Unleashed! (4 page)

‘Stupid bitch!’ The man had crossed the park and stopped. In a voice loud enough for the kids to hear he yelled, ‘It’s the dog pound for you.’ With a last shake of his fist he disappeared round the corner.

Clem pulled away, wiping her tears on her sleeve. ‘We have to stop him,’ she told the others.

Darcy gripped Clem’s arm and shook her, saying, ‘Are you mad?’

Mio grabbed the other arm. ‘He could’ve really hurt you.’

Clem tried to break free but now it was Bryce who blocked her. ‘We prefer you in one piece.’

A series of howls broke the silence. Every hair on Clem’s body stood on end. She shivered, then thrust out her jaw and pulled herself to her full height. ‘I’m going to find her. And you’re going to help me.’

She held out a shaky hand, palm down. ‘Go the Freewheelers.’ Her eyes dared the others to resist. ‘To freedom.’

Late Saturday morning, after karate and guitar lessons, Mio and Bryce met at the Jacobs’ place. The kids huddled in the kitchen eating cheese spread out of the jar. Darcy polished off his spoonful in one gulp, insisting, ‘It tastes better this way.’ Bryce took little nibbles and rolled them around with his tongue savouring the creamy taste and texture. Clem flattened her cheese spread against the roof of her mouth, trying not to suck too hard so it lasted longer. And Mio? She licked her spoon tentatively, her pink tongue darting in and out.

‘You look like a kitten,’ said Clem with a laugh. Then she pointed to the cupboard behind Darcy’s head, saying, ‘Pass the phone book, Darce. Let’s
look up animal shelters before Mum and the boys get back from the shops.’

‘Yeah. Make the most of the peace and quiet.’ Darcy got the phone directory but said, ‘I’ll look them up and I’ll do the ringing.’

Clem frowned. ‘Nuh, uh. You look them up but
I
make the calls.’ She held out her hand. ‘It’s my idea.’

‘Let me remind you…’ said Darcy, heading for the portable phone and plucking it from the cradle, ‘…I
am
the oldest.’

Grrrrr! thought Clem. How many times have I heard that?

‘That doesn’t make you better at making phone calls.’ Clem tried to grab the phone but Darcy sidestepped and she missed, although she did manage to yank the phone book from his other hand. She held it up, triumphant. ‘No phone book, no call.’

Mio, who hated all the bickering, said, ‘Stop it, you two. Stop being so childish. Don’t you want to find the dog?’

‘Yes! Sir!’ Darcy pretended to salute but he wasn’t sure whether he should have his palm facing in or out. So he did both.

Bryce joined in and saluted too, all the while marching on the spot. He ducked as Mio pretended to shoot him down.

Clem flipped through the phone book to find the animal shelters. Before long she had a list of places to contact. Clem said a silent prayer.
Please let us find her.
But out loud she said, ‘Okay, Darcy. You make the calls.’ She read out the name and number of the first one and Darcy dialled.

Darcy cleared his throat before he began. He wanted to make a good impression.

Clem chuckled, then said, ‘You remind me of Dad. He does that, too.’

Darcy rolled his eyes. ‘Far out! I’m not turning into a grump who works seven days a week and yells at his kids when he comes home, am I?’ Darcy hung up and pretended to faint, saying, ‘I’m doomed. Doo-o-o-o-med.’

‘Idiot!’ said Clem. She chucked the phone book at him then ducked as it came flying back.

Darcy put on his serious voice and dialled again. ‘Excuse me, but has a man brought a beagle in today?’

‘A real beauty with a cheeky grin,’ interrupted Clem.

There was a pause, then Darcy frowned. ‘What do you mean by tri-colour? Or lemon?’ Another pause before he answered. ‘Then, yes. She’s a Tri-colour.’

There was a long silence while the receptionist checked.

Clem explained to the others as they waited. ‘A tri-colour means she’s black, tan and white. And lemon means she’s creamy white.’

Bryce whistled, then said, ‘You sure do know a lot about beagles, Clem.’

‘She reads the dog encyclopaedia,’ said Darcy. ‘She should.’

‘Sorry,’ said the man, but Darcy thought he didn’t sound too sorry. ‘No beagles in today. What about a little Jack Russell? They’re as cute as.’

‘No, thanks,’ said Darcy, shaking his head even though the man couldn’t see it. ‘I’m looking for a particular beagle.’ He hung up then pointed to the list and told Clem, ‘Cross that one off.’

Clem drew a line through the Merri Merri Lost Dogs’ Home and Darcy moved to the next one. ‘Excuse me. Was a beagle brought in today?’

He was put on hold but the person forgot to press the button. The voice down the phone was loud enough for all of them to hear. ‘Another missing beagle, Pearl. Bet they don’t find her.’ But into the phone she said, ‘I’ll take down your particulars, young man, and call you if she turns up. You never know.’

‘The dog’s name?’ Darcy looked surprised. ‘Is she microchipped? Ummmm?’ He turned to the others for inspiration. Bryce shrugged. Mio
frowned. Clem screwed up her nose. ‘We’re not, um, too sure about either of those.’

Clem gritted her teeth. With determination she grabbed the phone from Darcy and started, ‘There’s this man, see, who comes to our park with this little beagle and he’s mean to her.’ Clem took a breath. ‘He treats her real bad. Anyway, he told us he’s going to get rid of her, put her in the pound, so my friend and I are looking for her because we’d like to rescue her and…’ Clem looked indignant. Two pink spots flared on her cheeks. ‘This isn’t some joke. We’re deadly serious.’

Darcy took back the phone and said, ‘We need you to help us.’ He kept his voice calm, the same voice he used on his baby brother, Drew, when he was coaxing him into doing something he didn’t want to. ‘Thank you.’ Then in quick succession he added, ‘Darcy Jacobs,’ and gave his details. ‘Thanks, bye.’

One by one they went through the list of animal shelters. More and more names got crossed out.

‘Maybe the man didn’t carry out his threat?’ Bryce’s suggestion was met with silence. He pulled a face, then picked up the pen and started slashing at the page of names.

Darcy grabbed the pen, saying, ‘Go easy, Bryce.
Instead of “Defacing Public Property”, this time you’ll be up for “Assault on a Piece of Paper”.’

Bryce wheeled round to face Darcy, his face twisted. ‘Can’t resist, can you?’ He clenched his teeth, cheeks bulging as his mind flashed back to that terrifying day in court and the oozing relief when he was handed over to his father instead of ending up in some juvenile detention centre. This time…‘Look, the vandalism ’n’ stuff are in the
past!
He got to his feet and stormed for the door. ‘When are you gonna get it into your thick head? It’s over.’

Darcy leapt after Bryce and grabbed hold of his arm, saying, ‘Don’t go.’ Bryce tried to twist out of his grasp but Darcy clung on. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m way out of line.’ He held out his free hand. ‘Friends?’

Bryce halted. He stared at the outstretched hand, wanting to slap it away but knowing he couldn’t.

‘Sorry!’

Bryce stood still, resisting.

‘Friends?’ asked Darcy again, cursing himself for being so dumb.

Mio double blinked. Her heart was racing and she broke into a sweat. In her home, arguing was taboo. She couldn’t even remember a time when a voice was raised in anger. She looked at Darcy and
said, ‘You’ve got better things to do than fight with Bryce.’ Darcy nodded, looking sheepish.

Bryce took the outstretched hand. ‘Friends,’ he said. And for the umpteenth time he wished he could erase his past.

‘Thank goodness, you two,’ said Mio, awash with relief.

‘Maybe Bryce’s right,’ said Darcy, giving him a half-smile. ‘Maybe the man’s still got the dog?’

‘That’d be worse.’ Clem’s voice sounded strangled. ‘Much, much worse.’

‘I agree,’ said Mio. ‘But don’t panic yet. There’s still one dogs’ home to go.’

Darcy rang the animal shelter, the one at Braxxby. By now he was slumped against the fridge, rubbing his forehead. The phone rang and rang until finally someone answered. ‘Did a man bring in a beagle either late yesterday or today?’ asked Darcy. Suddenly he bolted upwards. ‘He did!’ Darcy gave the thumbs-up sign to the others. They crowded around the phone, straining to hear the voice through the handpiece. ‘Yes, I’m looking for a female.’

Clem jumped up and down, so high that she banged her head on Bryce’s chin. ‘Watch it,’ said Bryce as he pulled back and checked for blood.

Clem mouthed the word
Sorry,
at the same time rubbing her own head and listening to Darcy.

Darcy’s smile took over his face. He waved his hand about as he said, ‘Yes, a tri-colour female.’

Clem twirled in excitement.

‘We’re in luck.’ Darcy held up his hand for a high five and Bryce obliged. ‘You’ve got one Tri-colour beagle, a girl, brought in this morning. Awesome!’ Darcy paused. ‘Why isn’t she microchipped? I don’t know.’ A tirade could be heard through the phone. ‘I guess someone forgot. Sorry. Now, what time d’you close?’ Darcy pulled a face as he looked at his watch. ‘That’s no good. My sister and I have a hockey game this afternoon. We can’t make it.’

‘Tell them we’ll come tomorrow,’ said Clem, trying to speak into the phone. ‘After we’ve been to Oma’s and Opa’s for breakfast.’ Oma and Opa were Clem and Darcy’s Lithuanian grandparents.

‘We’ll be there tomorrow, before midday,’ said Darcy. ‘You close right on the dot? We’ll be there. You’ll keep her till we get there, won’t you?’ Darcy gave his name, address and contact number. ‘Thanks a lot. Bye.’

He grinned as he told the others, ‘They’ll hold her for us. The lady promised. They close at twelve.’

‘Yes!’ Clem leapt so high that she nearly smacked her head on the cupboard. ‘We found her.’ One by one she gave them all a hug.

Mio pulled away and asked, ‘What will we do with her once we’ve got her?’ She looked at the others. ‘I can’t take her. I’ve got Yuki.’

Bryce turned to Clem and said, ‘Dad won’t let me have a dog either. Not with the baby coming ’n’ all.’ He looked out the window, thinking about how much he’d love a dog, then started to hum the tune, ‘Somebody to Love’.

‘We’ll have her,’ said Clem, beaming at everyone. ‘She’ll live here. I’ll play with her, feed her, take her for long walks.’ She wrapped her arms around herself. ‘Snuggle up on cold wet nights.’

Darcy’s smile faded as he said, ‘What about Dad? You know how he feels about a pet.’

Clem flicked a strand of hair off her forehead, then tossed her head back. Her eyes seemed to throw sparks. ‘Dad’ll come round. You’ll see.’

‘I don’t know.’ Darcy folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the kitchen bench. ‘Remember Kev, the basset hound? He only lasted two days.’

‘That’s ’cause he ate the hose on the industrialstrength vacuum cleaner. It won’t happen again.’

‘Dad and dogs are not a good combination.’

‘Dad’ll fall for this one the minute he sees her.’ Clem picked up the phone and plunked it on its cradle. ‘You’ll see.’

The next day after breakfast Clem and Darcy raced to the train station where Mio and Bryce were waiting.

‘Finally!’ Mio stopped tapping her foot and walked up to greet them, wheeling her bike beside her.

‘It’s been the longest morning,’ said Clem, hopping off her bike and pulling some money out of her pocket. ‘I love seeing Oma and Opa but today it dragged.’

After a quick search of his pockets Darcy grabbed Clem’s sleeve and asked, ‘Can you pay for me? I forgot my wallet. Owe you.’ Clem hesitated so Darcy got down on one knee. ‘Ple-e-ease.’

‘Okay,’ said Clem, taking a note from her pocket. ‘But you pay it back—with interest.’

‘Hmmph.’

Bryce jumped off his bike and peered at the timetable, checking in each pocket at the same time. ‘I know I’ve got money.
Mone-e-ey, mone-e-ey.
Question is, where?’

Clem rolled her eyes at Mio. ‘Men!’

‘I’ve got enough for both of us,’ Mio told Bryce. ‘Pay me back later.’ She took the note from Clem, put it with her own money, then approached the ticket seller. ‘Four return tickets to Braxxby, please.’

‘Trains run every fifteen minutes,’ said the ticket seller as he counted the money and pushed two coins back. ‘Next one’s at 10.40.’

The kids wheeled their bikes onto the platform and propped them on their stands, threading their helmets on the handlebars. Steam rose from the tracks and there was a distinct smell of oil. A pigeon flew overhead and in the distance there was a screeching of brakes, followed by some furious beeping. Mio sat on a bench, then slid along to make room for the others. She kept glancing at her watch then at the indicator board.

‘Stop checking every five seconds,’ said Darcy, sitting beside her. ‘You’re making me nervous.’

Mio looked puzzled. ‘Nervous? I thought you’d be excited.’

‘Nervous and excited all rolled in one.’

Bryce sat beside Darcy, but perched on the edge. He drummed a beat on the underside of the bench, enjoying the richness of the sound. But Clem decided to slot between Mio and Darcy, forcing them to shuffle up and Bryce to stop drumming. The others sat patiently but Clem couldn’t.

‘Stop jiggling.’

‘Stop wriggling.’

‘Stop wiggling.’

Clem laughed and tapped her feet faster. ‘I can’t.’

‘Would you sit still!’ Mio reached over, pouncing on Clem to hold her down.

‘Sorry, but I’m majorly excited.’

All of a sudden Bryce got to his feet and pointed down the platform opposite, saying, ‘Hey! Isn’t that the boy we saw last Sunday? The one who stared at us.’

‘Where?’ asked Clem as she scanned the waiting passengers.

Bryce took a few steps down the platform. ‘There. No, further down. I’m sure he’s the one.’

Clem squinted in the bright light at the boy on the other platform. ‘The one Mio thought looked like a rat?’ she asked.

‘Yup.’

Clem stared at the boy. He sat, his jacket bunched around him, reading a magazine. ‘It is! Look. He’s wearing the same old baggy clothes.’

‘It could be him,’ said Darcy. ‘Can’t see his face, though.’

‘It is him!’ Mio squeezed Bryce’s arm. ‘Same hat. It’s a Scram Dangle. I’d know it anywhere.’ She gripped harder.

‘Ouch!’ Bryce shrugged his arm away and started rubbing it. He rolled up his sleeve to inspect the red marks.

‘Sorry,’ said Mio. ‘I got carried away.’

‘Anyone’d think he’s following us,’ said Clem with a shiver.

Darcy studied the boy and asked, ‘What game’s he playing, you reckon?’

Just as Mio was about to reply the rumble of the approaching train cut her off. As they walked their bikes into the carriage Mio looked out the window, then said, ‘That’s funny. He’s gone. Disappeared.’ She clicked her fingers. ‘Pfffft!’

Bryce leaned his bike against the wall and peered out the window, too. ‘He couldn’t have caught a train,’ he said.

Mio shook her head. ‘None came from that direction.’

‘Where’d he go then?’ asked Bryce.

Mio did one more check out the window, then said with a shrug, ‘Who knows?’

The train lurched as it moved off. Kids and bikes flew everywhere.

‘Steady!’ said Darcy, reaching for Clem’s bike and catching it before it toppled over. He and Mio studied the map on the wall of the carriage. ‘It’s an all-stations,’ said Darcy, following the route with his finger. ‘That means six stops.’ Time dragged till they reached their station.

Clem counted her money, worried that she wouldn’t have enough to free the dog. She thought about how she’d been saving for a dog for ages and how her dream might finally come true. ‘Braxxby!’ announced Clem, leaping for her bike and the door. ‘This is it.’

They filed out of the carriage, wheeling their bikes as they headed for the exit, weaving around other passengers. At the gate Darcy asked the woman collecting the tickets, ‘Do you know how to get to the Braxxby Animal Shelter?’

The woman pointed across the road, saying, ‘Cross over and head north, then take the first right.’ She curved her hand to show them. ‘It’s about two k’s down the road on the left. There’s a big sign with a puppy and a kitten on it. You can’t miss it.’

‘Thanks.’

They set off at a blistering pace.

‘Two k’s,’ panted Bryce. ‘Why couldn’t it be closer?’

‘Lazy bones.’ This time Clem took the lead. ‘Let’s hurry.’

Four bodies settled close to their frames, pedals and spokes a-blur. When they got to a flat stretch, Darcy cruised past, no-handed. He called to the others, ‘Freewheeling!’

‘Show-off,’ said Clem with a laugh but she did the same. ‘Freewheeling.’

Bryce whistled as he pulled his front wheel off the ground. ‘One-wheeling!’

‘That’s nothing,’ called Mio. ‘Watch me.’ The kids slowed down so Mio could pass. First, she pedalled hard. Then she crossed both legs across the top tube of the bike. ‘No-footed can-can.’ Next, she took one hand off the handlebars. ‘One-hander.’ The others watched with a smile. Finally, both hands came off. ‘No-footed can-can, no-hander.’ It only lasted a couple of seconds but Mio had done it. ‘Free-e-e-e-wheeling!’

As they pulled up at the shelter Darcy checked his watch. ‘Shuts in twenty-five minutes,’ he said.

He hopped off his bike, leaned it against a low hedge, then unclipped his helmet and hooked it over the handlebars. The others did the same. Once the bikes were resting side by side Darcy
unwound a security chain that was wrapped around his handlebar and threaded it through the top tube and down tube of all the bikes, finishing up with a padlock and saying, ‘It pays to be cautious.’

‘This way,’ called Clem as she strode to the office marked ‘Reception’.

A woman was arguing with the man behind the counter. Her voice got louder and louder as she said, ‘You’ve a hide, you have.’ Her neck wobbled when she talked. ‘It’s my dog and I want him back, now, but I’m not paying, mind. He’s only been here a few hours.’ The kids joined the queue to wait. ‘It’s not my fault he got out.’ Spit flew through the air, making Bryce duck and shuffle backwards. ‘Blame the man who built the shoddy fence!’ Five minutes later the woman was still demanding her dog back and still refusing to pay.

‘We’re wasting time,’ said Clem as she spotted a sign that said ‘Dog Kennels’, with an arrow pointing down a path. ‘Come on. We’ll find her ourselves.’

The runs on either side of the path were clean, but narrow and bare. They had a concrete floor with a drain in one corner and a wooden kennel in the other. A bowl for food and another for water sat near each kennel. The walls consisted
of concrete with wire mesh stretched on a metal frame.

As the kids passed each cage the dogs hurled themselves at their wire doors as if to say, ‘Pick me. Pick me.’ The barks and yelps and whines jostled for attention. There were big dogs and little dogs, long-haired dogs and short-haired dogs.

And they all want a home, thought Clem. ‘I wish we could free them all,’ she said, then muttered to herself, ‘Hey. That’s not a bad idea!’

‘Look at this one.’ Bryce walked to one cage and pointed to a medium-sized dog. ‘Look at the curve on that tail.’

Mio took one look and a lump formed in her throat. Her eyes prickled. Slowly she approached the cage. At the gate she dropped to one knee, her fingers clinging to the wire mesh. Unlike the others, this dog did not come over to greet her. It cowered in the corner, shaking. ‘It’s a Japanese Chin.’ Mio tried to swallow the lump away. ‘In my country they are like royalty.’

She turned back to the dog and asked, ‘What on earth are you doing here?’ The dog’s hair, once silky, was now matted and dull. Its eyes were wary. ‘You’re a long way from home.’ Mio’s voice trailed off as she stared through the wire.

‘Far from home, all alone.’
Bryce stopped. He
couldn’t remember the next lyric. ‘Mio?’ he asked. ‘Do you miss Japan?’

Mio’s shoulders drooped as she mumbled, ‘Yes.’ With her head bowed she continued down the path after Clem. ‘No matter how long we’re here, at times I still feel empty.’

Bryce fell in beside her. ‘I feel empty sometimes, too. And I was born here!’

Mio stopped, closed her eyes and softly recited, ‘As a mirror’s polished surface reflects what stands in front of it, and a quiet valley carries the tiniest sound, so must the student of karate render their mind empty…’ Mio opened her eyes and smiled. ‘In karate empty is a good thing.’

Bryce smiled back then said, ‘I’ll remember that.’

Together they continued down the path. They passed yappy dogs and dogs that shied away, younger ones that wanted to play and older ones happy to be left to snooze in a corner.

‘Another bitsa,’ said Darcy as they pulled up at a dog that had a labrador body with red setter colouring.

‘What do you mean, bitsa?’ Mio frowned as she inspected the dog. ‘I haven’t heard of one of them.’

‘Bitsa this and bitsa that,’ said Darcy with a grin. ‘Not a pure-bred. More like a hy-bred. Hybrid. Get it?’

All of a sudden a howl shredded the air. It started deeply then swelled to a shrill cry. It soared and swooped and soared again, like music.

‘It’s her!’ Tears welled in Clem’s eyes. She looked about frantically, saying, ‘Where’s it coming from?’ As quickly as it started it stopped. Clem headed for the next row. ‘Where’s our beagle? We’ve got to find her. We’ve just got to.’

The kids searched and searched. They went up runs and down runs. A kennel assistant gave them a funny look.

‘No beagles.’ Clem leaned against the last cage in the last row and said with despair, ‘She’s not here.’

‘Of course she’s here,’ said Darcy. He started pacing. ‘The lady told me they’d hold her so she must be here.’ The others had their own suggestions.

‘She could be in a separate area.’

‘Or maybe an exercise yard.’

‘She’s probably being kept at Reception.’

‘Let’s ask.’ Clem led them back to the front desk. The angry woman was long gone but the man was now talking into a phone, tapping his pen on the desk and looking at his watch. ‘Excuse me,’ said Clem.

The man told the caller to ‘hang on a sec’. He looked up. ‘Yes?’

‘We phoned yesterday about a beagle. Tri-colour.

For Darcy Jacobs. You said you’d hold her. We’ve come to collect her.’

‘Gotta go, Harry. I’ll call you.’ The man hung up then ran his finger down the entries in a large work diary. ‘A beagle, you say? Tri-colour, is it?’

‘Yes!’ The kids edged closer, peering at the page.

Clem bounced on her toes as she added, ‘A female.’

‘Foxie cross, pug, Alsatian cross.’ The man’s finger continued down the entries, then stopped. He gave a nervous cough before saying, ‘I’m afraid she’s not here.’

‘Not here?’ Clem stopped bouncing. ‘But she must be.’

‘See this,’ said the man, holding up the book and pointing to an entry that said ‘beagle’. Beside it was a big red ‘C.’ ‘That “C” means she’s gone.’

Clem’s voice was harsh. ‘What do you mean, gone?’ She leaned over the desk to inspect the entry. ‘She was here yesterday.’

‘Gone. Not here today.’ The man gave an apologetic shrug, then lifted the receiver to make another call.

‘She can’t be!’ shouted Clem. Her voice echoed in the large waiting area. ‘We told you we had hockey yesterday afternoon and that we’d come after visiting our grandparents today. We told you.’

‘Not me. No.’ The man started punching in a phone number. ‘Sorry. We’re on a time limit here. Five days and that’s it.’

‘But it hasn’t been five days!’

The man scratched his nostril then wiped his finger on his trousers as he said, ‘Maybe. Maybe not. But she’s gone.’

‘Where?’ Clem stared at the ‘C’. ‘Where’s she gone?’ With each question her voice got higher and higher. ‘Who took her?’

‘No-one.’ Now the man looked flushed. He stopped dialling and slowly hung up the receiver.

‘What d’you mean?’ snapped Clem. ‘She’s either here or she’s somewhere else.’

‘Not…exactly.’ Sweat dotted the man’s forehead. His eye twitched. One hand tugged at his collar.

Darcy shivered. It was turning into a nightmare. ‘You mean you don’t know where she is?’ he asked. ‘Anyone’d think you’ve lost her.’

‘Oh, we haven’t lost her.’ The man shook his head. ‘No, we haven’t done that.’ He plopped into a chair, fanning his face.

‘Well, where is she?’ demanded Clem. She leaned over the counter, so far that she almost toppled into the reception area.

‘Are you sure she’s gone?’ asked Darcy. ‘Maybe you’ve made a mistake.’

‘No mistake. She’s gone.’ The man pointed to his book. ‘A “C” is a “C”.’

Clem’s eyes narrowed. In a small voice she asked, ‘What
exactly
does the “C” stand for? Does it mean…claimed?’ The man shook his head. ‘Collected?’

Another shake of the head.

Then Mio stepped up to the counter. ‘What, then? What does the “C” stand for?’

Everyone went silent. Seconds ticked past. The man opened his mouth, then closed it again until finally he squeaked, ‘Crematorium.’

‘No!’ Clem slammed her fist on the desk. She wanted to pound and pummel this man. ‘How could you? You said you’d keep her’ She couldn’t believe this was happening.

Darcy, Mio and Bryce looked just as shocked.