Excerpt

Chapter Three: Marsha

I leapt to my feet, growling, swiveling my head to see what was wrong. All I could see were feet.

That's the trouble with being a corgi. Sure, I was well suited to pick things up from the ground, and my nose was at prime sniffing level, but sometimes? A dog wanted to see something besides chair legs, tree trunks, and shoes.

"Petunia! What's the matter?" Garrett leapt up and grabbed a sobbing person. She wore pink high-top sneakers and white jeans that were so short I could see a flash of pale skin between where the jeans ended and the shoes began.

Petunia. She ran Garrett and John's favorite flower shop. Flower Frenzy. It was the one they visited for special occasions, or as John sometimes said, "When Garrett needs to know I love him, just because."

I liked flowers well enough but preferred them in the ground. I didn't quite understand the appeal of cutting things just so they'd die and make the water green and stinky.

Both Klaus and I were on our feet, while Fred and Bruiser remained lying down. At least they both lifted their heads.

"How can you stay so calm?" I asked them.

Bruiser snorted because that's what bulldogs do, and Fred woofed softly.

"We're older than you. We've learned to conserve our energy until we know we're needed. Besides, it's human drama. You know how they are."

I did know, but that didn't mean human drama didn't concern me. As a matter of fact, sometimes it concerned me a lot. I mean, what if a human couldn't give me treats anymore? What then?

Besides, I didn't like it when Garrett or John got upset. A dog can provide comfort to humans, and I think we should. Even though I have my own life to live, I don't want to go it alone.

Garrett and Ron finally got Petunia settled on one of the benches, with Ron and Josephine Baker at her side. I put my chin on her leg as she sobbed into Garrett's handkerchief. I could see she was smearing pink lipstick all over the cloth. Garrett was going to have a hard time getting that thing clean.

Petunia is a very colorful human. She is skinny, with a tiny pot belly, and has very pale skin that she tries to dress up with bright makeup in what John sometimes calls "loud colors." I don't understand how something you look at can be loud, but again, that's humans for you. I mean, what does hot pink lipstick have to do with "using my indoor voice"? How can both my voice and Petunia's lipstick be loud?

"Petunia, sweetie, you okay?" Ron was asking.

Petunia sniffed and stroked my head. I don't even think she realized she was doing it. See what I mean about dogs and comfort? Just being near a human is enough sometimes.

"Sapphire is missing."

"She ran away?" Garrett asked. "That doesn't seem like her."

Sapphire is a big, fluffy gray cat who lives with Petunia. She's a show cat, which makes her kind of snobby. Plus, she always reminds us of it. Every. Single. Time. We see her. Sometimes I get fed up and snap.

Oh. And she hates it when I say she's gray. "I'm silver!" she says, in her snottiest voice. I used to respond with "what's the difference" until I'd been swatted one to many times.

After a while, we made an agreement that Sapphire doesn't swipe at us, or lord it over us too much, and we don't bark or chase or bite her. Or call her gray. Luckily, we're not at the flower shop much, so it's a fairly easy agreement to uphold.

"She would never!" Petunia's lips trembled. Her skin looked funny. Wobbly. Like it was starting to slide off her chin. Usually, her face didn't look that way. Maybe when Petunia got upset, her skin began to melt. Or maybe that was more makeup. "Besides, we have a big show coming up, and she needs to prepare!"

Petunia began wailing. It sounded terrible.

"Klaus!" I woofed. "Do you think Petunia's face is melting?"

He tilted his little tan and white head and perked up his big ears.

"It does look a little funny. Probably because she's crying."

Huh. Okay.

Bex came out from inside the café, looking around to see where the disturbance was coming from, her short blonde hair shining in the sun. She wore jeans, a white singlet T-shirt covered by a black and burgundy striped vest, and big black boots I really wanted to bite.

Not that I wanted to bite Bex. Bex and Jacki were both really nice and gave us treats. But those boots? I bet they tasted like heaven.

She came over, a white dishrag in hand, face scrunched up with worry.

"Petunia? What happened?" She looked at the sobbing woman, then at Garrett, John, and Ron. I could see the question in her eyes.

"Sapphire is missing," Ron replied.

Fred woofed in agreement. "Cat did a runner."

I looked at Fred, startled. Everyone who knew Sapphire would know that cat would never run anywhere. She had it too good.

"Sapphire does not run," Klaus said.

I almost laughed. That was just how Sapphire would say it.

"Why else would she be missing?" Fred asked, his voice reasonable. "I mean, she isn't very friendly, so it isn't like anyone would take her."

Well, the old lab had a point in his glossy black head, I had to admit.

"You're all fools," Bruiser whuffed. "Remember, Sapphire is one of those valuable cats."

"Valuable cats?" Klaus tilted his head in confusion. I did, too.

"I mean, she's always saying that, but valuable how?" I asked. "She doesn't even talk human like Josephine Baker."

All Sapphire did was sit and preen.

"Who's a smart girl?" Josephine squawked.

I glared at the parrot, who ruffled her feathers, but settled back down on Ron's shoulder again.

"And she doesn't do tricks, like Fred used to. So, what makes her valuable? Her prissy attitude? The fact that she does those dumb shows she's always on about?" I really didn't get it.

Bruiser looked at me with his watery eyes. "Some dogs and cats cost a lot of money. Even you and Klaus cost money. Not as much as Sapphire, though."

"How about you and Fred?" Klaus asked.

"We both came from a shelter," Fred replied. "We're only valuable because people love us."

Bruiser farted loudly.

"Bruiser!" Bex admonished.

"Good thing we're outside," I heard Garrett say to John.

"She was stolen," Petunia wailed into the summer air. "Someone took my baby! And right before a competition!"

Some animals were worth stealing? For money? I mean, sure, Sapphire competed with other cats for most beautiful or snooty, or something, but I had no idea there was money involved.

A corgi can learn something new every day.

But sometimes? The things I learned weren't very nice.