"This all you do?"

She didn't answer.

"Stand around looking pretty?"

Still no answer, too scared to talk.

"You know what?" Antwan said. "They ought to put coyotes in the dog shows. I don't know any males would do it, but you'd sure see some groovy females." He waited a moment and said, "Hey, quit acting like you're scared of me and come on out."

That did it. Miss Betty slipped out from under the bed and walked by him to the window--Antwan tempted to give the pom-pom on the tip of her tail a friendly nip. She pointed her cute black nose at the window and said, "This is the way out. Please leave."

She turned to him now, looked him in the eye, and Antwan saw she wasn't scared of him at all. Not the least bit. No, she acted the way she did 'cause she was snooty. She was a famous showgirl who won trophies and had no time for coyotes. One thing for sure, though, Miss Betty did not look happy.

"I saw you at the dog park," Antwan said, "with the kids. You didn't look like you were having much fun. Don't you ever get out by yourself and run around in the woods, see what you can scare up?"

All Miss Betty said to that was, "You have to go."

"I know," Antwan said. "Hey, but I could come back sometime, take you for a run in the woods." Antwan thinking it would be cool if she said yeah, why don't you?

She didn't though. Miss Betty c.o.c.ked her head like she was listening to something and said, "Courtney's looking for me."

[image]ownstairs in the kitchen, Courtney was saying to her mom sipping a cold beverage as the dad made himself one, "I can't find her anywhere." Cody said, "You haven't even looked." "I have so." "You have not." "Have so." The mom pushed her hair away from her face and said, "Cody, knock it off."

The dad said, "Hey, fella," and Buddy looked up. The dad said something about Betty, Buddy catching the name. He knew enough human words to figure out they were looking for her. Yeah, the dad pointing to the dog door. Calling him fella again, telling him to go look outside.

The way it was in this life-Antwan was right-all he did was what they they wanted. But Betty was probably upstairs, and so was Antwan ...There was no way to warn him, so Buddy did what he was told. He went outside. wanted. But Betty was probably upstairs, and so was Antwan ...There was no way to warn him, so Buddy did what he was told. He went outside.

The mom said to Courtney, "I'll bet she's up in her room. Have you looked there?"

[image]ntwan was beginning to feel sorry for Miss Betty. She didn't choose to be a showgirl. It was what to feel sorry for Miss Betty. She didn't choose to be a showgirl. It was what they they wanted her to be. Betty did what she was told and now was stuck with a life of posing and looking pretty. Antwan wondered if he could help her. wanted her to be. Betty did what she was told and now was stuck with a life of posing and looking pretty. Antwan wondered if he could help her.

He said, "I bet you never got burrs in your pom-poms."

She said, "Will you please leave?"

He tried a different approach. "You know what me and Buddy been talking about?"

She said, "Me, I suppose."

"That's one of your problems," Antwan said, "always thinking about yourself." He could tell she didn't like that, so he said right away, "Buddy wants us to trade places."

She looked surprised and then interested. "How could you do that?"

"He joins the coyotes and I stay here, pretend I'm a dog."

Was that a smile on her cute face? It looked like one. Now she was shaking her head.

"It would never work. You don't have manners or know how to act like a dog."

It encouraged Antwan she was willing to talk about it. He said, "Buddy thinks we can pull off the switch. And if I was here, girl, I could show you how to run around and have some fun. Show you sights you wouldn't believe till you saw 'em. There's a whole world out there you're missing."

Miss Betty hesitated now, looking into his eyes like she wanted to hear more or catch a glimpse of this world he was talking about. Her gaze moved past him then, her expression changing to a look of surprise, and she said, "Oh no ..."

Antwan turned his head to see Courtney standing in the doorway. Courtney there and then gone, running down the hall and yelling as loud as she could: "A coyote's in the house!"

[image]etty was by the open window now, motioning for Antwan to go out, telling him, "Quick, jump!" and watched him leap through the opening to land on the roof over the patio, watched him slide down the shingles, jump to the ground and run for the fence. the open window now, motioning for Antwan to go out, telling him, "Quick, jump!" and watched him leap through the opening to land on the roof over the patio, watched him slide down the shingles, jump to the ground and run for the fence.

Now she saw Buddy in the yard, Buddy coming around the swimming pool to run after Antwan like he was chasing him.

But he wasn't.

She couldn't believe her eyes as she saw Antwan and Buddy go over the fence together side by side. Gone.

[image]he family came from the hall into Betty's room, all of them with something to say. First the dad pretended to look around the room. He said to Courtney, "Sweetheart, I don't see a coyote," sounding like he was serious. from the hall into Betty's room, all of them with something to say. First the dad pretended to look around the room. He said to Courtney, "Sweetheart, I don't see a coyote," sounding like he was serious.

Cody said, "You don't believe her, do you? A coyote just happens to be in the house?"

"It was," Courtney said, "it was right here in this room."

"She makes up stories to get attention."

"Cody," the mom said, "stay out of it."

"She does it all the time. And then cries."

Tears showed in Courtney's eyes.

"See?" Cody said.

"I saw saw it," Courtney said, sobbing now. "Betty knows I'm telling the truth." it," Courtney said, sobbing now. "Betty knows I'm telling the truth."

Miss Betty looked up hearing her name and wagged her stylish tail. She said, "Courtney's right, a coyote was in my room," but all the family heard were a few yips and a growl.

The dad walked over to the window saying, "Buddy was in the backyard." He looked out. "But I don't see him now." He put two fingers to his mouth, and the blast of his whistle filled the room.

The mom closed her eyes. She opened them and said, "Why don't we go downstairs and have a cold drink?"

Betty waited for them to leave before going to the window. She looked out at the hillside, her eyes on the open slope above the trees, but saw no sign of Antwan or Buddy. She began wondering what it would be like to be with them.

To miss her grooming appointments and run free.

[image]ntwan loped all the way through the woods to the bare part of the hill before he stopped and waited for Buddy to catch up. "I thought I'd lose you," Antwan said, as Buddy reached him and sat down. "You're pretty fast for an old-timer." "I'm not too old," Buddy said, "to sniff your trail and hunt you down. I'm ready to see where you live and meet the family." through the woods to the bare part of the hill before he stopped and waited for Buddy to catch up. "I thought I'd lose you," Antwan said, as Buddy reached him and sat down. "You're pretty fast for an old-timer." "I'm not too old," Buddy said, "to sniff your trail and hunt you down. I'm ready to see where you live and meet the family."

"Homes, you might think you're ready," Antwan said. "If you were a wild dog, it would be different. Wild dogs can catch on to our ways. But you're nothing but a house pet, used to your little doggy dish, your name on it."

"I know who I am and what I can do," Buddy said. "What I'm tired of is being told what to do. I want to see what it's like to live in the wild. Stay out all night and chase after game."

"Like squirrels and rabbits?" Antwan said. "I love chasing squirrels and rabbits." "How about cats?" "I've chased hundreds of cats." "But did you eat 'em?" "Look," Buddy said, standing up now, bigger than this skinny coyote with the pointy ears, Buddy convinced he was every bit as brave, "I can chase what I want and eat what I want, in a dish or on the ground. I'm not taking any more of your smart-aleck insults. You say one more word about me being a pet, I'll bite your bushy tail off and make you eat it."

It got Antwan thinking, maybe this dog did have the chops to make the switch work. The pack would give Buddy a hard time, see how tough he was, but he'd stand up to 'em and give it back, wouldn't he? The pack would have to agree, Buddy was cool, for a dog.

No, the problem was Antwan pulling off his part in the scheme. He said to Buddy, "You want me to introduce you to my family."

"That's all," Buddy said, "then it's up to me."

"But what am I supposed to do, just walk in the house and say hi y'all? I need you there, homes, to show 'em we friends. I can't hope for Miss Betty to help me. That girl hardly ever speaks."

Buddy saw what he meant and began nodding his head.

"You're right, we don't want to jump the gun. We better do the hard part first, get you settled in the house before we go up the hill." Buddy paused then, narrowing his eyes at Antwan. "If you think this is a joke and you're playing some kind of trick on me-"

Antwan shook his head and looked Buddy in the eye to show he was serious. He said, "Homes, the only tricky part is getting your people to believe I'm a dog. Getting me me to believe it, too, so I can try to act like one." He said, "Listen, you go on home and I'll see you tonight. Wait for me in the kitchen. Then in the morning, introduce me as your new friend." to believe it, too, so I can try to act like one." He said, "Listen, you go on home and I'll see you tonight. Wait for me in the kitchen. Then in the morning, introduce me as your new friend."

Buddy was thinking about something now, nodding his head again. He said, "You need a dog collar."

"Man, we got all kinds of 'em."

"Bring one."

Now Antwan was nodding. "That's an idea. Yeah, but how do I get it on?"

"I'll think of a way," Buddy said.

[image]amona wanted to join the Howling Diablos, but Antwan wouldn't let her, even though two girls were in the gang. Antwan said, "When you can hunt with Iris and Grace you're in the posse. You have to know things. You hear a rabbit crying-is the bunny in trouble, or is it a human blowing his lure? They sound the same. You come running and he shoots you. Whenever you run you're looking everywhere, and when you're out in the open, you watch the sky." the Howling Diablos, but Antwan wouldn't let her, even though two girls were in the gang. Antwan said, "When you can hunt with Iris and Grace you're in the posse. You have to know things. You hear a rabbit crying-is the bunny in trouble, or is it a human blowing his lure? They sound the same. You come running and he shoots you. Whenever you run you're looking everywhere, and when you're out in the open, you watch the sky."

These words were in Ramona's mind almost in the same moment she heard the crow-too late to watch the sky and now she was afraid to look up, see a ring of crows circling to dive at her. She kept running, faster now, then stopped in her tracks as Cicero Crow landed on a rock, about three leaps in front of her.

"You didn't hear me calling? I bet you didn't hear about Antwan, either. About him going in the house with the police dog? Not like Antwan was busted, or like he was gonna eat the dog. Just went in the house. But listen, I got one for him, a cute white Persian they let out in the yard, the new kitty in the neighborhood. Her name's Lola."

Ramona said, "He went in a house?" "And came out. Listen, tell Antwan to give me a howl." She climbed to the pack's grounds and found Antwan coming out of a slit in the rock wall, his den. She said, "You were in a house," sounding amazed. Antwan said, "I know I was. What I like you to do, find me a dog collar, one that will go around my poor neck."

FOUR.

[image]ntwan arrived not long past mid- past mid-Anight, the house dark except for a light showing in the kitchen. Buddy, waiting for him in the yard, watched Antwan jump the fence and come across the lawn, a dog collar hanging from his mouth. "Let's go inside," Buddy said. He led the way through the dog door and into the kitchen. Antwan dropped the collar on the floor.

"They all sleeping?" "The kids. The mom and dad fall asleep watching TV.

Tonight it's Sat.u.r.day Night Live. Sat.u.r.day Night Live. You want something to eat?" "You mean You want something to eat?" "You mean food food or dog food?" "There's some kibbles in Betty's dish she hardly or dog food?" "There's some kibbles in Betty's dish she hardly touched."

[image]

Antwan went over and stuck his nose in the dish, catching Miss Betty's scent but not much taste to it as he began to eat. Buddy now was looking at the license tag attached to the collar lying on the floor.

"It says your name's Timmy, but I can't read the rest. This tag looks like somebody was chewing on it."

Antwan raised his head from the kibbles. "I did that, homes, so they'll know my name but won't be able to check me out."

"You're pretty smart," Buddy said.

"You just finding that out?"

"What happened to this dog Timmy?"

"I wouldn't be surprised some coyotes had him for supper," Antwan said, "before my time. I don't recognize the collar." He ate some more kibbles before looking up again. "Was this Timmy a friend of yours?"

"I knew a little schnauzer answers to that name," Buddy said, "a show dog, but that collar would've been too big for him."

"I tried sticking my head through it," Antwan said, finished with the kibbles, "but couldn't work it past my ears. How'm I gonna get it on?"

"What I have in mind," Buddy said, "I see little Courtney helping you."

"How you get her to do that?"

"Act it out," Buddy said. "Don't worry, I'll tell you what to do when the time comes. The collar's gonna be part of the show, getting them to believe you're some strange kind of dog."

"We do it here in the kitchen?"

"Outside," Buddy said, "while they're having their Sunday breakfast on the patio. I see by the sky it's gonna be nice tomorrow. So the kids will be in the pool or playing around it. I'm talking about when we make our move."

"You sure it's gonna work?"

"Trust me," Buddy said. "We go out at sunrise and hide in the shrubs back of the swimming pool. We wait till the mom and dad are having their breakfast before we come out and walk toward the house. You keep your head and your tail down and only do what I tell you."

Antwan said, "You let Miss Betty know about it?"

"She'll be watching from upstairs," Buddy said, "I'm pretty sure. This'll be good for her. Give her something to think about besides herself."

[image]he next morning, Antwan and Buddy came out of the shrubs and started across the lawn, Antwan with the collar hanging from his jaws. Courtney, in her swimsuit, was running from the house to the pool. She didn't see them right away. Cody did, standing on the diving board, but only stared, too surprised to say anything. Antwan and Buddy came out of the shrubs and started across the lawn, Antwan with the collar hanging from his jaws. Courtney, in her swimsuit, was running from the house to the pool. She didn't see them right away. Cody did, standing on the diving board, but only stared, too surprised to say anything.

Now Courtney saw them and called out, "Dad . . . ?" not sure whether or not to be afraid.

The mom and dad were having breakfast on the patio, each reading a section of the Sunday paper. The dad, intent on entertainment news, didn't look up when Courtney called the first time, or when she called again, "Da-ad!" louder.

The mom, with a gla.s.s of what appeared to be tomato juice, didn't look up either, since she wasn't the dad.

"Be cool," Buddy said to Antwan. "Put your tail down."

"I can't help it," Antwan said. "I get excited it sticks out by itself." He looked up at Miss Betty's window and there she was, watching. He thought of giving her a howl, but Buddy had told him, "No howling. The last thing you want to do is howl and give yourself away."

Courtney yelled again, "Da-ad!"

The mom looked up from the Book Review section. "Courtney wants you."