The Harpercops meet Beethoven

Chapter 7

Later that afternoon, back at the Newtons house, Alice was not happy about Emily falling into the pool and didn't trust any babysitter with her kids now. 

Also, George's investors had come over for a barbecue and so that George could sign some agreement papers for them. 

The Harpercop and Newton kids didn't hit it off well with George's investors, Brad and Brie. Even the dogs didn't seem to like them at all. 

The kids retreated back inside the house after Kali quietly mumbled to all of them, "This is torture", then left. 

What the families didn't know was that Brad and Brie were only secretly plotting to swindle George out of his air freshener firm. 

However, Beethoven and the dalmatians had overheard them and had their own little scheme planned for these scammers. 

Just then, George, Walter, Jane, and Alice came outside. 

"Sorry for the delay" George apologized while Alice brought out a plate of vegetables for their guests. 

The adults soon sat done while George looked over the papers. Alice asked her husband if he was going to sign now when Brie decided to ask Alice about Beethoven to keep her and the other adults distracted. 

"Alice, tell me about your dog" Brie asked, pointing out over to the big st bernard. 

George, Alice, Jane, and Walter all paused for a moment, knowing exactly what Beethoven was like. "Oh, wow"

"Well, he's a dog" Alice chuckled.  

"Oh, he sure is" Brie agreed, turning around to face Beethoven and started baby talking to him, much to the st bernard's discomfort.  

Brie soon came over to Beethoven and brought him back over to the table with his leash still attached, saying. "Oh I just love these big, dumb animals"

"I bet you do" Jane said. But deep down, these two sneaky scammers were really getting on her, Walter, and Alice's nerves. 

While the adults continued talking and George was about to sign the papers, that's when Beethoven got an idea and started going around the table, tangling his leash up with the chairs and table together while it was still attached to his collar. 

The dalmatians siblings watched from the fence next door to see their big slobbery friend about to put his plan into action. 

Beethoven then came up to Brad, wanting some attention. 

"Hey, get outta here, you mutt!" Brad glowered a bit at Beethoven, then threw a ball far out for the big st bernard to fetch. 

Right as the ball was thrown, Beethoven took off. Suddenly, Beethoven's leash tightened around the table and chairs, sending Brad and Brie into a table spin while the Newtons, Harpercops, and dalmatians watched in shock. Beethoven dragged the table along, with Brad and Brie still in their seats, up and over a fence kinda like a rollercoaster ride until Beethoven stopped to get the ball. 

"Beethoven, stop!" George called out, infuriated. "Bad dog! Sit! Stop! Stay! Oh, no!"

Beethoven suddenly took off again down the streets, dragging a screaming Brad and Brie along while Alice and the rest of the Harpercop family and the dalmatians all watched in great amusement. 

George ran after Beethoven, chasing him down the street as he shouted in great infuriation. 

"BEETHOVEN!" 

That night~ 

George was outside sitting on the porch while Beethoven was in his kennel. Alice came over to sit down next to her husband while the Newton kids were listening at the door, and the Harpercop family, along with their pets were listing from across the fence next door at their house. 

"I really don't like our dog" The kids heard George say to Alice about Beethoven. 

"I really don't like those people, George" Alice said to her husband, referring to those scamming investors. "I don't trust them. I don't want their money"

The kids and dogs listened as Alice said to George that she wasn't interested in expanding the house or planing to re-enter the workforce and that George would have to make his fortune on his own. 

"That's how you see me" George looked to his wife. "Suddenly I'm a lousy husband and father. Everything was fine until Beethoven came into our lives" 

"I've tried to be patient, but I've had it..." George said. "The dog has to go!" 

All of the kids and the dalmatians gasped once they heard that, worried expressions across their faces as they looked to each other and continued listing. 

"I'm proud of Beethoven" Alice said, saying how he was the only one who had the nerve to give those thieving scammers the ride they deserved. 

"I'm going to bed" Alice told George, starting to head back into the house. 

"My dream's going down the drain, and you're worried about a dog" George said to his wife.   

Alice turned back to her husband, looking more notable about something that was more important. "Your family's going down the drain, and you're worried about a dream" 

The Newton kids ran off back to their rooms so their parents wouldn't see them, while the whole Harpercop family then came back inside their house and all retired to bed. 

But Kali had a dream vision though that something much worse would happen for Beethoven tomorrow.