Deke Devlin Dog Detective - The Case of the Hit and Run Hubcap

Chapter 8 - The Spooky House

I crept back out to the front of the house. Pablo was long gone, but that didn't matter. I had to find Chloe. Isn't it strange, when you're not looking for something, that it pops up everywhere, but when you actually are looking for it, it's nowhere to be found. That is what it was like looking for Chloe. I spent the better part of an hour wandering around the neighborhood, looking under porches and cars and in trees and on roofs. I finally found her curled up under a car in the driveway of Mrs. Giovanni's next door neighbor. I am not sure why she wouldn't be lounging under Mrs. Giovanni's Chrysler 300. After all, Mrs. Giovanni was her owner, and the person who fed her and took care of her. But, I'd given up long ago trying to understand the mind of a cat.

"Chloe," I called. She didn't move. "CHLOE!" I barked.

"Whaaaat?" meowed Chloe as she opened one eye to see who was disturbing her morning nap. "Oh, it's you."

"Yes, it's me, and I have a job for you," I said.

"Can't you see I'm sleeping. Running from Pablo really took a lot out of me," she said drowsily, but I could hear a little snicker in her voice.

"Yes, and I put a stop to it, so now you owe me. I kept my end of the bargain, now it's time for you to keep yours," I said forcefully. She may have had a good laugh earlier at my expense, but she was still going to do as she promised. I was going to make sure of that.

"Hey, I already told you, I didn't find a Cecil B. DeMille or a Cruella De Vil or whatever it was you were looking for." Chloe rolled her eyes and turned over to go back to sleep.

"It's a burgundy 1990 Cadillac Sedan Deville, and I think I know where it is. I need you to look in the shack behind the spooky house at the end of the street," I said.

"No way, Jose. That place is creeepyyyy. Nobody goes in there - no dogs, no mice, and certainly, no cats - especially this cat."

"You owe me, Chloe. We had a deal. Don't cats honor their promises."

"Are you kidding me, Deker. Honor is strictly a dog thing. I'm a cat. Cats are deceitful by nature."

"I'm not letting you off the hook. You're going into that shack, or I'll tell Scrapper's strays that you are fair game. They can chase you up every tree in the neighborhood."

"You wouldn't do that. You're a dog. You're honor won't let you." I could tell Chloe was testing me again. She was right. Dogs do have honor. But we also don't tolerate dishonor.

"You wanna try me, cat? You know I was a war dog. Do you really think I'm going to let a two-faced tabby stand in the way of me completing my mission. Besides, Pablo helped me - no questions asked. He even went all the way to the spooky house with me."

"Pablo's an idiot. He'll do anything anybody tells him to do," said Chloe. "Cats are so much smarter." Chloe believed cats, and herself most of all, were superior to dogs in every way.

"That may be, but I guess even a stray like Pablo has more honor and courage than any cat." I knew Chloe would rise to that bait. She may act like she doesn't care, but to be compared to a dog, especially a stray like Pablo, where the dog comes out looking better - well, she just couldn't stand for that.

"No dog is going to show up this cat," she mewed. "Come'on , Deker. Let's go find that Sedan Deville of yours."

Chloe and I went up the street to the spooky house. I could tell she was scared, but she tried really hard not to show it. We slinked around back to the shack. I was surprised at how stealthy Chloe was. I mean, I was trained to be stealthy, but she seem to come by it naturally. "Must be part that deceitful cat thing," I thought to myself.

I showed her the open window in the gable. It was to high for her to jump, too, so she climbed the overgrown bushes onto a thin, flimsy limb that hung over the window. I was sure it would break under her weight, but somehow she shinnied her way to the end of it and leapt through the window. I heard a crash and then some men shouting.

"What was that?" one of them yelled.

"It's just a dumb cat," another said. "I'll take care of it. You get back to fixing that radiator."

I heard sounds of scrambling, yelling, and crashing. It ended with an screaming meow. Chloe had been caught and was now yawling in pain. I had to get in there now, before they killed her. I rushed the door and flung myself against it. I bounced off and flew about ten feet. Immediately, regained my feet and rushed again. Again, I was thrown back. I heard more yelling, as I made a third run. Just as I left my feet, the door started to open. I smacked into it so hard, I knocked the man on the other side of it to the floor. He had Chloe by the scruff of the neck, but as he fell, he let go of her. She darted out the door.

I landed on my back with a thud. Quickly, I rolled to my feet, but sharp pain shot through me, and I fell down again. It was my old war wound. I had just re-injured it.

"Look out, Deker!" cried Chloe, but it was too late. I felt a hand grab me by the collar.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you," said the man as he dragged me toward the house. I struggled to free myself from his grip, but the pain was too great. "What are you and your little cat friend doing here?"

No sooner had he said, 'little cat friend', then Chloe jumped on him, digging her claws deep into his arm. He let go of me, and Chloe and I made a beeline for the street. The man was dead on our heals. I was limping in pain, but I was able to stay ahead of him.