“Miss, you need to stay away from that animal,” the officer said.
I heard a snap and saw him draw his gun. “No! Don’t shoot him!”
“I’m not going to shoot unless he attacks. Now stand back.”
I burst into tears. “He doesn’t attack people.”
“He did today,” the paramedic said.
“Who?”
“That’s classified.”
Buck growled. I yelled at him to stop and he did, his tongue hanging as he panted.
The officer wrote down my information. “Animal control is on the way,” he said.
“What for? Buck’s not going to hurt anyone.”
“We’re going to make sure of that,” the officer said. “We’ll keep him quarantined. Do you know if his shots are up to date?”
I shrugged. “He’s got those things on his collar, and Mr. Morris says he has all his animals vaccinated every year.”
“So this is the Morris place, huh? You have a phone number for him?”
“In the house. But I don’t think his cell works where they are.”
“I’ll need it anyway.”
I hesitated, looking at Buck.
“He’ll still be here when you get back.”
Chapter 56
Eddie got out of the truck and closed the door. The windows were up again, which blocked some of the garage smells, but I couldn’t hear much except the tinny music.
“Lunch!” somebody called.
The whole garage emptied and I was glad. I lowered the windows again, then called Ashley. If you’re wondering why she doesn’t have a cell phone, Mom said we had to pay for them. I had the cash but Ashley didn’t.
The phone rang at the farm until the answering machine picked up. I hung up and dialed our home number. Mom answered and asked how everything at the farm was going.
“Fine, I guess. . . . Hey, Ashley’s not there, is she?”
“She’s not with you?”
“Well, she’s probably in the barn. I’ll find her.”
“Bryce, what’s going on?”
“Nothing. Can you do me a favor?” I asked her to look up Stan’s phone number from the school directory.
She gave it to me and said, “Now tell me what’s up.”
“Mom, it’s detective stuff. We’re fine. I’ll see you later.”
I called the farm again. No answer. I dialed Stan’s and he picked up.
“Double-checking, Stan. Are you sure your dad didn’t take his car to the repair shop before your trip to Oregon?”
“He’s right here. Let me ask.”
Stan came back on. “We were going on a trip this week. Dad had an appointment at Carhardt’s, but he canceled it.”
Then how did the robbers get the key?
“Any other work on the car around that time?” I said.
Stan covered the phone again. Then, “Nothing but an oil change.”
“At Carhardt’s?”
“No. He always goes to Instant Oil.”
Chapter 57
When I got back a white van had pulled up and a lady in a blue uniform was talking with the officer and the paramedic. She was tall and thin and looked like one of those beach volleyball players, her hair pulled back under a baseball cap. She wore dark, wraparound sunglasses.
I whispered to Denise, “Do you know who the jogger was?”
“I’ve seen her before, but I can’t remember where.”
“Is she in the ambulance?”
Denise shook her head. “She limped off. Said she didn’t want any treatment but that somebody should take care of that dog.”
“I can’t imagine Buck attacking anyone.”
“He did,” Denise said. “I was out by our pool when I heard the barking. I didn’t think much of it because that dog barks a lot. Then I heard screaming. I threw on my robe and ran down here. He just attacked her as she was running. She had bite marks and blood on her legs. I don’t know how she walked away.”
“You actually saw the attack?”
“You bet I did. And I wouldn’t want anybody else to get bitten like that. Look at him. They say once a dog tastes human blood, he wants more.”
The officer came over. “Ashley, we’re going to take the animal.” The way he said animal made it sound like murderer.
“But we need him! He protects the herd!”
Buck growled again as the animal control lady joined us. “He was probably just scared,” she said. “Something about the jogger frightened him, and he probably thought he was protecting his herd, like you say. But we have to check him out, make sure nothing’s wrong, okay?”
I nodded, but it wasn’t okay. “Where are you taking him?”
“To the shelter. Until . . . we figure out what to do next.”
She went to her truck and brought out a long pole with a rope at the end.
“Wait,” I said. “You don’t have to use that.”
The officer waved. “We can’t let you—”
“Buck won’t hurt you. He’s nice. I’ll show you.”
Before they could stop me I crawled through the fence and knelt by Buck. I have to admit he had a wild look, like something wasn’t right. I reached to pet him and he growled.
“That’s it!” the officer shouted, drawing his gun again. “Get away from him!”
“It’s okay,” I whispered to Buck. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promise.”
Buck whined and turned, licking my hand. I patted his head and scratched under his chin, and he bounced up and ran around the alpacas. They were all restless and humming.
“Don’t let him get away!” the officer said.
“Put your gun away and I’ll bring him over,” I said. “Where do you want him?”
The lady pointed to the side door of her van. The officer and Denise stepped behind the sheriff’s cruiser. I crawled back through the fence and patted my knees, coaxing Buck to follow. He loped after me. I stepped into the van where a cage separated the driver from the back and smaller cages were stacked. Buck followed me inside, then whined as if sensing something wrong.
Before I knew it the door closed behind me, and a smaller door opened on the other side.
“Ashley, hurry!” the woman said.
I jumped out before Buck could follow. He scratched at the door, then started barking louder than I had ever heard him. I heard cages tumbling as he lunged at the back window, leaving streaks of blood on it.
“That’s one vicious dog,” the officer said.
Chapter 58
There had to be some connection between Instant Oil and Carhardt’s. I was convinced Eddie was involved—maybe copying house keys from people’s car key rings. All I had to do was prove it. If the police searched Eddie’s home, they were sure to find Mrs. Watson’s jewelry as well as stuff from the other houses.
I opened my first sandwich and ate it in about five bites. The chips were salty and good—I ate two bags fast. The water had almost melted completely, and I drank the rest of my first bottle.
I dialed the farmhouse again. Ashley must have been out with the alpacas. I sure hoped she hadn’t run into that bear.
A door banged and the mechanics returned. I settled back under my cover. I was so close to the floor I could see under Sam’s front seat. There were empty water bottles and food wrappers, plus a lot of dust. Before I could stifle it, I sneezed.
“Bless you, Eddie,” somebody said.
“That wasn’t me,” he said.
Chapter 59
Denise was still there when the officer, the animal control lady, and the ambulance pulled away.
“Where did the girl go?” I said.
Denise scowled. “I told you, back down the road, that way.”
“But there aren’t any houses there. And I don’t see any trail of blood.”
She shrugged. “She just said she didn’t want the paramedic treating her. But she gave her number to the guy and said she’d have her dad call to make sure they put the dog a
way.”
“You mean kill him?”
“The cop said they’d have to if they couldn’t get hold of the owner.”
“What!?”
Denise shook her head. “I’m sorry about the dog, but there’s no way they can let that thing run loose.”
“I have to find that girl. You sure you don’t know who she is?”
“Maybe a high schooler. Could be in college. I don’t know.”
I ran full tilt back to the barn and hopped on my ATV. By the time I roared to the road and shut the gate, Denise was gone. I was kicking up so much dust I decided to get off the road and into a field near some pine trees. The mountain loomed to my left and a cow pasture to my right.
Where could the girl have gone? I scanned the horizon. Near the access road off the interstate about half a mile away, someone ran toward a small car. I gunned it toward the road and tried to catch up, but the car pulled out in a cloud of dust and raced away.
Chapter 60
I held my breath as the guys tried to find who had sneezed. Finally someone turned the radio back on, and I felt relieved. I wondered what would happen if I just got out and walked to the waiting room and then outside. I could hoof it to Mrs. Watson’s, and Ashley could come get me, if I ever got hold of her.
Eddie said something about the exhaust system, and suddenly the truck rose several feet. My heart raced when I looked out the window. It felt like I was 10 feet off the ground. No way was I going to jump that far.
I could see out a window at the top of the garage as the sun traced across the sky. I wondered if Mom was worried. Maybe Ashley was already home and trying to cover for me. I tried the farm again, but there was no answer.
I could hear Eddie under the car. “Hey, we still on for the horse trailer? Remember I was hoping to borrow it this weekend?”
“Why don’t you just use your truck?”
“I need more space. Now can I use it?”
The other guy paused. “I don’t think my dad needs it.”
“Good. I’ll pick it up tomorrow morning before work if that’s okay.”
Chapter 61
I called Bryce as soon as I got back to the farmhouse. He picked up but didn’t even whisper. “Call when you can talk,” I said.
“When you can talk,” Lewis said.
“Shut up, bird.”
“Shut up, bird!” Lewis squawked.
While I was making myself a sandwich, Bryce finally called and told me what he’d heard.
“How do they get the keys?” I said.
“I’m not sure yet, but I know they’re planning a big heist tomorrow night.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know that either, but—”
“Bryce, remember we saw Mr. Morris there, talking to the owner about going out of town. Could the big heist be here?”
I heard clanging in the background, like someone had dropped a tool. Finally Bryce whispered, “Could be. We have to catch them.”
I told Bryce about Buck. He couldn’t believe it. “I guess animal control can’t take any chances,” he said, “but how are we going to protect the herd in the meantime?”
“We have no choice. We’ll have to do it ourselves and stay here overnight. When are you coming back?”
“That’s up in the air right now—literally.”
“I’ll come and get you,” I said.
“No, go home and wait. I’ll meet you there. If I’m not there by dinner, call me.”
Chapter 62
Ashley and I couldn’t leave the alpacas alone— especially at night—as long as Buck was away.
What if we did save their lives? Would Mr. Morris pay more? What if he gave us $5 an alpaca each day? I did the math on my watch calculator. Ashley and I would both get $700!
I knew it was wrong to think that way. I had to do a good job whether or not we were paid at all.
The longer I lay in the pickup, the more cramped my legs felt. I wanted to sleep, but I had to stay alert. I wondered what Ashley would tell Mom when she showed up at home without me.
Chapter 63
When I got home I went straight to Sam’s office above the barn. I didn’t want to face Mom because I knew she’d ask me where Bryce was, and I wasn’t going to lie.
Sam’s office is really cool. There’s a weight/exercise room on one end, where Bryce and I work out and play video games. On the other end is Sam’s office with a desk, file cabinets, and pictures of planes. Sometimes I go there just to think. Maybe the smell of coffee gets my mind going—it smells like one of those big bookstores we go to in Colorado Springs.
I couldn’t find anything that would scare off bears, mountain lions, or coyotes. Maybe something that made noise would work. A fire would keep them away—we had done that while camping.
Suddenly the intercom crackled to life. “Ashley, Bryce, are you over there?”
“I’m here, Mom.”
“Would you and Bryce get in here, please?”
Of course, as soon as I got inside, she said, “Where’s Bryce?”
“Around,” I said, sticking my head in the fridge. “What’s for dinner?”
Mom had a hand on her hip when I turned around. “What’s going on? I haven’t seen you two all day.”
I wanted to tell her all about Buck and Bryce, but I just shrugged and gave her my best laid-back answer. “Mom, it’s an alpaca thing.”
I could tell she wasn’t buying it. When she found out about everything, we’d have a lot of explaining to do, but that could wait.
I spotted Leigh’s key chain on the counter. She’d just gotten her driver’s license, and Sam had bought her a fancy chain with something attached.
“What’s this?” I said, holding it up.
“It’s spray Mace. Don’t ever touch that. It can blind people temporarily, and it’s only to be used if Leigh is attacked.”
“How close do you have to be?”
“It sprays something like 15 feet, but don’t—”
“I know. I know. I won’t use it on Dylan. Though I could have used it with Denise and Liz.”
She smiled. I could tell she wanted to talk. I ran for the front door.
“Where are you going now?”
“To check on Mrs. Watson.”
Chapter 64
I woke up as the truck shook and realized it had been lowered. Someone got in and started the engine.
I couldn’t believe I had fallen asleep. My body felt like a pretzel, and my mouth tasted like pennies. The guy got out and shut the door. I threw the cover off and sat up. My arm looked like I had a tattoo. It was covered with lines and dots from the floor, plus I had drool all over my cheek. I hate when that happens.
Just as I was about to make my move, Eddie reached for the door and I had to lie back down. He reached in and turned the engine off.
The phone rang, and the owner stuck his head into the garage. “Lover boy, it’s for you again. You’ve reached your quota.”
“Yes, sir,” Eddie said. He returned with the cordless phone, sat in the pickup, and rolled up the windows. “You make it out of there? . . . Good. What about the—? . . . You sure, ’cause I’m not going into that place with—”
Eddie seemed more and more excited. “Okay, good. You gave them the right name? . . . All right, on break I’ll call them from a pay phone and chew them out, tell them I want him taken care of.” He lowered his voice and acted like he was older. Then he laughed. “Hey, we’re almost home free. This’ll be our last gig and you can finally tell your mom to shove it.”
I was relieved when he was finally out of the truck again. I had been wrong before, jumped to conclusions about people, so I tried to think of anything he could be talking about that didn’t involve stealing. “Our last gig” made me think of music—could he be part of a band? Maybe the trailer was for hauling amps and equipment.
I was hot, tired, and ready to get out of here. It was getting hard to breathe again, but how could I slip out without anyone seeing me?
Ashley.
“I left something in there. Can I—?”
“Sure,” Eddie said, “go ahead.”
Ashley climbed inside. “You still alive?” she whispered.
“Barely.”
“I’ll cause a diversion in the waiting area. When you hear me scream, get out of here.”
Ashley took some papers from the glove compartment and got out. I sat up and got ready. Seconds later Ashley screamed, and the mechanics rushed toward the sound.
I jumped out and crab walked out of the garage to the parking lot. I leaned against a tree, finally able to breathe.
Ashley came out of the waiting room, brushing off her shirt and smiling.
“What’d you do in there?” I said.
“You know that big stack of tires? It’s kind of not there anymore. Clumsy me.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I could’ve been stuck there all night.”
We crossed the street and hurried toward Mrs. Watson’s house where Ashley had parked her ATV. I stopped short.
Ashley turned. “What?”
I put my head down and kept walking. Eddie was on the other side of the road watching us.
Chapter 65
I kept complimenting Mom on how tasty everything was at dinner until Bryce kicked me under the table. I guess he thought I was overdoing it, especially in front of Dylan and Leigh.
“Mom?” Bryce said. “What would you think about Ashley and me sleeping at the Morrises’ tonight? Mr. Morris said he wanted us to.”
“Can I go too?” Dylan said.
Mom shook her head. “Not with Sam gone. I don’t want you out there alone. That big dog you told me about can take care of the alpacas tonight.”
I was desperate to persuade her without telling what had happened to Buck, and I especially didn’t want to say anything about the evidence of a bear. Bryce seemed at a loss for words too.
Wild Rescue Page 7
