The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue by Karina Yan Glaser

Author:Karina Yan Glaser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HMH Books

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After showing the-dog-that-must-not-have-a-name around the apartment, Hyacinth set out breakfast for the dogs while the rest of the Vanderbeekers fed the kittens, George Washington, the guinea pigs, and Paganini. New Dog, as Jessie made everyone call her, was not interested in eating, so after Franz finished his bowl, he sat staring at the second bowl of food. Hyacinth warned him not to touch it, but when she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth, Franz helped himself to a second breakfast. New Dog didn’t mind. She went back and forth between Franz and the kittens, offering the occasional tail wag when someone walked by and scratched behind her ears.

Immediately following breakfast, the Vanderbeekers retreated to Oliver’s bedroom to talk about this emergency development. Isa had been dragged out of bed to consult on the issue, and now they were crammed into Oliver’s narrow room with all the animals except Paganini, who was not allowed in the bedrooms because of his tendency to chew mattresses. Jessie handed Isa a smoothie.

“We need to get to the bottom of this,” Jessie said. “We have five kittens, two guinea pigs, and now a dog.”

“Who is leaving these animals?” Isa wondered, stifling a yawn as she spoke.

“I’m making a list of suspects.” Oliver pulled out his notebook and a magnifying glass. He held the magnifying glass up to New Dog’s face, and New Dog instantly licked it. “Ugh, your breath stinks,” Oliver said to her.

“It’s got to be someone who knows us,” Jessie said. “Someone who knows we’re an animal family.”

“I still think it’s someone who hates us,” Oliver said, wiping the magnifying glass with the bottom of his shirt. “Someone who wants to sabotage Mama’s business.”

“What’s ‘sabotage’?” Laney asked.

“It’s when someone purposely does something to get you in trouble,” Oliver said.

Isa spoke up. “Oliver, no one besides us knows about the inspection. They can’t sabotage it if they didn’t even know about it.” She yawned again.

“I’m putting Mr. West’s name down,” Oliver said. “Also Mr. Huxley.”

“No way it’s either of them,” Jessie said.

“Maybe it’s someone who likes us and knows that we love animals,” Hyacinth said. “Like Triple J, or Mr. Jones.” Triple J was the pastor of the church down the street, and Mr. Jones was their postman. “Maybe the animals had really bad owners, and Triple J and Mr. Jones rescued them and brought them to us for safekeeping.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Oliver said. “Why would they leave the animals outside in boxes instead of just knocking on the door and asking?”

Jessie sighed. “Your suspects didn’t make sense either.”

Oliver made a face at her, but he wrote the names down anyway.

“How about that guy who puts his Chihuahuas in sweaters?” Isa suggested. “He’s always struck me as a little strange.”

“His name,” Hyacinth said, “is Mr. Greenwillow, and his Chihuahuas’ names are Barry and Francisco.”

“Um, okay,” Oliver said. “Should I write him down, or . . .”

“Yes,” Isa said at the same time Hyacinth said, “No.”

“So are we just writing down anyone who lives in the neighborhood now?” Oliver said.

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