Steve was already home by the time Miss Bessie, Arf and Annie got back to the ranch. A policeman had picked him up at the airport and taken him to get his truck. It was unbelievable to him that a young kid had picked up the keys he had dropped and decided to take the old truck for a spin.

“Miss Bessie,” Steve said. “Thanks for saving my truck. It sounds like that kid was determined to abscond with it. I guess it’s hard to give up the truck of your dreams once you’ve found it.”

(Steve and his 1971 chevy C10 Cheyenne)

“Now Steve, I believed Clark when he said he got carried away and just wanted to take it for a spin. He was about to turn around and take it back where he found it, when I caught him.” Miss Bessie put on her apron and proceeded to start supper. “I feel sorry for him. He’ll be spending the night in jail, you know. Do you intend to press charges, Steve?”

“I probably should, don’t you think? We’re not sure that was his intentions at all. By the way…how do you know his name is Clark?”

“I don’t. He just looks like a Clark to me. Why don’t we go pay him a visit after supper. We can take him some meatloaf and a piece of Helen’s apple pie. He’s in the county jail in town which isn’t that far. I just don’t like driving at night.”

Arf to Annie: Well, it looks like we’ll be taking another one to raise. That Miss B. is something else. Here we just finished tackling the guy so we could grab the keys from him and lock him inside the truck, and now they’re going to take him apple pie.

Annie: I’ll bet you scraps to bones that they bring him home with them.

Annie won the bet because when Steve and Miss Bessie got home, they had Clark with them. We’ll probably never know what his real name is, and he won’t hear it as long as he lives in this house.

Arf: I can’t wait to find out what his story is. He can’t be older than about sixteen or seventeen. I wonder where he’s been living.

Annie: I wonder if he has a mom and dad and brothers and sisters that are wondering where he is.

Brad and Jamie had gotten to the ranch just before supper. (At the last minute, Brad had decided not to make the trip to Ireland with Barbie and Tom…for several reasons.) When they heard the story of Clark’s caper, neither was surprised that Steve had dropped the charges and brought him home.

“We just couldn’t leave him in that cold, nasty, place,” Miss Bessie said. “I’ll fix up a nice room for you after you’ve had a chance to relax a little. Would you like another piece of apple pie, Clark?”

“Thank you Miss Bessie,” Clark said. “I couldn’t eat another bite. I’m not used to having such good food to eat. I don’t believe I’ve ever had such tasty food, before.”

“Don’t you have a mom and dad?” Katie asked. “They usually cook for their kids.”

“I used to, but it got a little crowded around there, and me being the oldest, they thought it was time for me to move out.”

“When did you move out?” Katie was asking the questions while everyone curiously waited for Clark’s answers.

“Day before yesterday,” he said. “They gave me $200.00 and I took it to the airport and bought a one-way ticket. I told them I wanted to go as far away as a two hundred dollar ticket would take me. I landed at the airport where Mr. Steve’s truck was and I still have $25.00 in my pocket. I guess they couldn’t make it come out even.”

Arf: Look Annie… Brad has been sitting in his chair with his finger to his chin which usually means he’s thinking hard. Watch…he’ll get up in a minute and have a plan for young Mr. Clark.

Annie: Don’t you like Clark, Arf? I think he just did something stupid because he wasn’t thinking straight. He just had to move out of the only home he has ever known and fly to a new town far, far away.

Arf: You’re talking to a dog who lost his frisbee in a moving van and got stuck in there for fifteen hundred miles. I had no idea where I was when I got out. It was only through smart moves and perseverance that I found Miss Bessie.

What’s your story, Annie? I know you lived at the vet clinic where Jamie works, but you must have lived somewhere else first.

Annie: Oh, there’s a story all right. Someday I’ll tell you all about it. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to make friends with Clark.

Sure enough, Brad got up and walked over to where Clark was sitting. He pulled up a chair and sat down in front of him.

“Have you ever been in trouble before, Clark? It’s really important that you tell me the truth.”

“I ain’t never been to jail before if that’s what you mean,” Clark answered.

“Do you go to school?” Brad asked

“No Sir, I should be in tenth grade, but I barely got through the ninth. I had to go to work.”

“What kind of work did you do?”

“I was the assistant janitor at the school. Sometimes I helped clean the courthouse, too.”

When Brad asked if he had to clean the school he was supposed to be attending, Clark nodded his head.

“Boy that had to be uncomfortable.” Brad was suddenly a little more sympathetic.

“I have one more question for you, Clark. If I was to call that school and ask them what kind of worker you are, what do you think they would tell me?”

Clark looked Brad straight in the eye and said, “Well Sir…I think they would say, ‘That boy is a mighty fine worker, but that’s as close to a school as he should ever get.’ I don’t have an aptitude, I guess.”

Brad shook Clark’s hand. “You’re welcome to stay here if you want, but I’m putting you to work in the morning. Then we’ll figure out a way to get you some aptitude. How does that sound?”

“I’d like that very much, Sir.”

When Clark grinned, we could see he was missing a couple of teeth, but he had a sweet smile.

I have a bone to pick with you. I think we need to talk.

You don’t ‘go along to get along’. You’re not one of the flock.

It bothers me that you don’t care to follow every rule.

And sometimes under pressure, you seem a bit too cool.

I think you need to worry like a normal person does.

And feel the stresses others do because…well, just because.

You shouldn’t spend so much time enjoying your today.

Tomorrow could be different…a regular doomsday.

It isn’t necessary to always be courageous.

I think your lack of fear sometimes borders on outrageous.

You don’t give in to anger or yell when you’re upset.

You’re a bigger mystery than anyone I’ve ever met.

I really think you owe me some sort of explanation.

I’m getting tired of feeling all this constant agitation.

**********************

I think maybe you think too much about what bothers you.

Please don’t waste your time telling me what I should do.

I have all I’ll ever need to give me inspiration.

My lack of fear and anger doesn’t cause Him agitation.

He tells me to stay in today and not worry about tomorrow.

I have faith He’ll give me strength if life should bring me sorrow.

So don’t worry about me. I’m not perfect, but I’ll do.

I hope you understand me, now. Can we talk some about you?

 

 

 

 

Steve dropped Brad, Tom, and Barbie off at the airport. They were excited to be on their way to see their mother in Ireland.

When they were all leaving the ranch that morning, Arf and Annie had jumped into the back of the truck and Steve let them come along for the ride. Even though he had left them in the truck bed for no more than ten minutes while he helped with the luggage, he figured they had probably already settled in for a nap.

At first, when he discovered his truck wasn’t where he had parked it, he didn’t panic, but after searching the small parking lot and finding no sign of his truck or Arf and Annie, Steve had to come to the conclusion that someone had driven off with his truck and Arf and Annie had gone along for another ride.

As always he had put his keys in his pocket, but he also had a set attached behind the back bumper because he was always locking himself out of his truck. He couldn’t think of anyone who would be aware of the hidden set of keys, but he was sure to mention it when he called the police from the airport.

Next, he called the ranch to ask if someone would come and pick him up. He was not looking forward to telling everyone that Arf and Annie were missing. His daughter, Katie, would be especially upset.

Meanwhile we’ll follow the truck…

Arf: I don’t think that guy even knows we’re in here, Annie. We really fell down on the job. We let a stranger drive off in Steve’s truck.

Annie: What do you mean, we? Have you got a squirrel in your pocket? I don’t do guard dogging. I’m more of the investigative type.

Arf: All the better. Get on it Sherlock, but while you’re investigating, I’m going to let this carjacker know we’re here.

Arf went up to the window separating the cab from the truck bed and situated himself so the driver could see him in the side mirror. His reflection was right above the “objects may be larger than they appear,” sign.

To say the guy was surprised when he glanced in the mirror, wouldn’t begin to describe the hilarious look he had on his face. He started honking the horn…hoping to scare them so they would jump out.

Annie: Are you kidding, mister? We didn’t just fall off the turnip truck. We would be seriously hurt if we jumped out while you’re driving this fast.

Arf: Yeah…we were born at night, but it wasn’t last night. We need to figure out who you are and why you took off with Steve’s truck.

Annie: We’re wasting our time, you know. He has no idea what we’re saying, but he is a little afraid, don’t you think, Arf?

Arf: I wish he would stop the truck. I need to use the bathroom. Do you see any good trees on the side of the road? Holy milk-bone…I think he’s pulling over.

The now dangerous looking kidnapper/truck thief, walked over to the side and told Arf and Annie to get out! “I don’t know where you came from, but you can’t come with me,” he said.

They were still at a standoff when a familiar old convertible passed them, screeched to a halt and backed up until it was situated right beside Steve’s truck.

“Were you having trouble getting a ride home from the airport, son?” The little old lady in the driver’s seat asked. “Hand over those keys.”

When the young man didn’t move to follow her instructions, she said, “Look son, we can either do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way, but either way, you will give me the keys, now.”

The young man ignored the little old lady and started to get back into the truck cab.

“Well, Arf and Annie…looks like it’s going to have to be the hard way.”

Following her command, Arf and Annie jumped out of the truck bed, and before the young man knew what was happening, they had pushed him into the cab, and grabbed the keys. Miss Bessie, who was out of her car and close enough to the driver’s side, quickly reached in, locked the doors and trapped the persistently surprised young man inside.

“Steve called me from the airport,” Miss Bessie told Arf and Annie…”He wants me to pick him up, but he’ll just have to sit tight until we can flag a policeman down. Should we flatten one of Steve’s tires so they’ll be able to tell we need help?”

Both Arf and Annie whined a little.

“I guess you’re right. I just hope we don’t have to sit here too long. Red Skelton is on in an hour and he’s going to have John Wayne on his show.

Luckily for all concerned, a nice police officer pulled over and listened intently as Miss Bessie explained the situation. “I like Red Skelton, too,” he said when she was finished. “We’ll get another officer to to go to the airport and pick up the owner, so you and your dogs can go on home.”

“In a minute,” she said. “Young man, where did you get a set of keys to this truck and why did you steal it?”

“This is the truck of my dreams,” he said. “When I saw it parked there, I walked over to take a better look, and I saw the keys lying on the ground by the driver’s side. I thought the guy had probably flown somewhere on vacation or something, so I decided to take it for a spin. When I saw the dogs in the truck bed, I pulled over so I could turn around and go back. I didn’t know they were the owner’s dogs.”

Miss Bessie just shook her head and patted the young man on his. “I don’t know what to tell you,” she said. “I just hope you’ve learned a lesson. Come on Arf and Annie. Have you ever ridden in my convertible before?”

Steve learned that hiding a second set of keys doesn’t keep you from losing the first set in plain site.

**** MG here…I’ll probably be hit and miss for a few days since we’re trying to finish up the cottage between rain storms and other distractions. We currently have the doors off, which turned out to be poor timing. Oh well, right?

I’ll try to step it up a little.

Let’s recap a little bit…

Gloria left Barbie’s house with two FBI agents who said they were taking her in for further questioning regarding her involvement in a cold case they were investigating.

Twenty years before, Brad and Barbie’s parents, who were part of a team that arbitrated disputes between countries who had trade agreements, uncovered a plan to extort money from the U.S. Government.

Each country involved in the arbitrations had a team. Gloria was part of the team from Ireland and over the years, had become friends with Barbie and Brad’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Humbolt. Unbeknownst to them, Gloria was involved in the extortion plan. When the Humbolts got too close to discovering the truth, Gloria staged an explosion in their home. She needed to feel assured her guilt would never be discovered.

Mr. Humbolt was killed in the explosion and resulting fire, but Barbie and her mother miraculously survived. At the time of the explosion, Tom, the third child, was outside mowing the lawn and Brad was on his way home from fishing at a nearby pond.

Through a series of events, Gloria wrangled herself into caring for Barbie, who lost her sight as a result of the explosion and fire, and Mrs. Humbolt who never fully recovered from her injuries. Mrs. Humbolt was in Ireland, and Gloria managed her care from Barbie’s home in the States. She never disclosed to Brad, Barbie or Tom that their mother was still alive.

Recently, Gloria began to fear that Barbie was trying to become independent of her. She and her mother had become Gloria’s whole life and now Barbie was breaking away, and Mrs. Humbolt was on death’s door. Gloria panicked and made arrangements to take Barbie to Ireland with the promise that she would be reunited with the mother she thought had died. It was then that Gloria’s plan began to unravel.

Continuing on from last chapter…

The two investigators claimed they were getting close to finding out who planned the explosion and why. They knew Gloria had something to do with it. Brad became suspicious of the men when he observed they seemed overly eager to get their hands on the key and the bag that Arf had found under Gloria’s bed. Arf was usually a pretty good judge of character and he was having none of it. He would not let either man get close to him and the bag he protected.

“I only verified you are in fact a Federal Investigator,” Brad said to Mr. Crandall. “I didn’t verify your position, Mr. Sims. Judging from your accent, you must be from Ireland. Have you been in the states long?”

“I was sent here about a month ago to help out with the investigation. Now, I’m going to ask you again, Mr. Humbolt, get that bag and key from your dog.”

“Aren’t you being a little aggressive, Joe?” Lieutenant Crandall asked? “We were sent here to question Ms. Fitzpatrick. Now that she has gone with the other two investigators, I think it’s time for us to leave.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Mr. Sims said as he reached for the gun in his chest holster. “Now, everyone, including you, Crandall, face down on the floor please.”

He then told Agent Crandall to slowly remove his gun and lay it on the floor.

Arf stood next to the bag. The key was lying on the floor beside him. Jamie began to worry that Mr. Sims would harm Arf. She knew Arf would never let that man get his hands on the bag.

She needn’t have worried. Mr. Sims must have forgotten Annie was also there. She got his attention with a low growl and when he turned to see where she was, Arf, dropped the bag and rushed him. With his body twisted and a dog lunging at him from both sides, Mr. Sims dropped the gun. Arf quickly retrieved it and took it to Brad who pointed it at the good Mr. Sims and said,”Now it’s your turn to hit the floor.” Then he turned to Jamie. “Will you show Mr. Crandall where the phone is, please? I believe he needs to make a call. He’s one of the good guys, right Arf and Annie?”

Gloria was placed under arrest for arranging the explosion that killed Mr. Humbolt and badly injured Barbie and her mother. She would also soon be charged with extortion.

Mr. Sims had come to the US under the pretense that he worked for Ireland’s intelligence agency. He claimed to have new information and wished to reopen the case concerning the explosion and what turned out to be a successful attempt to extort money from the United States. Since much of the top secret information had recently been released, it was revealed that the Humbolts had uncovered the extortion plan. Mr. Sims had reason to believe that Gloria was hiding a large amount of cash, hence the great interest in the key that was in the bag.

The end result was Mr. Sims and Gloria were both in jail awaiting a trial. Gloria had told the authorities where the safety deposit box was that indeed still held a great deal of money.

Two days later, Brad, Barbie and Tom were on an airplane that was taking them to Ireland to be with their mother. They could only pray that she wasn’t as sick as Gloria said she was. They all wanted to spend time with the mother they had been so cruelly separated from twenty years before.

Steve, had taken them all to the airport. At the last minute, Arf and Annie had jumped into the back of the truck. They were always ready to go for a ride.

After helping with the luggage and saying his goodbyes, Steve made his way back to where he had parked.The truck along with Arf and Annie had disappeared.

I’m hoping Arf and Annie will take a break from playing in the river so we can continue with our story tomorrow.

It’s the fifth of July. I hope you all had a wonderful fourth and found a way to celebrate what was such a defining moment in the history of our country.

Kip and I worked all day on the cottage and we were pretty pooped last night. We were watching something on television when I started hearing these loud booming noises. It sounded to me like our neighbor was continually raising and lowering their garage door. Finally, I went outside to investigate and this is what I saw from our front porch.

It seemed that everyone on the lake was putting on a magnificent display. Mother Nature even got in on it with a beautiful full moon. My camera doesn’t do moon shots justice.

I took this from inside this morning…

It was a great ending to a busy day…

We took the doors off of the cottage and Kip got started priming and painting them a beautiful almond satin color while I painted the inside of the casing.

We didn’t have time to finish the project, so we ended up covering the opening with plastic. I sure hope no critters got inside.

Earlier, Kip finished the wood walkway while I got a few flowers painted. I’ll plant them in the river rock as soon as I can get the hose and wash it to bring out all of the (river rock) colors. I still have 5 or 6 flowers of different sizes to paint.

 

I’ve posted pics of these before…

So other than some foo fooing, that LJ has promised to help me with, we’re nearing the finish of a very long project. I’d like to say it’s really been fun, but I can’t. I’m kidding of course. What a transformation!

 

 

 

 

The Fourth of July

I remember those days back when I was a kid
All the good times we had and all the fun things we did
We ate hot dogs and watermelon and Mom’s deviled eggs
And our fireworks didn’t cost us two arms and two legs
We had black snakes, and sparklers, and hundreds of firecrackers
Roman candles and cherry bombs and one or two boom whackers
The Lion’s Club put on a huge fireworks display
At the baseball field, every Independence Day
It was hard for us kids to wait until dark
We oohed and awed from the very first spark.

We occasionally heard the phht sound of a dud
Some soared up with a boom! And came down with a thud.
All the neighborhood dogs hid under the bed
And wouldn’t come out no matter what we said

I stuck firecrackers in the ground and blew out the dirt
I burned my hand, making tunnels, and it sure did hurt.
It was all about fun and not about freedom
But when you’re a kid, sometimes you can be dumb
Now I treasure our Flag and what it stands for
And I treasure my freedom even more

Wishing you a happy and safe Fourth of July

(BTW…There is no such thing as a boom whacker)

I’m going to break from the Arf story today and bring you up to date on the Cottage. I have actually been thinking about renaming it the Teacup Cottage since I appear to be collecting teapots and cups. Maybe the name should have something to do with my Beasterhop town since it’s on display. I always keep coming back to The Cottage.

I found this cute rabbit plaque at the church garage sale a couple of years ago.

I have been painting every morning that I can, for as long as I can, until it gets too hot, which is usually by noon.

(I’m Arf and I don’t do hot. I live by the White River and I swim in it.)

I’m Dollie and this is as close as I get to water.

Kip has been working on the boardwalk. He’s almost finished and I’m almost finished painting. After that, we’ll pick a day and work together to take the doors off, fix the casing and paint and put new hardware on. The doors will be a cream color and the trim will be the same brown as the cottage trim.

Before and a little bit (before) after…

Kip has also put A LOT of egg rock and river rock in places along the walk and next to the cottage. I’ll stick my painted rock flowers among them. I still only have one painted but that will be my next project.

I like to go to the cottage for a while almost every night to write, read or sometimes just to listen to music and look around at all of my stuff (collections).

I know it seems like we have been working on this project forever. It needed a lot of work and at least it’s kept us out of trouble during the shutdown.

The Cottage

A quiet place to think and write

All my collections are in plain sight.

My Beasterhops are on display

Where I can watch them work and play

Beneath my summer hats I see

The dolls who mean so much to me.

Each have a name and a story

I’ll soon add to that inventory

I love to open the cottage door

And see what wasn’t there before

What was just a useless space

We turned into my special place.

Jamie was outside with Arf and Annie when she saw two cars park alongside the curb across the street. Two men got out of the first car and walked across the street to Barbie’s house and rang the doorbell. When Brad answered the door, the one who appeared to be in charge showed him his badge and asked for Gloria Fitzpatrick.

Gloria was right behind Brad.”I’m Gloria Fitzpatrick. What can I do for you?”

“I’m Lieutenant Sam Crandall and this is my partner Joe Sims. We would like to ask you a few questions regarding a Mr. Hal Hanson. We found him walking along Highway 32. He said his car had been stolen and he believes you had something to do with it. The car parked in your driveway is registered to him. Can you tell us how you came to be in possession of Mr. Hanson’s car?”

“Wait, Gloria,” Brad said. “Lieutenant Crandall, since when do four plain clothes police officers in unmarked cars follow-up on car disappearances? May I see your badge again, please?”

Brad contacted the local police department and verified the man was in fact an investigator. He was, however a Federal investigator. There was much more at the root of the questioning than Mr. Hanson’s car.

Arf and Annie must not have been upset because they distrusted the men. They probably thought their Jamie might be in trouble for making Mr. Hanson fall over a tree stump and then taking his car.

“Mr. Hanson advised us that it is your intent to leave the country with a Miss Barbie Humbolt… your destination being somewhere in Ireland. That ties in with a cold case investigation we have been working on.” Lieutenant Crandall paused to ascertain Gloria’s reaction to his question. Her expression had been cold and did not change.

“I’m Miss Humbolt’s brother,” Brad said. “Let’s cut to the chase. Gloria here told us tonight that our mother whom we thought died in a fire twenty years ago, is in fact alive and living in Ireland. Maybe you can tell us if that has anything to do with your cold case investigation.”

Brad asked the investigators to come in and they began to unfold a story that was not only unbelievable, but considering Gloria had watched over Barbie for the past twenty years, it was also frightening.

Before they began, Jamie, Arf and Annie came inside. Arf and Annie kept a close eye on Gloria until the two officers who were in the second car, came and took her away for formal questioning.

Much of what Gloria had told them was true. Brad and Barbie’s parents had indeed uncovered an extortion attempt. The thing that she didn’t tell them was that she was not only involved in the plan, she was involved in arranging the explosion that had killed Mr. Humbolt and critically injured Mrs. Humbolt and her daughter, Barbie.

Up until recently, none of this information had been acted upon because of an agreement between the two countries, however Gloria had recently fallen out of favor with the current government officials.

In Gloria’s mind, it had all ended up working out to her great satisfaction. She became the one in charge of both Barbie and her mother’s care. Gloria had been a lonely woman and now she had two people who were totally dependent on her. She thought of Barbie as her daughter and became very possessive of her life.

“We have never confirmed exactly where Mrs. Humbolt is and if she is in fact still alive. We’re hoping Miss Fitzpatrick will cooperate and give us that information.”

“Arf, where did you find the airline tickets? Do you remember? The envelopes you brought to Brad.”

At first Jamie’s question appeared to confuse him, but suddenly he and Annie trotted off to Gloria’s bedroom. Arf stretched as low to the floor as he could and reached under the bed. He pulled out a canvas bag and brought it to Jamie.

“May I have that?” The investigator asked as he moved closer to Arf.

Arf dropped the bag long enough to growl at the officer and then he took the bag to Jamie. Annie was standing between Jamie and the Lieutenant.

Jamie looked at Brad who nodded his head. He wanted her to open the bag and reveal it’s contents.

Inside, there was a passport for Barbie, several thousand dollars in cash and a key.

The second officer who up until this point had not spoken, reached for the bag. Arf quickly grabbed it from Jamie and backed away.

“I must have that key. Your dog must give me the bag and the key.” The second officer spoke with a very distinctive Irish accent…

Bonus chapter…read chapter 1 first.

“I know you’re all exhausted,” Gloria said. “I am too, but please bear with me.”

“In the course of their investigation into a contract dispute, your parents had uncovered a plan to extort a very large amount of money from the United States Government. They were in the process of writing a decision that included that information when your father got the disturbing phone call.

The caller told him he and his family were in danger and they would be receiving around the clock protection. He was to keep everyone at home until further notice.

Before your father had a chance to gather everyone up, there was an explosion and within a very short period of time, the authorities who, by the way, weren’t really the authorities, came and pronounced that your parents and you, Barbie, had died in the fire.

“How do you know all of this? Barbie asked. “I mean about the phone call and everything.”

“Your mother told me,” Gloria said.

Neither Brad nor Barbie could speak.

“Your father is the only one who was killed that day. Your mother called me and I made arrangements for her to be flown to Ireland. She was pretty badly burned and she thought that along with her husband, her daughter had not survived. She also knew she was in danger, but her son’s were safe. For the past twenty years, her identity has been protected.”

“And now?” Brad’s hand gripped his sister’s shoulder.

“She no longer needs protection and she’s in very poor health. She wants to see you, Barbie. She feels that you have suffered the most, although I feel I have cared for you and kept you safe for the entire twenty years.”

“Why Gloria? Why did you come all the way from Ireland to care for Barbie?” Brad was trying very hard to put the pieces together.

“Because I was the only one who would always be able to maintain contact with with your mother. It wasn’t my intention to stay for twenty years, but caring for your sister became my life.”

Jamie got up to check on Arf and Annie. Both were lying in front of the door in the kitchen that led to the backyard. Jamie, who had been growing closer to Brad recently, decided she needed a break from the intensity of the conversation and took the dogs outside for a while before feeding them. She was mulling over a couple of her own questions like, how did Gloria and Brad’s mom find out Barbie didn’t die?

While Jamie and the dogs were all playing in the side yard with Arf’s frisbee, Jamie noticed two cars pull up and park along the curb across the street. Two men got out of the first car. They walked across the street to Barbie’s house and rang the doorbell. It wasn’t long before she saw Brad open the door and the two men flash their badges.

“Is Gloria Fitzpatrick here?” One of them asked.

Arf’s ears perked up and Annie gave a low growl.