Read Online Smart Dog by Vivian Vande Velde - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Vivian Vande Velde
Tags: Ages 8 and up
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Dr. Boden said. "It's not some common-medical-experiment disposable mutt. I could have you up on charges of grand larceny."
"I could have you up on charges of trespassing and harassment," Dad countered.
Dr. Boden snorted. But he moved his foot out of the way.
Dad slammed the door shut.
From the window, they watched him walk around to the side of the house to look over their fence. Mom clutched at Dad's arm and glanced at the phone, but there wasn't time to call for help. As soon as Dr. Boden saw there was no dog in their yard, he went back out to the street where his car was parked. When he opened the door and the overhead light came on, Amy caught the cold glint of a metal cage in the back. Dr. Boden took out a notebook and wrote something down. Only then did he close the door and drive away.
Mom rubbed her arms as though she were chilled. "What an unpleasant man."
Dad hugged her. He hugged Amy, too. Then, crumpling the flier and throwing it away without even putting on his glasses to look at it, he said, "I hope he never gets his dog back."
"Me, too," Amy whispered. "Me, too."
Special Day
Amy knew it would be too dangerous to walk to school by way of Minneh's house: If Dr. Boden or one of his people was watching Amy, she'd lead him straight to Sherlock. Still, she planned to leave the house as early as she could get away with—in the hope that Minneh would do the same—and at least that would give them a few minutes to talk together before classes started.
But as Amy was heading for the door, Mom said, "Hold on. Don't forget me."
For a moment Amy thought Mom must still be nervous about Dr. Boden's visit last night, and suddenly
she
worried, too. Would he come looking for her at school? But then she remembered that this was a special day: This was the last day—actually,
half
day—before Easter vacation. Sister Mary Grace had invited parents to come to school because Kaitlyn Walker's grandmother was going to demonstrate how to make Ukrainian Easter eggs. After the presentation, children and parents would have a chance to decorate their own eggs.
"Oh," Amy said, trying not to sound disappointed, trying to sound, in fact, pleased. "That's right. I forgot." She watched the minutes pass as her mother finished getting ready, then, together, they traveled by car the three blocks Amy normally walked alone.
Since school was being dismissed after morning classes, Sister Mary Grace had gotten permission to use the cafeteria, where the long tables would give people enough room to work without being cramped with one or two adults plus a child to a desk. Then, after making the Easter eggs, there'd be a pizza party.
As Amy and Mom walked down the long hall to the cafeteria, Amy saw with horror that she and her mother had arrived right behind Sean Gorman and his mother. Amy and Sean had pretended in front of Mom that they hadn't known each other. How could they ever answer if she started asking complicated questions now?
Calm down,
Amy told herself.
How likely is it that Mom will recognize Sean?
She watched the back of his head and his distinctive bouncy walk.
Very likely,
she decided.
"Hey, Mom," she said, practically steering her mother into the wall, "did you see these cute pictures the third graders made out of cotton balls? Aren't they fun?"
Her voice and enthusiasm must have carried, because ahead of them Mrs. Gorman also paused to look at the pictures hanging on the wall.
Mom, looking at the wall of pictures, was just starting to say, "Oh, yes, they are—" when Amy jabbed her finger at one of the pictures, demanding Mom's closer attention. "Look at the detail on this one." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sean notice them. It must have sunk in for him that he and Amy might have a lot of fast explaining to do because he started tugging on his mother's arm to get her moving again.
Mom was just saying, "They're—" when Amy pointed to the next picture to make sure she didn't look up, and said, "And see how
"I could have you up on charges of trespassing and harassment," Dad countered.
Dr. Boden snorted. But he moved his foot out of the way.
Dad slammed the door shut.
From the window, they watched him walk around to the side of the house to look over their fence. Mom clutched at Dad's arm and glanced at the phone, but there wasn't time to call for help. As soon as Dr. Boden saw there was no dog in their yard, he went back out to the street where his car was parked. When he opened the door and the overhead light came on, Amy caught the cold glint of a metal cage in the back. Dr. Boden took out a notebook and wrote something down. Only then did he close the door and drive away.
Mom rubbed her arms as though she were chilled. "What an unpleasant man."
Dad hugged her. He hugged Amy, too. Then, crumpling the flier and throwing it away without even putting on his glasses to look at it, he said, "I hope he never gets his dog back."
"Me, too," Amy whispered. "Me, too."
Special Day
Amy knew it would be too dangerous to walk to school by way of Minneh's house: If Dr. Boden or one of his people was watching Amy, she'd lead him straight to Sherlock. Still, she planned to leave the house as early as she could get away with—in the hope that Minneh would do the same—and at least that would give them a few minutes to talk together before classes started.
But as Amy was heading for the door, Mom said, "Hold on. Don't forget me."
For a moment Amy thought Mom must still be nervous about Dr. Boden's visit last night, and suddenly
she
worried, too. Would he come looking for her at school? But then she remembered that this was a special day: This was the last day—actually,
half
day—before Easter vacation. Sister Mary Grace had invited parents to come to school because Kaitlyn Walker's grandmother was going to demonstrate how to make Ukrainian Easter eggs. After the presentation, children and parents would have a chance to decorate their own eggs.
"Oh," Amy said, trying not to sound disappointed, trying to sound, in fact, pleased. "That's right. I forgot." She watched the minutes pass as her mother finished getting ready, then, together, they traveled by car the three blocks Amy normally walked alone.
Since school was being dismissed after morning classes, Sister Mary Grace had gotten permission to use the cafeteria, where the long tables would give people enough room to work without being cramped with one or two adults plus a child to a desk. Then, after making the Easter eggs, there'd be a pizza party.
As Amy and Mom walked down the long hall to the cafeteria, Amy saw with horror that she and her mother had arrived right behind Sean Gorman and his mother. Amy and Sean had pretended in front of Mom that they hadn't known each other. How could they ever answer if she started asking complicated questions now?
Calm down,
Amy told herself.
How likely is it that Mom will recognize Sean?
She watched the back of his head and his distinctive bouncy walk.
Very likely,
she decided.
"Hey, Mom," she said, practically steering her mother into the wall, "did you see these cute pictures the third graders made out of cotton balls? Aren't they fun?"
Her voice and enthusiasm must have carried, because ahead of them Mrs. Gorman also paused to look at the pictures hanging on the wall.
Mom, looking at the wall of pictures, was just starting to say, "Oh, yes, they are—" when Amy jabbed her finger at one of the pictures, demanding Mom's closer attention. "Look at the detail on this one." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sean notice them. It must have sunk in for him that he and Amy might have a lot of fast explaining to do because he started tugging on his mother's arm to get her moving again.
Mom was just saying, "They're—" when Amy pointed to the next picture to make sure she didn't look up, and said, "And see how
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