Dog Whisperer by Nicholas Edwards

did feel one thing very clearly.
    There was danger somewhere!

 
    7
    Emily’s first thought was the sickening fear that there might be another fire. But, no, she was feeling something else—a distinct hint of danger.
    â€œWhat is it, boy?” she asked.
    He was already bolting towards the back door, and she followed him, taking the steps two at a time.
    When she raced into the kitchen, her father held his hand up. “Wait a minute,” he said. “Where do you think you two are going in such a rush?”
    â€œI, uh—” Emily had no idea, so it was hard to come up with a response. “Zack needs to go out, I think.”
    Since Zack was at the door, barking fiercely, that was probably pretty clear.
    â€œIs it okay just to let him out?” Emily’s grandfather asked.
    Normally, one of them always went out in the yard with Zack, to make sure he was safe, but he was so eager to push outside that Emily wasn’t sure it would work this time. Her grandfather opened the door, and Zachary raced outside, barking a deep, threatening bark over and over.
    â€œHe is certainly—rambunctious,” Emily’s grandmother said, nervously.
    Emily thought she could see an image in her mind of dark shadows moving, but had no idea what that might mean. Dark, darting shadows, which looked sort of like people. Sneaky people. “I think we should call 911,” she said. “It might be prowlers.”
    Both her parents, and her grandparents, looked startled.
    â€œIn the country ?” her grandfather said. “There really aren’t supposed to be any prowlers in the country. I’m quite sure of that.”
    The best way to find out would be to go into the yard and check for themselves. Emily started to open the door, but her mother pulled her back by her hoodie, holding the telephone in her other hand.
    â€œNo,” her mother said. “Not happening.”
    Oh. Emily hesitated, not wanting Zack to be out there alone.
    â€œ No ,” her mother said, and quickly dialed. “Hi, Sonya, this is Joanne Feingold,” she said, to the dispatcher who answered. “The dog is raising quite a ruckus, and I think there might be a prowler of some kind outside. Could you send a car by?” She listened for a moment. “Great, thank you,” she said, and hung up.
    Maybe someone was trying to break into the Peabodys’ house, since they were out of town? But, no, Zack’s barking seemed to be coming from the other direction.
    Then, they heard a young male voice yelling, “Let’s get out of here, dude!”
    â€œWell, that sounds like an unruly punk,” Emily’s grandmother said, with a stern-teacher expression. She snatched up a tennis racquet that was in the corner of the kitchen, near the back hall. “I think we had better go check that out.”
    Emily’s father sighed. “Mom, no. I really don’t think that’s a good—”
    Emily’s grandmother was already marching outside, gripping the racquet.
    Emily hurried after her, with her mother and grandfather close behind. Her father was following them, too, but he was much slower on his crutches. Zack seemed to be down somewhere near Mrs. Griswold’s house, which was boarded up, and in the process of being repaired from all of the storm damage. So, if someone wanted to break in, it wouldn’t be hard to do.
    â€œExactly what is going on out here?” Emily’s grandmother called, in a voice almost as fierce as Zachary’s bark sounded.
    â€œLady, call off your dog!” a young man’s voice answered.
    As they got closer, Emily could see two high school–aged boys up in a tree in Mrs. Griswold’s yard, with Zachary barking below them. One of them looked sort of familiar, but she didn’t think she had ever seen the other one.
    â€œCome on, call ’im off,” the other boy said. “We aren’t doing