They went into the living room, and Bess grabbed the remote control. “I wonder if there’s anything good on TV tonight.”
Nancy looked at her watch. “Bess, it’s late. I should get home.”
“Do you have to? Why don’t you spend the night? Come on, Nan—it would be fun.”
Nancy yawned. “I don’t know….”
“Please?” Bess’s blue eyes were wide. “I hate being in this house alone at night. Casey barks at every little sound—it’s creepy.”
Casey leaped up and yapped ferociously. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
The doorbell rang. Bess glanced at Nancy. “See what I mean? Who’d be visiting at this hour?”
Bess stood on her tiptoes and timidly looked out the peephole of the front door. “George!” she exclaimed. She swung open the door.
George, Marisa, and Misty were standing on the front porch. “Hi again,” George said. Bess showed them inside.
“What’s the matter?” Nancy asked.
“My apartment was flooded tonight,” Marisa said glumly. “A pipe burst—everything’s a mess.”
“Marisa needs a place to stay until the water damage is repaired,” George explained. “And I thought you might like some company, Bess….”
“You’re right about that,” Bess said. “Marisa, did George explain that my parents are out of town? I was just badgering Nancy into spending the night because I was so lonely. I’d be thrilled to have a temporary roommate.”
“That’s just what I thought you’d say. Marisa’s bags are in my car,” George said with a grin. “I’ll bring them inside.”
“Thanks, George,” Marisa said. “And thank you, Bess. You’re the best.”
Misty licked Bess’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here, too, Misty,” Bess said as she guided Casey away from an electrical cord. “Any tips on puppy-raising would be greatly appreciated.”
“Do you mind if I use your phone?” Marisa asked. “I’m going to call Devon and let him know I’m staying here.”
“Sure,” Bess said. She turned to Nancy. “Are you still going to stay?”
Nancy smiled. “Why not? We can have a slumber party.”
George entered with two small shoulder bags. Her smartly styled short hair was now a mass of dark, wet ringlets. “It’s pouring outside,” she said.
Thunder boomed and echoed in the distance. Casey barked and shivered against Bess’s leg.
“I hope this doesn’t last all night,” Bess said as she led everyone upstairs and showed them to their rooms.
When she came downstairs in the morning, Nancy laughed. Bess’s hair was tousled, and she had an exasperated expression on her face.
“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” Nancy said with a teasing expression.
“Easy for you to say,” Bess said. “You weren’t dragged outside four times in the driving rain in the middle of the night to wait for ten minutes for your dog to go to the bathroom.”
“No,” Nancy said, “but I was awakened at ten-minute intervals by your dog’s barking with every clap of thunder.”
Bess wagged her finger at Casey. “Misty was a nice, quiet dog. Why can’t you be more like Misty?”
“Bess!” Marisa called from upstairs.
Reacting to the urgency in their friend’s voice, Bess and Nancy hurried up to the guest bedroom. Marisa was sitting up in bed.
“Have you seen Misty?” she asked.
“No,” Bess said. “She was sleeping on the floor next to your bed most of the night.”
“I know,” Marisa said. “But she’s gone, and she didn’t come when I called her.”
Nancy and Bess walked through the house, whistling and calling Misty’s name.
“It’s no use,” Marisa finally said. “She’s gone. Someone stole Misty.”
7
Muddy Pawprints
“I took Casey out several times last night,” Bess said. “Maybe Misty slipped outside.”
“No. She wouldn’t leave me,” Marisa insisted.
“Normally, I’m sure that’s true,” Nancy said, “but maybe with the unfamiliar surroundings and the thunderstorm . . .”
Marisa bit her lip. Tears glistened in her eyes. “She wouldn’t leave me. I’m sure she was taken.”
