by Emily Ecton
Madison’s aunt had agreed to the new living arrangement right away and was horrified that Madison had been living on her own for so long. Mrs. Food was officially Madison’s guardian for as long as her aunt was deployed. Walt and Oscar had hoped to be named guardians too and were more than a little offended that no one had even asked them.
Mrs. Food wiped her hands on a dish towel and made her way down the hallway to her office, carefully checking for any obstacles placed in her path. The last thing she wanted was a return trip to the hospital. But she didn’t need to worry. Butterbean had a new policy—from now on, whenever she barfed, she would immediately clean it up herself. So far it seemed to be working well.
“I still don’t see why SHE gets the reward,” Butterbean grumbled, grabbing her squeaky carrot and tossing it into the air after Mrs. Food had closed the office door. “I mean, it was Walt and Oscar who called. And the elevator lady’s sister. THEY should get the reward.”
“It’ll be easier for her to spend it,” Walt said wearily. They’d had this conversation at least five times. “And think of it this way—we got two caretakers out of the deal. Now if something goes wrong with Mrs. Food again, we have a backup.”
“But we had a treasure! And now we’re poor!” There was just something about those gold coins. Butterbean really would’ve liked to roll in them one last time.
“Polo got a new button,” Marco pointed out. Mrs. Food had left the rats’ aquarium out in the living room—the other animals had objected when she tried to move it back to the office. And Marco and Polo were enjoying their new view.
“That’s right. That’s kind of like a treasure,” Polo said, admiring the button around her neck. Marco had tied the string in a double knot this time.
“I guess so,” Butterbean said, sitting up.
A cabinet door slammed. “What the heck?” Oscar craned his neck to look into the kitchen. “That’s not Chad again, is it?”
“Hey, Chad,” Butterbean said. It was Chad. Again.
Chad was sitting in the sink with a package of sardines he’d gotten from the cabinet. He grabbed the pull tab with one of his tentacles and sucked the sardines down without a word. So far Mrs. Food hadn’t noticed how quickly they’d been disappearing.
“You know, one day Mrs. Food is going to catch you doing that and it’ll all be over,” Walt said, licking a paw. “She’s cool, but I don’t know if she’s strange-octopus-in-the-sink cool.”
“Hey, guys!” Wallace emerged from behind the sofa. His cheeks were filled with sunflower seeds, and he was leaving a trail of shells as he walked.
“Is she strange-rat-in-the-living-room cool?” Butterbean asked.
“She’s going to have to be. After all, they’re members of our gang. Go, Strathmore Six!” Marco cheered.
“Marco!” Polo hissed. “Rude! Wallace isn’t a member. It’s the Strathmore SIX, get it? He’d make it seven.”
Wallace stopped chewing and looked at them, hurt. A shell dropped out of his mouth. “You guys have a gang?”
“More of an International Crime Syndicate,” Oscar said. He hopped onto the Television and snapped his beak. “All in favor of including Wallace and making it the Strathmore Seven?”
“WHOOOHOO!” Marco cheered, high-fiving Wallace, who choked on a seed.
“Sounds good to me,” Walt said.
“Me too!” Butterbean yelped. “Strathmore Seven!”
“Any more sardines?” Chad asked.
“I’ve never been in a club. Thanks, you guys.” Wallace blushed. “But I wanted to tell you—the Patchouli Family was watching the news. The heist is on TV. Channel Seven.”
“Ooh, we’re famous!” Oscar crowed, hopping on the remote and turning the Television to Channel Seven.
“…Prosecutors say that an anonymous tip led police to the apartment, where they were able to arrest the thieves and recover most of the coins that had been stolen.”
“Wait a minute.” Walt stepped on the pause button. “MOST of the coins?”
Oscar shifted from foot to foot. “Hmm. Wow. That’s, um. Interesting.”
Walt cocked her head. “Oscar?”
Oscar sighed. “FINE.” He hopped over to the sofa and dragged Mrs. Food’s embroidered bag out from underneath. With obvious effort, he tossed it into the middle of the living room.
The flap burst open, and gold coins spilled out.
Five jaws dropped simultaneously.
Oscar folded his wings. “Well, you didn’t expect me to return ALL of them, did you?” he grumbled. “What if it happens again? We might NEED them!”
Walt flopped back onto her haunches. “Well, that’s it. We’re officially criminals.”
“But criminals who can do this!” Butterbean yelped, bouncing in excitement. “Oscar, can I?”
Oscar swept his wing in the direction of the coins. “Feel free.” He looked at Marco and Polo and Wallace. “You too.” He winked at Marco. “Now’s the appropriate time.”
“WHOOHOO!” Marco shrieked, pumping his fists.
With cheers of happiness, Butterbean, Marco, Polo, and Wallace all threw themselves into the small pile of coins, rolling around and flinging coins in the air.
Walt and Oscar exchanged glances.
“Oh, heck,” Walt said, jumping in after them. Oscar was only a second behind her.
And across the room, Chad began inching toward the celebration. He was an expert coin flinger.
Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the hard work of the amazing people at Atheneum. I was so lucky to get to work with you all.
Special thanks to Reka Simonsen (rock star), Kate Testerman (also a rock star), and David Mottram (another rock star) for bringing Butterbean and the rest of the Strathmore Seven to life.
Thanks also to:
The real life Colleen and Elizabeth, for being such good sports and letting me borrow your names.
The real life Bob, whose name I also borrowed, and who was one of my dog Binky’s favorite people.
My SCBWI friends, for encouraging me even when I got stuck halfway through the book.
My family, for reading endless revisions without complaint (to me, anyway) and for helping me look for the flash drive containing the first Pet Heist draft long after it was obvious that it had disappeared forever. (If anyone ever finds it, let me know.)
And finally, thanks to the elevator voice at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. The way you say “lobby” gets me every time.
(No animals were harmed in the making of this book. However, some did have their schedules rearranged, their meals delayed, and their walks cut short. Apologies to all.)
More from the Author
Night of the Living Lawn Ornaments
About the Author and Illustrator
Emily Ecton is the author of eight middle-grade books published under the names Emily Ecton and Emily Fairlie. She is also a former writer and producer for Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, the Peabody Award–winning comedy news quiz on NPR. She lives in Virginia with a law-abiding dog with no known criminal affiliations. Visit her at emilyecton.com.
Dave Mottram is an illustrator living in Ohio who worked as a graphic designer for many years, which led him to pursue his passion for illustration. He paints traditionally and digitally with color and layers and line. He lives with Gracie, a law-abiding black Lab with no criminal affiliations. Visit him at davemottram.com.
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Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Simon & Schuster, New York
ATHENEUM BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people,
or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2020 by Emily Ecton
Illustrations copyright © 2020 by David Mottram
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Interior design by Tom Daly
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Ecton, Emily, author. | Mottram, Dave, illustrator.
Title: The great pet heist / Emily Ecton ; illustrated by Dave Mottram.
Description: First edition. | New York City : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, [2020] | Audience: Ages 8–12. | Audience: Grades 4–6. | Summary: When their elderly owner goes to the hospital, Butterbean the dachshund, Walt the cat, Oscar the mynah bird, and rats Marco and Polo plan a robbery to support themselves.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019035648 | ISBN 9781534455368 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781534455382 (eBook) Subjects: CYAC: Pets—Fiction. | Robbers and outlaws—Fiction. | Humorous stories.
Classification: LCC PZ7.E21285 Gre 2020 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019035648
