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DOG JUSTICE
Cherie Rohn
Storyline by William Hanner
Copyright © 2015 Cherie Rohn
All rights reserved.
Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com
Table of Contents
Prologue
1. The Man with Two Last Names
2. Herman the German Schnauzer
3. A Day That Never Should Have Happened
4. Three Mind-Shattering Words
5. A Lucky Break
6. The Purple Devils Strike
7. Trouble with a Capital “T”
8. A Fate Worse than Death
9. Hot on the Trail
10. A Dream that Isn’t a Dream
11. The Victory, a Luxury Yacht
12. The “Doggonedest Dog Detective”
13. A Mysterious Disappearance
14. A Bull Gone Berserk
15. The World Listens
16. Treachery
17. Dog Justice
Epilogue
About the Author
“The one absolutely unselfish friend that a
man can have in this selfish world, the one
that never deserts him and the one that never
proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.”
— George Graham Vest
writing about his dog, Old Drum
in "Eulogy for a Dog"
PROLOGUE
The heavy metal door to the outer chamber clanged shut. The resounding echo sent a chill of raw fear through the occupants who were left behind.
It was Wednesday, the day of the week that everyone dreaded. Nostrils quivered. Unblinking eyes stared straight ahead in the silence. Another innocent was on his way to his execution.
“Why?” whispered one of the small inhabitants, the youngest of the lot. He turned to the others, speaking in quiet tones through the bars of his prison.
“I can’t believe they took Frank. I know someone would have come for him soon, maybe even today. He wasn’t really very old and he acted a lot younger than his age.”
“Yeah,” sighed Cookie, whose hair was dirty and matted from neglect. “I know I don’t stand a chance, but Frank was so full of life…”
The youngest spoke again. His intelligent dark eyes, those of a born leader, searched the faces of his fellow inmates. “Our only crime was that we're unlucky enough to be homeless.”
From the very last cage, Jackson, the oldest dog in the animal shelter, spoke in a voice so soft and low, the others strained to hear him. “I’ve lived longer than all of you,” he said, raising his once majestic golden head from the floor of his cramped quarters. “I’ve known love so great that nothing can destroy it. If only my human family would find me, my happiness would be complete.”
Mumbled sounds of agreement rose from the group then something else took hold—a feeling of utter despair.
1
The Man with Two Last Names
Thomas Thomas peered into the cages at the animal shelter determined to find the most ferocious dog. In the farthest corner, in the very darkest cage in the room, Thomas was drawn to a pair of bright black eyes staring back at him. He liked the look of those eyes, so he decided that whatever dog was attached to them, Thomas would adopt it.
It was love at first sight. The minute the attendant opened the cage, a black-and-silver miniature German Schnauzer leaped into Thomas’ arms licking Thomas’ face with unabashed affection. “I’ll call you Herman,” said Thomas. “That’s it. Herman the German Schnauzer.”
On the way home, Thomas studied Herman’s ridiculously small, wiry-haired body. Maybe Herman’s barks will scare off any intruders, Thomas reasoned, scratching his pudgy chin. Herman threw his new owner an approving “Woof,” as if answering Thomas’ doubts.
Thomas poured his heart out to Herman during the long drive. “I’ve never had a friend who would listen to me,” Thomas admitted shyly, his orange dust-mop hair blowing every which way from the wind gusting through the open car window.
Thomas’ parents were divorced so long ago, he has no memory of their being together. Given that fact, growing up an only child on the North Side of Chicago was fairly normal. No one knew why Thomas had identical first and last names. At school, the cruel kids would say, “Thomas is so stupid his parents gave him just one name to remember.”
He endured the silly playground teasing in silence. “Thomas Thomas he’s so fat, moves like Jell-O in a vat.”
Thomas rationalized. I may be a little overweight, but I have a great escape—the wonderful world of books. Through reading, he discovered everything he craved: Adventure to exotic places where anything was possible. I can be a hero just like the characters in the stories, Thomas told himself. His favorite book was the thrilling adventure, Captains Courageous.
“One day,” he promised the poster of a 1787 schooner decorating his otherwise bare wall, “I’m going to sail around the globe on my own boat that I’ll name Sea Wind. I know I can achieve my dream if I save every penny.”
Life whirled by. Thomas graduated from high school, married the love of his life, bought a terrific little house in the suburbs and had two beautiful children, a boy and a girl, who were the spitting images of his wife.
Several wonderful years passed, then several not so wonderful years. Thomas’ wife no longer smiled as if she meant it. That special light no longer lit up her eyes. Thomas followed in the tradition of his parents and his parents’ parents. He got a divorce.
The house went to Thomas’ ex-wife and the child support payments went to Thomas. At least I can see my children, Thomas reassured himself. But the children would much rather play with their friends in their upscale suburban neighborhood than visit Thomas in his new, modest surroundings.
Still, Thomas was hopeful. “I bet when they’re older they’ll want to see me,” he said wistfully. Thomas waited and waited. Years went by. But his children almost never came to visit.
To make ends meet, Thomas moved to a low-rent neighborhood in the city. He discovered too late that his tiny basement apartment was in the heart of the Purple Devils territory, a notorious street gang. Thomas decided it was time to buy a dog for protection. That’s when Herman entered the picture.
2
Herman the German Schnauzer
From then on, it was Herman and Thomas, Thomas and Herman. The two were as inseparable as a baseball and a glove, a handshake and a friend, cream filling and an Oreo.
Thomas didn’t earn a whole lot as a carpenter, but he loved his work. It gave him satisfaction creating things out of wood. Besides, nothing in the world had the magical smell of real wood.
After a hard day’s work, Thomas headed his sawdust-covered VW home as fast as he dared. There was Herman waiting loyally by the window, eager for whatever Thomas threw his way—except balls. Stubborn to a fault, Herman refused to waste his time chasing anything that rolled. Hidden away in Herman’s subconscious was the bouncing basketball that nearly killed him as a puppy. Nightmares haunted Herman’s dreams, the giant ball racing toward him. But he forgot all about the dreadful dreams in the cheerful morning light.
Herman listened intently when Thomas read to him—newspapers, the backs of cereal boxes—everything. Herman’s ears perked up and those keen, dark eyes glowed with interest while the words were spinning out. Herman’s favorites were the sailing books Thomas brought home from the library: Mutiny on the Bounty, Two Years Before the Mast, Moby Dick. Herman loved those stories the best because Thomas grew excited when he read about the high seas. And Thomas rarely got excited about anything.
Thomas’ dream was as strong as ever, but it had changed slightly. Now he imagined Herman as his first mate as they sailed to exotic ports aboard Sea Wind. Since the beginning of time
, humans challenged all odds with their faithful dogs at their side. Thomas and Herman would continue that tradition.
The minute Thomas stopped reading, woof, woof went the feisty critter until Thomas granted his wish. “All right, just a little more, Herman.”
When he was through reading, Thomas plopped a can of tuna onto a chipped plate and offered it to his meat-loving friend. “If we’re going to live at sea, Herman, you better develop a taste for fish.” Herman took one sniff and turned up his nose.
The dusty little VW fairly flew down the road. The wind whipping through the open window plastered Herman’s wiry fur against his snout. He stretched himself up on the very tips of his rear paws. This gave Herman the perfect vantage point. His canine senses went into over-drive. The delicious aroma of hamburgers cooking on a grill penetrated his wet black nose. I’d give a whole box of doggie treats for one of those yummy burgers he thought, drool running down his chin.
And who’s that screaming, Herman wondered? Why, those big boys are teasing that little girl just because she’s so young and helpless. I’ll fix ‘em. Herman revved up the most ferocious Schnauzer bark he could muster. Yikes, he thought. I almost lost my balance.
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