It’s surrounded by high brick walls covered with snaking vines to keep it safe from prying eyes.
“The doctor sure likes her privacy,” Junebug says.
We’ve left the BMW on a nearby street and walked to the compound, hoping we might talk our way inside. But now we’re standing in front of an imposing steel gate with no buzzer or intercom.
“What’s that black ball?” Chance points to a pole with a black orb on the top.
“It’s a security system,” Junebug says. “Probably a motion detector of some kind.”
She waves her hand in front of the orb, and a second later I hear a click followed by a woman’s voice, high and anxious, through a speaker.
“Who’s there?”
Junebug smiles. “Hi, we’re selling cookies for a school project.”
“Please, Dr. Pao—”
“How do you know who I am? Get off my property.”
Junebug pouts and backs off. “So much for being charming.”
“Tell her you found a BreedX dog,” I say.
“Let me try,” Chance says, and he steps up to the orb. “Dr. Pao, we found a BreedX dog, and we really need your help.”
“BreedX? That’s impossible.”
Chance motions me forward. I hop up on my back paws and press my snout to the orb.
“We’re in trouble,” Chance says to the doctor. “We need your help.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“We’re not totally sure, but there are blue vans after us and—”
The steel gate groans and opens.
Chance gives Junebug a look. “Pretty good, huh?”