Force Out by Tim Green

would do it, but here’s something else.”
    The teacher looked up to see that Joey’s mom was listening. “I know it sounds even stranger, but I think whoever did it may have drugged Daisy.”
    â€œDaisy?” Joey’s mom asked.
    â€œMy dog.”
    â€œThe dog I’ve seen?” Joey’s mom asked.
    â€œI know. He’s no daisy. That’s what’s strange. If someone spent time monkeying around under my truck, he’d have gone bananas. And he was sleeping next to the truck when I found him this morning. I had to nudge him to get up, which never happens, and then he was kind of groggy, stumbling all over. I didn’t think too much of it. Thought maybe he ate a dead squirrel or something and got sick, but then my mechanic found this, so . . .”
    â€œDrugged?” Joey’s mom put one hand to the side of her face and scratched her ear.
    Joey didn’t know if his stomach could take any more.
    â€œWell, I should come by today, then,” his mom said. “We can take a blood sample and see.”
    â€œYou can do that?”
    â€œI spent my summers as a kid working for a vet. It’s nothing, and if someone tranquilized your dog, whatever is in his system should tell us a lot more about who did it.”
    â€œHow’s that?” Mr. Kratz asked.
    â€œWell, not everyone has access to those kinds of tranquilizers. We can check with the local vets and narrow it down.”
    â€œThat’s a lot of trouble for a pretty minor mystery.”
    â€œNot at all.” Joey’s mom shook her head. “Someone drugging an animal and tampering with your truck? The county lab is slow right now anyway. I was in there the other day and they were all sitting around playing Texas Hold’em.”
    Mr. Kratz’s stained and smiling teeth appeared in the midst of his thick beard. “Very nice of you, Officer Riordon. I appreciate it. I would like to know who did this.”
    Joey’s mom gave a short nod. “Me, too.”

19
    Mr. Kratz lumbered toward the parking lot, where Daisy waited in the bed of the pickup truck, Frisbee in his mouth and wagging his tail. Joey and Zach shared a private look of dread.
    â€œYou played well, Zach.” Joey’s dad, who carried Martin on his shoulders, shook Zach’s hand.
    â€œThanks,” Zach said.
    â€œThey both did.” Zach’s dad, Kurt James, was a short and heavyset man who used to actually play on the Mariners double-A farm team. “You guys had a great season, so stop hanging your heads. The only sure thing is that there’s no sure thing.”
    The parents said good-bye to one another.
    â€œTalk to you later,” Joey said to Zach, and watched them go.
    â€œSorry about the game.” Joey’s dad lowered his voice. “Good effort.”
    â€œI stunk.” Joey was more worried about Mr. Kratz and his dog right now, but his response to the game was automatic. “There goes the all-stars.”
    â€œHey, you can’t say that,” his dad said. “You had a super season.”
    â€œPoop.” Martin giggled.
    â€œNo, Marty,” his mother said. “That’s not a nice word.”
    Joey just stared at his little brother atop their father’s shoulders. The sparkle in Martin’s eyes suggested that he knew exactly what he was saying and why. Joey made a snarling face. Martin blew a green snot bubble that bulged in and out of his left nostril defiantly.
    â€œHe is so disgusting.” Joey couldn’t help saying it.
    â€œThat’s your little brother, mister.” His mom glared at him, and Joey knew he should quit while he was ahead. When everything came crumbling down on his head—which seemed only a matter of time—he’d need as much goodwill as he could muster.
    â€œSorry.”
    â€œWell, let’s go get some pizza for lunch.” Joey’s father started for the Jeep.
    They were loading up