The Dog-Gone Mystery

  After Mrs. Servus left, Jessie said they had brought Watch in for a grooming.

  “Wonderful,” said Candy Wilson. She bent down to pet Watch. She fed him a one-bite dog biscuit. Then she led him into one of the big steel tubs. The children watched as Watch got a bath. Ms. Wilson talked to Watch the whole time. Jessie thought that Watch was very calm—more calm than when he got a bath at home.

  After the bath, Ms. Wilson gave Watch another one-bite treat, then led him to the grooming table and raised it. She hooked Watch’s collar to a metal arm that kept him from moving around too much. “Good dog,” she said as she petted him.

  She looked at the children. “Now,” she said. “How would you like Watch to look?”

  “Just like himself,” answered Jessie.

  “Only neater,” added Henry.

  “That’s easy,” said Ms. Wilson. “Terriers look neat to begin with. Are you sure you want Watch to look just like he does? I could change his looks a lot.”

  “We like Watch the way he is,” said Violet.

  “Okay,” said Ms. Wilson as she began to trim Watch’s fur with electric clippers. “Watch isn’t a show dog, is he?” she asked.

  The children said he wasn’t.

  “He looks like a healthy dog,” said Ms. Wilson as she worked. “And friendly, too,” she said. “Those are the best kinds of dogs, don’t you think?”

  The Aldens agreed.

  After Ms. Wilson finished trimming Watch’s fur, she took a pair of small clippers from her apron pocket. Then she carefully clipped Watch’s toenails. “There,” she said after she finished. She gave Watch a last treat, then lowered the table. “Watch looks great,” she said. “I’ll bet he’s never looked better.”

  Henry, Violet, and Benny agreed. Even Jessie agreed. They paid for the grooming, using their twenty-percent-off coupon for a discount. “Be sure to come back again,” Candy Wilson said as they left.

  “Watch looks really good!” said Benny once they were out on the sidewalk.

  Watch pranced with his head high.

  “Yes,” admitted Jessie. “Ms. Wilson did a really good job. And she was so good with Watch.”

  “Dogs trust her,” said Violet. “She keeps them calm and happy.”

  “That’s because she gives them doggie treats,” said Benny. The others laughed.

  CHAPTER 4

  Dog Gone Again

  After such a busy morning, the children were glad to be back home. “You all look like you need a good lunch,” said Mrs. McGregor as Henry, Jessie, and Violet sat down to eat.

  “Oh, my!” Mrs. McGregor said as she noticed Watch. “Whatever happened to Watch? He looks beautiful.”

  “Watch was groomed today,” said Jessie. “Do you really like how he looks?”

  “Oh, yes,” said Mrs. McGregor. “He almost looks like a different dog.” She looked around. “Where is Benny? It’s not like him to be late for food.”

  Just then Benny came running in. “I’m not late, am I?” he asked, out of breath.

  “What were you doing?” asked Jessie.

  “I was looking all around our boxcar,” Benny answered. “Just in case Boxcar might be there.”

  “What makes you think Boxcar would come here?” Jessie asked.

  “Well, we lived in a boxcar when we ran away,” said Benny. “I thought Boxcar might do the same thing.”

  “Thank you for checking,” said Jessie with a smile.

  Mrs. McGregor put lunch on the table. The children passed around the tacos and toppings.

  “I really hope Boxcar comes home soon,” said Violet. “He must be sad. Maybe he’s scared.”

  “But if Boxcar was stolen, he can’t come home,” said Henry.

  All through lunch, the children discussed whether Boxcar was lost or stolen. They even talked about it as they rode their bikes to dog training class. Watch ran alongside the bikes.

  They parked their bikes in the bright yellow bike rack. Watch ran up to the door of Dog Gone Good and barked.

  “I think Watch likes going to school,” said Benny.

  Henry opened the door and they all entered Dog Gone Good. They almost walked into Christie, Mr. Kovack’s bloodhound. She was sitting by the door.

  Mr. Kovack was bending down alongside Grayson. Henry looked around, but Mrs. Servus wasn’t in the room. That’s strange, he thought.

  “Hi, Mr. Kovack,” said Benny, walking up to him. “What are you doing with Grayson’s collar?”

  Mr. Kovack was holding Grayson’s leather collar. Then something fell out of Mr. Kovack’s hand and rolled around on the floor. “You dropped something,” said Benny. “I’ll get it.” Benny stooped down to pick up the shiny silver, but Mr. Kovack blocked his way.

  “I’ve got it,” said Mr. Kovack. “Just a dime,” he said, putting it into his pocket.

  Benny didn’t know what the silver thing was, but he knew it wasn’t a dime. He wondered why Mr. Kovack had told a lie.

  By this time Jessie, Violet, and Henry were all standing around Mr. Kovack and Grayson.

  “You took Grayson’s collar off,” said Jessie. Mr. Kovack scowled at Jessie. He put Grayson’s collar back on.

  Violet looked closely at the big, friendly malamute dog. It did have blue eyes, just like she thought.

  Mr. Kovack stood up. “It’s a nice collar,” he said. “I just wanted to see what kind it was.”

  The door opened again, and Mrs. Servus walked in carrying coffee and rolls. Henry went to help her.

  “Here you are,” she said, handing Mr. Kovack a glazed roll and a cup of coffee. “Your roll and your free coffee from Bread Loaf Bakery.”

  “Thanks,” said Mr. Kovack.

  Henry wondered why Mr. Kovack didn’t get his coffee himself. Did he want to be alone with Grayson Majesty? he thought.

  Just then Roxanne walked into the room from her office, and Mrs. Garrett walked in the front door with Double and Trouble. The twin dogs started barking. Watch barked back at them. The two big dogs, Grayson and Christie, just looked down at the tiny dogs. Mr. Smith walked in the door with his bulldog, Wrinkles, and the dog training class began.

  Roxanne began with sit. The owners all said “sit” to their dogs. The Aldens had agreed that only one of them at a time would talk to Watch. Benny started. When he said “sit,” Watch sat. “Good dog,” said Benny, patting Watch on the head.

  Jessie watched the other dogs. Mr. Kovack’s dog was wonderful. Christie just sat and looked around and waited. Wrinkles did well, and so did Grayson. Double sat, but Trouble would not. Finally Roxanne helped out and got Trouble to sit.

  The next command was down. It was Violet’s turn to give the command. Watch sat, but he did not lie down. Violet gently pushed him down, but he sat right back up.

  Roxanne came over with some treats in her hand. “Down,” she said to Watch, pushing him down gently. Watch lay down, but sat up for the treat. Roxanne wouldn’t give it to him. Instead, she handed the treat to Violet. “Down,” said Violet. Watch lay down. Only then did Violet give him the treat. “Good dog,” she said, patting him.

  “Good work, Violet,” said Roxanne.

  Violet smiled shyly.

  Jessie was still watching the other dogs and owners. The instant that Mr. Kovack said anything, his dog did it. Jessie thought that Christie didn’t need dog training. Why is Mr. Kovack here? she wondered.

  Just then the door opened, and Candy Wilson walked in. “Hello,” she called out. “I just dropped by to see how everybody is doing. Did anybody notice how beautiful Grayson and Watch look?” she asked.

  “Yes,” said Mrs. Garrett as she held on to Double and Trouble. “I noticed. And I would like you to groom Double and Trouble, if you wouldn’t mind coming out to my house to do it.”

  Ms. Wilson frowned at the two little dogs. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I don’t do house calls. I’ll be happy to groom both dogs at Clip and Yip. Just drop in any time.” Ms. Wilson knelt down to help untangle Double and Trouble’s leashes.
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  Another door opened, and Mr. Brooks stepped out of Roxanne’s office. “It’s all ready,” he said to her in a friendly way. “I’ll just go back to my shop.”

  “Thank you so much!” Roxanne called after him as he left.

  Violet found it strange that Mr. Brooks was being so friendly with Roxanne. Just this morning he thought that Roxanne stole his dog! she thought. Violet also wondered what Mr. Brooks meant when he said, “It’s all ready.”

  The next command that Roxanne taught was heel. She asked Mr. Kovack to give Christie the heel command. He did, and then he and his dog walked all around the large room. Christie heeled perfectly.

  Jessie commanded Watch to heel. She thought Watch looked very good as he walked alongside her. “Good dog,” she said.

  When the class was almost over, Roxanne took the owners and dogs outside the building. “Now,” said Roxanne as the whole group stood there. “Each of you must take your dog to a different side of the building. Tell your dog to stay. Then walk back here to meet me in the parking lot. This will be like real life, when an owner ties his dog up and goes into a store.”

  “I don’t think Wrinkles will stay for ten minutes,” complained Mr. Smith.

  “Wrinkles is a good dog,” said Roxanne. “He will stay.”

  Mr. Kovack spoke up. “I’m sorry,” he said, “but neither my dog nor I can stay.”

  Henry thought that was quite funny.

  “I have to leave early for a meeting,” Mr. Kovack told Roxanne. “Come!” he called, and his bloodhound trotted after him.

  “It’s time for me to leave, too,” said Candy Wilson. “I have more grooming appointments. Bye, everybody!” She headed toward her white van.

  Roxanne clapped her hands to get everybody’s attention. “Okay, owners. Take your dog to a spot near the building. Tell your dog stay, then come back here.”

  Jessie gently tugged Watch’s leash and he followed her. She took Watch to the far side of the building and tied him up so that he was across from a little window.

  “This is a good spot,” she told Watch. She commanded him to stay, and then she walked back to the parking lot.

  When all the owners except Mr. Kovack were back in the parking lot, Roxanne told them she had a surprise. “I always give treats to good dogs,” she said. “Now I have treats for all you good owners.”

  “Oh, boy,” said Benny.

  “Let’s all go to my office for lemonade and cookies,” said Roxanne. “Mr. Brooks made them, so you know they are delicious. After ten minutes, we’ll all go outside and see how your dogs are doing.”

  The dog owners followed Roxanne toward her office. Just before they reached the door, Jessie whispered, “Wait!” to her brothers and sister. After all the owners were inside Roxanne’s office, Jessie pointed to a door down the hallway.

  “That’s the women’s washroom,” she whispered. “I’m going to stay in there and look out the window to make sure nobody steals Watch.”

  “Good idea,” said Henry.

  Jessie went into the washroom. She stood on a radiator and peeked out the window at Watch. Jessie was proud that Watch was still sitting and waiting for her.

  Then she saw Mr. Brooks walk by. What’s he doing here? thought Jessie. He was supposed to be going back to his shop. As she watched, Mr. Brooks stopped to pat Watch on the head.

  Then he kept walking.

  Next, Jessie heard the sound of a car motor. It seemed to be going very fast. But she couldn’t see the car itself.

  Violet came into the washroom. “Is Watch okay?” she asked her sister.

  “So far,” said Jessie.

  “Roxanne left the room for a few minutes,” said Violet. “But she came back. Now she says it’s time to go see our dogs,” said Violet.

  Jessie and Violet joined the others. They walked out of the Dog Gone Good building. Together, the owners walked out of the building and around it. Double and Trouble were in the first spot. They were not sitting. Their leashes were all tangled up. “Oh, dear,” said Mrs. Garrett as she started to untangle everything.

  Around the corner was Wrinkles, who was sitting. “Good dog,” said Mr. Smith, giving Wrinkles a treat.

  Watch was around the other corner. He was still sitting. “Good dog,” said Jessie, as she gave Watch his treat.

  “Two bad dogs and two good dogs,” joked Mrs. Servus as they turned the last corner. “Grayson Majesty will of course be a good—” suddenly Mrs. Servus screamed. “Grayson! Grayson! Where is he? My dog is gone!”

  CHAPTER 5

  Blue Eyes

  Roxanne looked at Grayson’s leash, which was still tied to a small tree. “Your dog broke his leash and ran away,” she said.

  Suddenly Mr. Kovack and his bloodhound came running from the nearby park. “What’s wrong?” asked Mr. Kovack. “I heard somebody scream.”

  “Grayson Majesty is gone,” cried Mrs. Servus. “Please help me find him. He broke loose from his leash.”

  “We’ll help you find him,” Violet said to Mrs. Servus.

  “Yes,” said Jessie. “Maybe we should start looking right now?” she asked Roxanne.

  But Roxanne wasn’t listening. She was looking at Mr. Kovack. “I trusted you,” she said. “Now look what’s happened.”

  Henry wondered what Roxanne meant about trusting Mr. Kovack. He also wondered what Mr. Kovack was doing here. “You said you couldn’t stay,” Henry said to him. “But you’re still here.”

  “I took Christie for a walk first,” answered Mr. Kovack.

  Henry picked up the end of the leash that wasn’t tied to the tree. There was no ragged tear across the leather. Instead, there was a very clean cut. “This leash wasn’t broken,” said Henry. “It looks like somebody cut it.”

  “Let me see that,” demanded Mr. Kovack. He looked at the leash, then he looked at Henry. Roxanne looked over his shoulder. “This leash has been cut,” said Mr. Kovack. He turned to Mrs. Servus.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, “but it looks as if somebody cut this leash and took your dog.” Mr. Kovack rolled up the leash and put it in his pocket.

  “Took?” asked Mrs. Servus. “You mean stole? Grayson has been stolen?” Mrs. Servus was very upset. She was pacing around in circles, waving her arms.

  Violet felt very sorry for her.

  All at once Mrs. Servus stopped in front of Roxanne. “This is your fault,” she shouted. “You run a training school where dogs are stolen!”

  “N-n-no, I don’t,” said Roxanne. “I don’t know why this is happening.”

  Now Violet felt bad for Roxanne.

  “You are in big trouble,” Mrs. Servus told Roxanne. “Grayson Majesty is a purebred malamute. He’s worth big money! He’s a valuable show dog.”

  “That’s not true,” said Mr. Kovack.

  Everybody turned to look at him.

  “What’s not true?” asked Jessie.

  “It’s not true that Grayson is a valuable show dog,” Mr. Kovack said.

  “Yes, he is!” said Mrs. Servus. She turned to Roxanne. “He’s worth big money and I’m going to make you pay.”

  “No,” begged Roxanne. “Please don’t do that.”

  “We’ll help you find your dog,” Henry said to Mrs. Servus. “We’re good at finding things.”

  But nobody listened to what Henry was saying. Everybody was shouting at everybody else.

  “Your dog isn’t a valuable show dog because he isn’t a purebred malamute,” said Mr. Kovack to Mrs. Servus.

  Mrs. Servus gasped. “Yes he is. My dog is a purebred malamute!”

  Mr. Kovack just shook his head. “No,” he said. “Your dog has blue eyes. Only dark-eyed malamutes are purebred. The ones with blue eyes can’t enter shows for purebred malamutes.”

  Now Mrs. Servus was even more upset. She was so upset she began to hiccup and couldn’t speak.

  Violet remembered what Mrs. Servus had said about her dog’s eyes the first day of class.

  “Mrs. Servus must want people to t
hink that Grayson is a show dog,” she whispered to Jessie. “That’s why she wouldn’t admit he has blue eyes.”

  “Please don’t be upset,” Henry told Mrs. Servus. “It doesn’t matter what color your dog’s eyes are. He’s still the best dog in the world to you.”

  Mrs. Servus looked at Henry gratefully. She nodded her head. “Yes. I just want him back.” Tears filled her eyes.

  “I think we should start looking for Grayson,” Jessie said.

  “Yes,” said Henry. “Right now.”

  “You kids are right,” muttered Mr. Kovack. “Henry, can you take charge and lead the search?”

  “Sure,” said Henry.

  Mr. Kovack turned to Roxanne. “I’d better get to my meeting,” he said. “But you can help with the search.”

  “Uh, well, uh,” said Roxanne. “I mean, I can’t help search. I’d like to, but I have to get ready for my next class. Sorry about that.”

  Violet noticed that Mrs. Servus frowned at Roxanne.

  Henry organized everybody into four groups. He sent each group in a different direction, with instructions to ask questions to everyone they met.

  Roxanne stayed behind. So did Mr. Kovack, who hadn’t left yet.

  “I’ll watch your dogs for you,” Roxanne told the dog owners.

  But nobody wanted to leave their dogs with Roxanne. Everybody took their dog with them.

  Jessie and Mr. Smith were on the same team. Watch and Wrinkles seemed to like each other.

  Jessie and Mr. Smith walked by the Bread Loaf Bakery. They asked Mr. Brooks if he had seen Grayson Majesty.

  “You mean he’s missing?” asked Mr. Brooks.

  “I’m afraid so,” answered Mr. Smith. “His leash was cut. We’re afraid he was stolen. And Roxanne won’t help us look.”

  Mr. Brooks was silent. Finally, he spoke. “I don’t think Roxanne stole Boxcar or Grayson,” he said.

  “What made you change your mind?” asked Jessie.

  “Roxanne is just too good a person to steal a dog,” Mr. Brooks replied. “She came to my shop at lunch and we had a long talk. She told me she would never steal a dog. I believe her. That’s why I made cookies and lemonade for the class.”