Riley Mack and the Other Known Troublemakers by Chris Grabenstein

back.”
    â€œThen can I kill the creep?”
    Riley patted his friend’s ribs. He couldn’t reach his shoulder. “We’ll talk.”
    â€œShould I close the gate?” asked Jake.
    â€œLet’s leave it open,” said Riley. “There’s always a chance Noodle will sniff her way home.”
    They returned to the front of the house. Mrs. Montgomery was on the porch, screaming at the telephone clenched in her fist.
    â€œToo busy? Well, you tell Chief Brown that maybe next time he is raising money for the Fairview Police Benevolence Fund we’ll be too busy to contribute!” She yanked the phone away from her ear as if it had stung her. “They hung up on me!”
    â€œMrs. Montgomery?” said Riley. “Jake here is going to put together some flyers. We need to know: Is there a reward?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œHow much, Mom?” asked Mongo.
    â€œI don’t know. What do you think, Riley?”
    â€œWell, I don’t think we need to name a number. A big one might motivate the wrong sort of people, if you catch my drift.”
    â€œRiley’s right!” said Briana—very dramatically, of course. “Dognappers! Pooch pinchers! Beagle burglars!”
    Now Riley gave Briana the “cut” sign and smiled up at Mrs. Montgomery. “We’ll just say ‘reward’ and list your phone number.”
    â€œCheck,” said Jake, who was taking notes.
    â€œAnd Jake? No names. Just Mrs. M’s phone number.”
    â€œGotcha!”
    â€œMrs. Montgomery,” said Riley, “can you give us any distinguishing characteristics for Noodle? Something that might make her easier to spot?”
    â€œWell, she has golden, curly hair. Big soft eyes.”
    â€œAnd a wet teddy bear nose,” added Mongo.
    â€œAnything more specific?” asked Riley.
    â€œDoes she have any tattoos?” said Jake, who watched way too many CSI shows on TV.
    â€œNo, but she was wearing her pink collar,” said Mrs. Montgomery. “The one in the photograph I showed you kids.”
    â€œThe one with all the bling?” asked Briana.
    â€œThe what?”
    â€œSparkly things,” said Riley.
    â€œYou know,” said Briana. “ Bling-bling. That’s the sound a sparkle makes in a toothpaste commercial.”
    â€œI see,” said Mongo’s mom. “Yes, she was wearing her jeweled collar.”
    â€œMake that fake jeweled collar,” Riley said to Jake. “Real jewels might also draw the interest of the wrong individuals.”
    â€œGot it,” said Jake.
    â€œOkay, people,” said Riley. “We need to move quickly if we want to stay ahead of the dog. Alert your parental units. Could be a long night. I recommend we cover a three-mile radius moving out from this point. We don’t get any hits, we call up more troops, cover a wider area. Tomorrow morning, we go door to door if we have to. Mrs. Montgomery?”
    â€œYes, Riley?”
    â€œBefore you take off in your car and search for Noodle…”
    â€œHow did you know…”
    â€œIt’s your next logical move, ma’am. But, before you do, I suggest you call the folks at the Fairview Humane Society’s animal shelter. It’s possible somebody found Noodle and took her to the shelter. I’m guessing she doesn’t have her tags yet?”
    â€œThat’s right. I only picked her up last week. I haven’t had time….”
    â€œUnderstandable,” said Riley calmly, because hedidn’t want Mrs. Montgomery to feel as bad as he had when Jamal Wilson pointed out how he was letting everybody down.
    â€œWe called her Noodle,” said Mongo, “because it rhymes. With doodle .”
    Riley nodded. It was pretty clear that even though Noodle had only been with the Montgomery family for a little over a week, she had already stolen their hearts.
    Mrs. Montgomery called the animal shelter, and then