Ghost Dog Secrets by Peg Kehret

Author:Peg Kehret
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2011-09-07T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

As we approached the car, the collie’s ghost materialized in front of us. She stood between me and the car door, as if trying to block my way. I looked at Andrew, who appeared not to notice anything unusual. I watched as Mrs. Pinella walked right through the ghost in order to open the front passenger door.

Andrew went around to the other side of the car and got in. Ra, who had been acting uncertain, stepped ahead of me with his tail wagging, and sniffed noses with the collie. Good, I thought. I’m not completely crazy if Ra can see the ghost, too. Still, I wasn’t sure what would happen when Ra and I got in the car. Would the collie’s ghost try to prevent that? Did she sense where we were going and was trying to stop us?

“Get in, Rusty,” Mom said.

I reached for the door handle. The collie’s ghost eased out of the way. I let Ra jump in first, then I followed him and closed the door. I looked out to see what the collie did, but she had disappeared.

Ra seemed excited about going for a ride. He kept poking his nose at the window, leaving smear marks, and his tail waved back and forth.

I told Mom which way to drive. When we turned onto the street where Ra had lived, he quit wagging his tail and began to tremble. He left my lap and went to stand on Andrew’s lap, then immediately came back to me. He started panting, his sides heaving in and out as if he’d just run a race.

“He’s scared,” I said. “He can smell where we are, and he’s afraid.”

“It’s the house on the right,” Andrew said. “The one back in the bushes.” Mom slowed the car and turned into the driveway. Ra began to whimper.

“Look!” I said. “They got another dog!”

Mom stopped the car, and we stared out the window. A black Lab, about six months old, was chained to the tree where Ra had been chained. The puppy’s fur was dirty. He watched us, but he didn’t act happy to see us. He was listless, lying in the dirt.

As I looked at him, I froze. The puppy was not alone. Beside him, barely visible, was the collie’s ghost. The ghost looked at us, alertly watching. I wondered what she would do if we got out of the car and approached.

“He doesn’t have any food,” Andrew said. “Just like Ra.”

“Oh, my,” said Mrs. Pinella.

“There’s no water, either,” Andrew said.

“No place for him to sleep,” I added. “No doghouse for when it snows.”

Ra sat on my lap. He kept shaking. He panted so hard that his tongue hung out of his mouth as he stared out the window.

“Look at Ra, Mom,” I said.

Mom and Mrs. Pinella both turned in their seats.

“The poor thing is scared to death,” Mrs. Pinella said. “I don’t think we should make him get out of the car here.”

“You want proof he was mistreated? ” Andrew said. “Here’s the proof.

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