Chapter Seventeen
"Take Her"
For the rest of the day, the O'Connells decided to take it easy and tomorrow they would get the two remaining puppies from their 'owners'. Alex slept well that night, as did everyone else in the O'Connells house.
In the morning, everyone gathered in the parlor to discuss where the other puppies were. Alex remembered that the girl who took Caramel said her name was Maggie; after a few calls, Evelyn found out her name was Maggie Roberts and she lived on 56 Belmont Court, which was not too far from where the O'Connells lived though the houses in Belmont Court were not even close to as nice as the O'Connells' house.
The O'Connells had no problem remembering where Powdered Sugar was since they had already been to the old woman's house once. So the O'Connells and the dogs got in the car and headed off to Belmont Court to get Caramel back.
Within ten minutes, they had reached 56 Belmont Court; the house was small and run down, in desperate need of repair. Leaving the dogs in the car, the O'Connells headed to the front door; Rick knocked on the door. They stood and waited for Maggie or someone else to answer the door but no one did.
From the back of the house they heard anguished puppy howl; from inside the car, Seti was barking and scratching at the window. Rick, Evelyn and Alex headed to the back of the house to see what was making the heart wrenching sound, though they were sure they already knew what it was.
When they got to the back of the house, they saw Caramel tied up on a rope to a metal spike; she was dirty and looked as though she hadn't been feed or hadn't had water since she left the O'Connells house. Quickly, Evelyn ran over to the puppy and untied the rope from around her neck; the rope had cut into her soft neck and rubbed it raw.
Evelyn carried the abused puppy back to her husband and son, holding her close. The O'Connells were surprised to see Maggie exit the house and walk over to them.
"What are you doing with my puppy?" Maggie asked, frowning and eyeing the shaking puppy in Evelyn's arms.
"Did you ever give this puppy any food or water?" Rick asked, not bothering to answer Maggie's question.
Maggie shrugged. "I forgot." She answered, frowning.
Alex's face became a mask of disgust as he looked at Maggie; she had hurt Seti's poor puppy, why would anyone do that?
"Well, then you can forget that you ever owned this puppy because we're taking her back." Evelyn snapped, holding the puppy tighter to her.
"Fine, take her. I don't want her anyway." Maggie said.
The O'Connells quickly took Caramel back to their car and drove away without looking back. Evelyn handed Alex Caramel; Seti nuzzled the poor puppy and licked her neck.
"Mum, why would anyone hurt a poor baby puppy? Caramel never did anything to Maggie." Alex said, as he petted Julia's back.
"I don't know Alex." Was all Evelyn could say.
The O'Connells finished the rest of their ride home in silence, though they were all thinking about the same thing.
"Take Her"
For the rest of the day, the O'Connells decided to take it easy and tomorrow they would get the two remaining puppies from their 'owners'. Alex slept well that night, as did everyone else in the O'Connells house.
In the morning, everyone gathered in the parlor to discuss where the other puppies were. Alex remembered that the girl who took Caramel said her name was Maggie; after a few calls, Evelyn found out her name was Maggie Roberts and she lived on 56 Belmont Court, which was not too far from where the O'Connells lived though the houses in Belmont Court were not even close to as nice as the O'Connells' house.
The O'Connells had no problem remembering where Powdered Sugar was since they had already been to the old woman's house once. So the O'Connells and the dogs got in the car and headed off to Belmont Court to get Caramel back.
Within ten minutes, they had reached 56 Belmont Court; the house was small and run down, in desperate need of repair. Leaving the dogs in the car, the O'Connells headed to the front door; Rick knocked on the door. They stood and waited for Maggie or someone else to answer the door but no one did.
From the back of the house they heard anguished puppy howl; from inside the car, Seti was barking and scratching at the window. Rick, Evelyn and Alex headed to the back of the house to see what was making the heart wrenching sound, though they were sure they already knew what it was.
When they got to the back of the house, they saw Caramel tied up on a rope to a metal spike; she was dirty and looked as though she hadn't been feed or hadn't had water since she left the O'Connells house. Quickly, Evelyn ran over to the puppy and untied the rope from around her neck; the rope had cut into her soft neck and rubbed it raw.
Evelyn carried the abused puppy back to her husband and son, holding her close. The O'Connells were surprised to see Maggie exit the house and walk over to them.
"What are you doing with my puppy?" Maggie asked, frowning and eyeing the shaking puppy in Evelyn's arms.
"Did you ever give this puppy any food or water?" Rick asked, not bothering to answer Maggie's question.
Maggie shrugged. "I forgot." She answered, frowning.
Alex's face became a mask of disgust as he looked at Maggie; she had hurt Seti's poor puppy, why would anyone do that?
"Well, then you can forget that you ever owned this puppy because we're taking her back." Evelyn snapped, holding the puppy tighter to her.
"Fine, take her. I don't want her anyway." Maggie said.
The O'Connells quickly took Caramel back to their car and drove away without looking back. Evelyn handed Alex Caramel; Seti nuzzled the poor puppy and licked her neck.
"Mum, why would anyone hurt a poor baby puppy? Caramel never did anything to Maggie." Alex said, as he petted Julia's back.
"I don't know Alex." Was all Evelyn could say.
The O'Connells finished the rest of their ride home in silence, though they were all thinking about the same thing.