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Rosie's Dog

By

Peggy

   The blond jumped off the hood of the car after looking over the fence. The dog was no were to be seen. He walked to the passenger side of the Torino and got in. The brunette leaned down and fussed through the driver's window.

   "Hey, this is my car. Don't walk on it."

   "You do, so why can't I?"

   "That is different, I only walk on it when I'm trying to save your butt. You're only looking for a lost dog."

   "Only a lost dog! Dobey said we needed to find this lost dog to get back on regular rotation. I personally do not want to spend the rest of the summer looking in back alleys and garbage dumps for a dog."

   "What makes Dobey think the dog is still out here?"

   "Rosie told him, she saw it again this morning."

   "So now Rosie is the dog expert! This is bull. We are trained detectives; we should be looking for criminals. Not a neighborhood pest."

   "Dobey said the dog has terrorized Rosie on the way home from school for the last week."

   "Then call Animal Control."

   "Starsk, this is Rosie we are talking about."

   "I know, it's just, we have been looking for two days now and haven't seen any dogs. Are you sure Rosie isn't making it up?"

   "Starsk."

   "Yeah?"

   "Don't move."

   "Why?"

   "It's behind you."

   "What!"

   "Rosie's dog is behind you!"

   "Are you pulling my leg? I was only fussing because we haven't seen a dog. You know I wouldn't stop until we found it. The thought of Rosie being scared by a dog."

   "Will you shut up and listen. The dog is really behind you."

   Starsky slowly pulled his head back out of the window and turned. There stood the biggest dog he had ever seen. The dog had blue eyes, had to be the right dog with those eyes and teeth! They looked huge! Suddenly he became aware of a deep growl coming from the direction of the dog.

   "Hutch."

   "Yes."

   "Have a plan?"

   "No, you?"

   "No, shoot it?"

   "But he hasn't done anything yet."

   "From were I stand he has."

   "He's only growling."

   "That's enough."

   "Rosie said he only growls. Then disappears as she screams."

   Just then they heard a whistle, the dog turned and trotted away.

   "No, you don't. Hutch get the car started, I'm going to follow him."

   "Starsk, be careful."

   "Careful is my middle name."

   By the time Hutch had the car started and turned around, Starsky was around the corner. When Hutch reached the end of the street, Starsky had turned the corner on the next block over. Hutch had just barely gotten a glimpse of him. He sped up to see what way the dog was going to lead them next. He lost them! So he started to cruse slowly down the street, looking and listening.

   "Hutch."

   "Were are you?"

   "Over here."

   "Over where?"

   "By the big pine tree."

   "What happened to the dog?"

   "He went in that house."

   "What house?"

   "The one next to the pine tree, why do you think I'm at the tree?"

   "Did you see who let him in?"

   "No."

   "Want to go knock on the door?"

   "No."

   "Have a better idea?"

   "No."

   "Then go knock on the door?"

   "Do you think the dog will answer?"

   "Why you afraid of a dog?"

   "Did you see the size of that dog? It was big enough to swallow me whole."

   "Do you want me to knock?"

   "Yes."

   "I will if you're scared."

   "Yes."

   "It's only a dog."

   "Hutch, stop stalling and go knock on the door. You said you weren't afraid of a little dog."

   Hutch turned off the car and got out. He walked to the front door with caution. He was looking around as he approached the house. Starsky was following. The pair covered each other as if they were on a case with human criminals. Before Hutch could knock on the door a growl came from the other side of the door. Both men stopped and looked at each other.

   "Knock, Hutch, it's only a dog."

   But before he could rap on the door, it was pulled open. There stood a little old lady, smaller than the dog so it seemed. The dog stood next to her growling.

   "Hush, Max. What can I do for you nice young men?"

   "Madam, is that your dog?" Hutch asked.

   Starsky's eyes were glued to the dog, which now stood quietly next to the woman.

   "Yes, Max here is my constant companion. Why do you ask?"

   "Was he just out on the street by himself?"

   "I don't think so I put him in the yard out back."

   Starsky and Hutch exchanged a glance.

   "May we see the yard?" Starsky asked.

   "Sure. Let me lead the way. Max back up to let the men in."

   Max backed up and stood between the woman and the two officers. As the woman lead them through the house the dog always kept himself between the woman and the officers. Both men realized they would not be able to touch the woman with out being bitten. Once they had reached the back yard, the answer to how the dog had gotten out was clear, the gate was open.

   "Max, are you opening gates again? What has he done?"

   "Madam, he has been scaring a little girl on her way to and home from school. He growls at her, but when she screams, he disappears." Hutch informed her.

   "Officer, believe me he didn't mean her any harm. You see, Max is a Husky and they can only growl. If it were a threatening growl, her scream would have not stopped him. But it is not like him to growl at children."

   "Madam, we only know what Rosie tells us." Starsky stated.

   Just than Max started to growl again, but this time Starsky and Hutch could tell the dog meant business. The two men felt the growl, as well as heard it. They both looked in the direction the dog was looking and in the alley behind the house stood another dog. This one was black all over and foaming at the mouth.

   "That's him, that's the dog I sent Max out after. He keeps following that little girl home from school. I spotted him the other day stalking her. She walks by everyday after school Max and I watch her, to make sure she gets home okay. One day last week, I noticed that dog following her. So I sent Max to protect her. I didn't know her parents, or who she was. So I sent Max. He scared the other dog away and followed her to her house. He must have seen the dog stalking her this morning. I didn't know whom to call. People would think I'm crazy. Calling about a dog following a child home from school."

   As Starsky and Hutch watched the black dog started to move toward the people in the yard, Max moved to protect the group. Starsky pulled his revolver. This dog was not going to bite him or anyone in the group as far as he was concerned. Hutch had also drawn his gun. But before either man could shoot, the black dog lunged at the old woman. Max was faster and took the dog down with one move. It was not a long fight, but a deadly one. As soon as the other dog stopped advancing Max backed off, Hutch fired first, Starsky's shot was almost at the same instant. As soon as the danger was over the old woman took Max, went inside to check him over and call animal control. Starsky and Hutch looked at each other. Hutch was the first to break the silence.

   "Was that rabies?"

   "I don't know. You're the nature boy."

   "My god! What if that dog had bitten Rosie? He could have killer her."

   "But he didn't"

   "Thanks to Max."

   "Man's best friend."

   "And Rosie's"

   "We better call Dobey and tell him what happened."

THE END