Ghost Dog Secrets by Peg Kehret Read Free Book Online Page A

collie had tried to alert me to a problem. There was no other explanation. But I didn’t know what the difficulty was or what to do about it.
    If Ra had somehow escaped, it might be a good thing. Maybe he would be picked up and turned in to the Humane Society and I could talk Mom into letting me adopt him. That way he’d be my dog legally. Still, I didn’t like the idea of Ra being loose. He could get hit by a car or get lost or have lots of other bad things happen to him.
    There was still the possibility that he had not broken free of his chain but was in the house with those angry people. I remembered Andrew saying, “Someone’s been mean to that dog,” and I felt as if I might throw up.
    I called Andrew the next morning. “Ra’s missing,” I said, and told him what had happened. “We need to get over there as soon as we can. If he isn’t there, we can report him as a lost dog, and we can go to the shelter and look to see if anyone has brought him there.”
    â€œI can’t do it today,” Andrew said. “It’s my grandpa’s birthday, and I’m spending the day at my grandparents’ house. I was going to call you and tell you I can’t come this afternoon.”
    â€œI’ll go by myself,” I said.
    â€œLet me know if you find him,” Andrew said. “I wish I could go with you but my parents made it clear that the whole family is going today for Grandpa’s birthday. My presence is requested, required, and rewarded.”
    â€œRewarded? What’s your reward for going?”
    â€œI’m allowed to continue living with my parents. Actually, I want to go to Grandpa’s birthday party, although I wish I could go with you, too. Maybe Ra will be there. Maybe his owner took him inside last night.”
    I wasn’t sure which would be worse—having Ra lost or having him inside with the angry voices.
    I couldn’t wait until late afternoon when I usually fed Ra. I went as soon as I finished talking to Andrew. I told Mom I was going out for a bike ride, and then I pedaled straight to Ra’s house.
    I spotted him from a block away, lying in the dirt in his usual place. I had not been aware that I was holding my breath as I turned onto Ra’s street, but when I saw him my breath blew out in relief. The collie’s ghost lay beside him. It was the first time I’d seen the dog ghost lying down. I wondered if the ghost made Ra feel cold.
    Ra did not get up when I got off my bike, even though he saw me.
    The house was quiet. The two cars that had been parked in the driveway the night before were gone. I hoped it was early enough that Ra’s owner might still be sleeping.
    When I went toward Ra, the collie’s ghost stood and moved away, but Ra stayed where he was. I knelt beside him. He kept his snout on his front paws. I took a dog biscuit out of my pocket and offered it to him. He didn’t take it. Whatever had happened to Ra the night before, it had left him lethargic and uninterested even in food.
    I gently slid my hands down his sides. When my fingers touched his haunch, he whimpered. My hand jerked away. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
    But someone else had hurt him. I knew that, deep in my bones, even though I didn’t have what the sheriff ’s department would consider proof. Last night, something bad had happened to Ra.
    I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to rescue Ra before he got hurt again.
    â€œTomorrow,” I told him. “I have to wait until Andrew’s here to help me, but tomorrow we’ll take you away from here. I promise.”
    Ra did not respond. Much as I wanted to stay with him, I couldn’t take a chance of being seen. I left him lying in the dirt and climbed on my bike. The collie’s ghost lay back down next to Ra.
    As soon as I got home, I sent Andrew an urgent e-mail: Must rescue Ra