Chapter 41

Children Hear Animals

Where’s Colin?” Liz asked.

“He went to Mrs. Oliver’s,” Shannon said. “I’ll call her, tell her Tramp’s home.”

“My room tonight, Tramp?” she asked. Tramp barked his “Of course” bark. Sleeping under Shannon’s canopy was like having his own safe room, protected from invaders and kidnappers.

Ten minutes later Colin knocked on Shannon’s door and said, “We have to talk.” They went onto Shannon’s porch that looked across the alley.

Rodney’s kitchen door was visible with his back porch light on.

“Mrs. Oliver has Buster, Calico, Pauly, and Suzette all tucked in for the night. She said she’d get Pauly and Suzette checked first thing in the morning,” Colin said.

“What did she say when she saw that menagerie at her door?” Shannon asked.

“She just smiled and said, ‘More evidence?’ and let us in. Buster did his helicopter imitation, buzzing everybody. Then Calico came in, stretching. She saw Pauly, stopped stretching and started rocking right and left. Pauly did the same thing. They did it together for a minute, got some applause from Mrs. Oliver and me, and sort of leaned on each other.”

“What about the tags?” Shannon asked. “I gave them to Mrs. Oliver and asked her to give them to Doc Oliver. He should know what to do next,” Colin said.

“Sounds good,” Shannon said. “I wish I could have spent more time with Suzette.”

Colin looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“I know it’s weird, but I understand her.

The welts under her front legs—you showed them to Mrs. Oliver. Right?” Shannon asked.

“Of course. That’s what the doc has to check,” Colin said.

“I know Rodney ties a rope around her chest if she goes to her water dish at night. He ties it to a door knob. It’s just long enough for her to touch the edge of the bowl. The welts come from her trying to get out of the rope. He only catches her once in a while, but always ties her up. I know the cockatoo is Pauly, and Pauly is a he. He’s worth a lot of money. That’s why Rodney got him and took him to Bobby’s dad. So Big Bob would find a buyer,” Shannon said.

Tramp squeezed in between Colin and Shannon and put his head on her lap. She scratched under his chin.

“I know a lot of animals have been through Rodney’s basement. Those tags are real important,” Shannon said.

“You really understand her, don’t you?” Colin asked.

“I know she wants me to understand her and know what she’s been through. She trusts me. She knows I’ll only do what’s best for her. It’s her choice, not mine. I think it’s in our eyes.”

“Aha! Aha!” Tramp barked.

Shannon and Colin nodded and smiled. Tramp realized he only had to want Shannon and Colin to hear him. He didn’t have to use some dog trick like licking or whining. He had to trust them. He learned that from a pretty poodle named Suzette and a girl named Shannon.

“We have to talk to Bobby and maybe Big Bob,” Tramp said.