late for his shift.
“Sleep in through your alarm this morning?” Hannah teased, a little worried about his tardiness. She knew they were on their summer vacation but Cory still required complete dedication. She was almost as bad as her school principal.
“I wanted to make a detour on the way and it took longer than expected,” Harry replied, grimacing a little. “Did Cory notice?”
She had no idea. “I noticed.”
He sidled over to her, that cheeky glint in his eyes. She stood still, wondering what he was up to. Before she knew it, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek. It made her blush; despite the way it only made her more embarrassed.
“You’re in a good mood,” she giggled. It seemed like all the awkwardness from the night before had vanished into thin air.
“How could I not be? I got you a present.” He revealed a small parcel from behind his back.
“Why?”
“Do I need a reason? Because I like you, that’s why.”
Hannah took the small box, neatly tied with a pink ribbon. Her hands were shaking as she opened it. Inside was a small little square brick that looked like a lump of soap.
“What is it?” She asked, laughing. The whole thing was making no sense whatsoever to her.
Harry picked up the square out of the box and held it up to the light. “It’s a towel. When it gets wet, it expands to one hundred times its size. I thought it might come in handy next time we’re at the beach having a picnic.”
It was the sweetest present she had ever received. Before she could think about it, Hannah threw her arms around him, refusing to let go. “It’s perfect, thank you, I love it.”
He hugged her back, pulling her so tight she thought she might stop breathing. She couldn’t believe she had spent all night worrying about her relationship with Harry. All those countless hours of her just being stupid. It could all have been avoided.
He finally let her go, but only so he could give her a quick kiss on the lips. It was anything but awkward. In fact, it felt so right Hannah wished it wouldn’t stop.
“Does this mean we’re going on another picnic?” Hannah asked, hoping for a positive answer.
“I think we’re going to go on lots of picnics,” Harry grinned.
The barking of dogs brought them crashing back down to reality as one of the bigger canines knocked over their water bowl. It hurtled over, sending water down to the cage below it.
“I’ll get it,” Harry offered, letting his arms falls away from her sides before grabbing a mop and bucket. “How did the puppy go last night?”
“My mom is in love. She didn’t even let me look after him last night; she took him to sleep in her bed. I hope the real owner comes forward soon or I’ll have to smuggle him out of the house.”
“I thought she didn’t like dogs.”
“I did too. She would be very happy if our whole dognapping theory is wrong.”
Harry gave her a quick look. “Do you think our theory could be wrong? After all, nobody has reported another Dachshund missing and it’s been more than twenty-four hours.”
Hannah sighed, she had been wondering the same thing. “If someone isn’t kidnapping all the dogs, then it means they’re really lost. I can’t bear to think of all those lost animals out there on the streets.”
“Maybe we could go for a bike ride after our shift?” Harry suggested. “We could look all over for stray dogs?”
“I guess.”
“We could get lucky and find them all hanging out at the same place, just hanging around and having a good time.”
Hannah giggled, she wished it could be that easy. “I like your optimism.”
“Always look on the bright side of life, kid,” he said, winking and speaking with a gangster’s voice. It only made her laugh harder.
“Hey, kids, get in here,” Cory called from the front reception. They exchanged a glance, hoping they weren’t in trouble for something. They hurried through, crossing their respective fingers.
“What is it?” Hannah asked, stopping as she spotted a man with Cory.
“This is Mr. Drysdale,” Cory started. “He’s missing a Dachshund puppy.”
Chapter 8
“My mom’s on her way,” Hannah said as she hung up her phone. It had taken some convincing but Coco was on her way in with Bubbie. Being able to take him out of her hands was another thing all together.
“How did he go missing?” Harry asked, directing the question at Mr. Drysdale. He was a tall, body builder type of guy. Not quite what you’d expect of a Dachshund owner.
“He was taken from the yard. One minute he was there, the next he was gone. I knew he couldn’t get out so I was certain someone had taken him. I only had him a week,” he explained.
“And his description matches?” Hannah asked, looking at Cory. She was slightly disappointed they had found Bubbie’s owner so quickly, she didn’t even get a chance to play with him properly.
“Down to the tee,” Cory replied. “Ah, here we are.” She indicated to the door as Coco bustled in with Bubbie cradled against her chest. His legs probably hadn’t been on the ground since the previous day.
“Rex!” Mr. Drysdale exclaimed. The puppy’s tail wagged madly as he lurched for his owner – his real one. Coco let him go reluctantly. Hannah’s heart broke for her; she could see the sadness in her eyes already. She was going to be even worse to live with for a while.
“I can’t thank you enough for finding him,” Mr. Drysdale said, tears sitting in the corner of his eyes. Seeing a grown man dote over a tiny little puppy was certainly something new to Hannah. Her image of body builders worldwide was changed in an instant.
“We’re just happy you got him back,” Cory said. “Make sure to keep him inside for a while. Only take him outside if you’re with him the whole time.”
“I’m not letting him out of my sight ever again,” he declared. The four of them watched him leave with the little Dachshund.
“I need a coffee,” Coco mumbled before storming off.
“So that’s your mom,” Harry said, teasingly.
“The one and only,” Hannah replied. “Now you know why I don’t introduce you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She grinned. The best way to describe her mother was always to show them, they instantly understood. Coco spoke for herself.
“Well, kids,” Cory started. “We have a dognapper to capture. I’m going to the police to tell them everything. Hold down the fort, I’ll be back.”
It took her two seconds to grab her handbag and leave them to it. Hannah and Harry returned to their duties, on the edge of their seat until she got back.
The police must have taken her seriously because Cory didn’t return for over an hour. And when she did, she had two police officers in tow.
They spent the rest of the afternoon going through all the missing dog reports. Hannah and Harry both had to explain everything they had worked out and pass on the details of the man they had brought the Dachshund puppy from.
After receiving a warning for taking the law into their own hands and going into a potentially dangerous situation, the police asked for their help.
“You’ll be wearing a hidden camera,” the officer explained, he was an older man – in his forties at least. “If anything looks like it’s going wonky, we’ll get you out of there. Normally we don’t get the public involved, especially not a fifteen year old, but you’ve met with the man already. He trusts you. Do you think you can do it again?”
Hannah didn’t even need to think about it. If she could do s
omething to stop all the poor dogs being taken from their owners, she would do it. “I’ll do whatever you need me to.”
The police officer nodded in acknowledgement. “We’re going to need your parent’s permission.”
“My mom will be fine about it,” Hannah replied, wondering if it was actually true or not. Coco was a bit of a drama queen but she normally saw sense eventually. Surely she had to agree? After all, she was the one who demanded Hannah do something in the summer break. Thwarting a dognapping ring classified as something, right?
The police finished explaining the plan and then drove Hannah home, needing to speak with Coco before they could finalize their strategy.
“I don’t know, can you guarantee my daughter’s safety?” Her mom asked after she had heard the story. She had taken it better than Hannah had expected.
The policeman nodded patiently. “If there is any sign of danger we’ll go in immediately. The safety of everyone involved is our highest priority.”
“Will she get her name in the paper? Or a bravery medal?”
Hannah could feel her cheeks redden. “Mom, I don’t need my name in the paper or a medal. Will you just agree already?”
Coco gave her a warning, silently telling her not to boss her around. She knew the look well, she had received it so many times she was practically immune to its affect.
“Fine, she can do it,” Coco finally sighed. “But if she’s hurt, I’m going to make you pay for it.”
“We’ll take care of her,” the policeman assured before turning his attention back to Hannah. “We will need you to make a phone call to the man.”
“Of course,” Hannah replied. They told her exactly what to do before she called the man she had brought the puppy from. This time, she had a friend looking for a purebred Chihuahua. The man agreed to find one for her and hung up. “Now we wait for the call.”
Chapter 9
Chihuahuas must be easy to come by, as the man had called back that night. By lunchtime the next day, Hannah was waiting in the park again. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she felt the eyes of the police and Harry on her back.
They weren’t just listening to her every word, they could also see what she did. The police had placed a small camera in her handbag, the lens looking like nothing more than a button. She wondered if they were powerful enough to hear her heartbeats.
It was hot standing out under the sun, she wished for some shade or a cool drink. A frozen ice would have been perfect. She made a mental note to get one later, maybe she could go with Harry? She was too lost in her own thoughts to see the man approaching.
“Sorry I’m late,” he apologized, reaching her. Instantly she was nervous, fumbling over her words.
“It’s… it’s okay. You said you found a Chihuahua puppy for my friend?”
“I do. Do you have the two hundred?”
She nodded and pulled out the wad of cash the police had given her. This time, they were certain of getting the money back. She hoped they would get Harry’s back too. “Two hundred dollars, it’s all there.”
He counted it anyway. “Wait on the bench and I’ll get your new dog.”
“Thanks.” She watched him go; feeling like she’d had the conversation before. Doing as she was told, Hannah waited on the bench. As least it was underneath a leafy tree, the shade was a welcome relief.
The police were doing a good job of hiding. If she didn’t know they were there, she wouldn’t have even noticed them. Two officers were sitting in the car with Harry and two others were hiding in the trees. None of them were making a sound or movement.
As Hannah waited, she went over the instructions the police had given her. She hoped she didn’t forget anything. She didn’t want to stuff it all up by doing the wrong thing. She doubted her nerves would take having to go through it all again.
The man returned with a tiny little light brown colored puppy tucked underneath his arm. He walked quickly, ready to get out of there after the transaction was done.
Hannah stood. “She’s so cute.”
“And all yours. It was nice doing business with you. Remember to tell all your friends about me,” the man said happily. He turned to leave and Hannah remembered her cue. She hurried away in the opposite direction. Her instructions were clear: once she had the puppy, she was to get away from the man and return to the car as quickly as possible.
When the car was in sight, Hannah heard a commotion behind her. She turned around just in time to see two policemen tackling the guy to the ground. She now understood why she had to get out of the way – fast.
“You did really well,” the police officer greeted her at the car, letting her inside with the puppy. The poor little thing’s heart was racing in her chest. She knew how she felt.
“Will he go to jail?” She asked, still nervous about the whole thing. “He’s not going to come after me or anything, will he?”
“He doesn’t know your address or name, all he has is a phone number. We’ll make sure he leaves you alone,” he reassured her. She hoped he was right; she’d never been so close to a criminal before. “He’ll be locked up for a long time anyway. Thanks to you.”
Hannah smiled as Harry patted her on the shoulder, whispering in her ear. “You were awesome.”
Never before had she felt prouder. No amount of good grades or right answers on a test gave Hannah the same satisfaction as helping the animals. Everything else paled into comparison when you had just nabbed a criminal.
The police dropped them back at the shelter and ran through everything with Cory. She copied all the missing dog reports for them to take and investigate. Hopefully they would all be found now, with a little help from the man in custody of course.
When all the official business was out of the way, Cory found Hannah and Harry with the dogs. They had just finished feeding them.
Cory leaned in the doorway, regarding them proudly. “You guys did a really good thing.”
“Hannah did a really good thing,” Harry corrected her.
She tried to suppress the heat threatening to burn her cheeks. “Harry did just as much as I did, we were in it together.”
“Well, whoever it was,” Cory continued. “I think you deserve a reward. Hannah, considering your mom was so attached to the Dachshund puppy, I think you should adopt a dog. Take any one you like, on the house.”
“Seriously?” Hannah asked, incredulous. She didn’t care if Coco would approve or not. If she could fall in love with the puppy, she could fall in love with another dog.
“Go for it. I know you’ll give it a great home.”
“What about me?” Harry asked teasingly.
Cory was out the door as she yelled back. “You can have as many kittens as you like.”
Harry and Hannah erupted into laughter. As cute as they were, Harry wanted something a bit more manly than a dozen kittens.
“So which one are you going to choose?” Harry asked, catching his breath again.
Hannah walked up and down the aisles, looking into all the cages. She already loved each and every one of the dogs, it was difficult to choose just one to take home and be a part of their family. She wished she could take them all. Each of them deserved a home.
She finally stopped at the cage of the dog who had been there the longest. He was no breed in particular and reached up to Hannah’s knee height. He had been attacked by another animal and found in a terrible state. The vet hadn’t given him good odds, but he had fought hard to get back to full health. He was still missing hair in great chunks all over him and his eyes were constantly nervous. Nobody wanted to adopt him, he wasn’t pretty enough.
“I’m taking Billy,” Hannah decided.
Harry joined her, opening the cage and handing her the dog. “I think Billy is the perfect choice. He’s going to be very happy with you and your mom.”
Hannah cradled him to her chest, not doubting it for a second. She could already imagine him curling up at the end of her bed, lying on the living room floo
r in front of the fireplace in wintertime, and running around the backyard with his tongue hanging out.
“My mom’s going to freak out.”
“So you’ll be going home alone today?” Harry grinned.
“Scaredy cat,” she teased him.
Chapter 10
Hannah watched as Billy ran around the backyard of her house. She had never seen him happier or more alive. It was like he was a puppy all over again without a care in the world.
“Hannah, you have a visitor,” Coco said, stepping aside from the door so she could let him pass.
“Thank you, Mrs. Wilson,” Harry said politely. Hannah was instantly in a state of panic. Not only had she not been expecting him, he had been alone with her mother. There were so many things that could have happened in those moments, she didn’t even know where to begin.
Coco lingered, grinning to herself as she watched Harry take a seat on the edge of the decking next to Hannah. “Do you want a cold drink, kids?”
“Sure, thanks Mom,” Hannah replied, ready to say anything to get rid of her.
As it turned out, introducing Billy to Coco had been quite easy. Hannah turned up with him and told her his story. By the end of the sad tale, she was sold. That had been almost a week ago and Billy had fit in seamlessly. But he wasn’t sleeping on the end of Hannah’s bed, he was sleeping on Coco’s bed. She barely let the poor thing out of her grip, constantly smothering him with love and affection.
“Billy looks happy,” Harry commented, laughing when he picked up a leaf and threw it into the air – only to catch it again. “He’s learnt some new tricks too.”
“He’s like a different dog,” Hannah replied. “Just imagine how great it would be if all the dogs at the shelter got adopted.”
“I know, right? They could all be having this much fun.”
Silence started to threaten them, but it wasn’t awkward. Hannah had finally reached the moment when she was just happy to be in Harry’s company. They could sit there all afternoon in the sun and she wouldn’t care.
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