Shivers 7 Read Online Free

in the lake last summer. She drowned, and it took the cops three days to find her down there in that cold black water, down there in the mud with only a blanket of water lilies to keep her warm. And now someone has brought her dog here, brought him here to drown in a canvas bag wrapped with gift ribbons of royal purple and dark valentine red, brought him here like a present for a dead little girl—
    It all starts to make sense to Bill. Like Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick, like Professor Plum in the kitchen with a rope...
    The dog cocks his head toward the shadows and growls.
    Bill reaches down and grabs Red Rover’s collar.
    He hears the footsteps before he sees the man step from the shadows.
    Hush Puppies... khaki pants... a plaid short-sleeve shirt... and sunglasses.
    The same man who threw the dog into the lake.
    Cheryl Ann Rose’s father.
    Dad’s day off...
    Bill can see the whole picture now.
    Mr. Rose... at the lake... with the canvas bag...
    Mr. Rose steps onto the gritty beach. Bill holds tight to Red Rover’s collar. The little mutt barks at Mr. Rose, but the man only smiles.
    Mr. Rose stares at Bill from behind his sunglasses.
    “Give me that dog,” he says.

    * * *

    “W-we can’t do that,” Jason says, his voice shaking like it’s a loose part he’s ready to cough up and spit out.
    Mr. Rose laughs. “You can and you will. That dog belongs to my daughter. Her name’s Cheryl Ann, and the dog’s name is Red Rover. Just look at the tag if you don’t believe me.”
    Mr. Rose stares at the boys like he’s just explained something only a moron would have trouble understanding. He stands there at the edge of the woods, his arms crossed, waiting for an answer. Jason doesn’t say anything, just shoots a worried glance Bill’s way. Bill doesn’t know what to say, either. He’s never talked to a crazy person before.
    And he’s sure that’s exactly what Mr. Rose is. A crazy person. Forget the man’s neat appearance. Forget the “Dad’s day off” wardrobe. Mr. Rose is crazy. Anyone can see that.
    Even Red Rover.
    Mr. Rose takes a step forward, and the little dog barks louder, baring his teeth.
    Mr. Rose sighs. “I’m glad someone here will talk to me, but that’s enough from you, Rover. I already heard you bark. After all, that’s why I came back to check on you.”
    Cheryl Ann’s father smiles some more, but Bill’s having none of it. “We saw you throw this dog in the lake,” he says plainly, because he can’t see any point in sugarcoating what happened. “We can’t let you have it back.”
    “You boys are making a mistake.”
    “No,” Jason says, and his voice doesn’t quaver at all this time. “You made the mistake, mister. You tried to drown your dog. And we saw you do it.”
    “Red Rover is not my dog. I’ve already explained that to you. He belongs to my daughter, Cheryl Ann.”
    “It doesn’t really matter who he belongs to,” Bill says. “As far as we’re concerned this dog is our responsibility now, and we’re going to take care of him.”
    Mr. Rose shakes his head. “You boys have to listen to me,” he says. “I know it sounds strange. I didn’t believe the stories about my daughter when I first heard them myself. I didn’t believe them until I came out here to the lake a few months ago, on the anniversary of Cheryl Ann’s death. That’s when I found out that the stories were true. I heard my daughter’s voice, heard it as plain as you’re hearing my voice right now. I heard her calling for Red Rover. She had a special way of calling him. Red Rover, Red Rover, won’t you come over.... ”
    “Look,” Bill says. “We’re sorry about Cheryl Ann, but—”
    “I don’t care if you boys are sorry or not,” Mr. Rose says, his voice rising. “All I care about is my daughter. She wants her dog back. She loves that little guy so much, and she’s all alone now. She needs Red Rover. You boys can understand that, can’t you? You wouldn’t