Dognapped! Read Online Free

‘Now, why don’t you stop playing detective and go out and see if you can find the dog. After all, you’re the one responsible for this.’
    ‘That’s not fair, someone deliberately let Fluffy out of the garden,’ Max blurted out.
    I shot him a warning glance, but before I could say anything more, Emily poked her head around the door.
    ‘Any news about Fluffy, Mrs Carter?’ she asked.
    ‘I’m afraid not,’ Gran said, dabbing her eyes with a crumpled tissue. ‘The poor dear has been out all night. I hope she isn’t lying injured somewhere.’
    ‘I’m sure she isn’t, or someone would have found her by now,’ Emily reassured her. ‘Try not to worry, she’s sure to turn up soon.’
    I followed Emily out into the hall. ‘Were you in yesterday afternoon between 2.10 pm and 2.30 pm when Fluffy disappeared?’ I asked. ‘If so, I wondered if you saw or heard anything strange?’
    Emily shook her head. ‘You know I wasn’t, you saw me come in later.’
    I had, hadn’t I? Although it was possible she’d come in and gone back out again. But Emily adored Fluffy, she’d be the first one to say if she saw anything strange.
    ‘I was just checking,’ I told her. ‘I can’t believe that Fluffy has disappeared without anyone seeing or hearing anything. I mean, she’s the sort of dog you notice.’
    ‘She’s a lovely dog, and I’m sorry I can’t help, but I’ll keep an eye out for her,’ Emily promised.
    ‘Amy, can you please go to the corner shop and get me some milk,’ Gran called.
    I hated going to the store, but I felt so guilty for losing Fluffy, I would do anything to help Gran at the moment. ‘Sure. No probs!’
    It turned out that, as usual, Gran didn’t just want a bottle of milk, but a whole heap of stuff. I took the list from her, and set off. Max followed me. Great – it really didn’t do my street cred any good to have a little kid with me.
    ‘Haven’t you got a home to go to?’ I asked as soon as we were outside.
    ‘Charming! Well if that’s how you feel, don’t expect me to come running when you want some help finding Fluffy!’ he retorted, storming off.
    He had a point. I needed him right now. I guess I could let him hang around with me until we had found Fluffy.
    ‘Okay, you can come with me,’ I shouted.
    He turned around, arms folded. ‘Well, maybe I don’t want to now,’ he scowled. ‘Not unless you ask me properly.’
    If I let him have the upper hand, I’d never hear the end of it. But, could I conduct the investigation without his help? I weighed up the odds of him storming off. He’d been hanging around me since I arrived, I didn’t reckon he’d stop doing it now. So I shrugged, ‘Please yourself,’ and set off up the street to the corner store. Sure enough, a few seconds later I heard Max running after me.
    Mrs Brewson was already in the store, talking to another neighbour. She glanced at us, then walked over to the counter to pay for her shopping. But not before I had a chance to check out the contents of her basket.
    ‘Does Mrs Brewson have a dog?’ I quietly whispered to Max.
    Max looked at me in surprise. ‘No, why?’
    ‘Because she’s buying a tin of dog food.’
    Max spun around to stare at Mrs Brewson, I yanked him back. ‘Don’t let her know we’ve sussed her out. Just act natural.’
    I raced around the store, gathering the stuff Gran wanted, hoping to finish at the same time as Mrs Brewson, but she got out of there pretty sharp and was halfway down the street by the time we left.
    ‘She knows we’re onto her, that’s why she made a quick getaway,’ I told Max.
    ‘Do you really think she’s got Fluffy?’
    ‘Well I don’t reckon she’s bought the dog food to make a pie, do you? You said yourself she doesn’t like Fluffy, and doesn’t get on with Gran.’
    ‘But if she doesn’t like Fluffy, why would she want to steal her?’ Max objected.
    I rolled my eyes. ‘Duh! To teach Gran a lesson, of course. Let’s drop this shopping