Hero Read online

  It was . . . a puppy?

  2

  OVERSIZED BROWN EYES GAZED UP AT them, filled with fear, looking from Hero to Ben and back again. The eyes were set in the face of a tiny, fuzzy puppy. His fur was a golden brown, and he had a black snout, two white paws, and a white chest. One ear pointed straight up, and the other flopped down over his cheek. The dog’s nose was twitching, working overtime to take in the new scents of Ben and Hero.

  Hero barked. With a frantic yip, the puppy scooted backward and bumped into a wide tree trunk. Trapped, he began to whimper, and his small body shook uncontrollably. He kept his eyes locked on Hero and Ben.

  “Hero, quiet. It’s okay, pup,” Ben said softly, trying to sound as calm and friendly as possible. “What’re you doing way out here?”

  Ben knelt down and held out his hand. The puppy eyed his fingers but stayed where he was. Ben took a closer look at the little guy. His fur was dirty and matted. He had a deep scratch across his nose that was starting to heal, and a couple of patches of dried blood on his back. It looked like the pup had been bitten and maybe even clawed. And he was skinny—too skinny. Ben could see his ribs. He definitely hadn’t been getting enough to eat.

  Ben slipped his backpack off his shoulder slowly, trying not to startle the puppy. He unzipped it and pulled out the remains of a ham sandwich he hadn’t finished at lunch. Ben unwrapped the soggy parcel and held it out in one hand. Do dogs even like ham sandwiches? he wondered. The puppy caught a whiff, and his straggly tail wagged back and forth in the grass.

  “Come on, boy,” Ben said softly. The pup took one, then another, tentative step forward, desperate for the food. Ben broke off a small piece of ham and tossed it into the grass. The puppy looked up at Ben, then at Hero, then back down at the food. He lunged forward, snatching the meat from the ground. He looked at Ben, ready for more. Ben tossed another small piece into the grass. The pup gobbled it up. Ben smiled and dropped the rest of the sandwich right at his own feet. The puppy scampered over and scarfed it down.

  “When was the last time you had anything to eat?” Ben said quietly. The puppy looked up at him and whimpered as he swallowed the last of the sandwich. “Sorry, pal,” Ben said. “I don’t have any more.”

  The puppy dropped to the ground, rolled onto his back, and flopped from side to side, snorting a little. Hero watched the puppy wiggle for a moment. He looked up at Ben, waiting for a command. Ben shrugged.

  “You want to check him out, huh, Hero?” Hero just blinked at Ben. “All right.” Ben sighed. “Go on, Hero.”

  Hero stepped over and sniffed at the smaller dog. The puppy lay still on his back, resting a paw on Hero’s snout while Hero sized him up from head to tail and back again. Next to Hero, the small dog looked even tinier. He was hardly bigger than Hero’s head.

  Ben saw another wound on the dog’s stomach. This one definitely looked like a bite mark. Ben’s dad had mentioned something about stray dogs showing up in the area with these kinds of injuries lately. The police had been able to catch a couple of them and said they were probably being used in a dogfighting ring. This guy was way too little to be a fighter, but maybe he was being used as a bait dog, to get the bigger, meaner dogs riled up.

  And if he was, did that mean this puppy belonged to whoever ran the ring? Or had he just been dumped out on the street when they were done with him? Ben wasn’t sure which option was worse.

  Hero raised his head from the pup. The little dog clambered to his feet and nipped at Hero’s neck. Hero ignored the bite and nudged at the puppy with his snout. The little dog dropped back down onto his belly and lowered his head while Hero licked him, cleaning his face and neck.

  “Aw, Hero, that’s nice of you, buddy,” Ben said.

  The puppy had his eyes closed and was totally relaxed. Hero lay down on the grass right next to the puppy and scanned the woods around them, as if he were on watch. Ben had to laugh—Hero was protecting the puppy the way he usually protected Ben.

  “Well, look at you two,” Ben said. “It’s like you’ve known each other forever, huh?”

  Ben studied the dogs. Even though they were different colors and had different markings, the puppy kind of looked like Hero. His head was the same rectangular shape, with the same long snout. And the puppy’s paws were huge—a giveaway that he’d be as big as Hero someday. He was probably a mutt, but he definitely had some Labrador in him.

  “Where’s your family, little guy?” Ben asked. He slowly reached out his hand. He waited for the pup to sniff his knuckles, like his dad had taught him. But the little dog pulled his head away, keeping his distance. He was obviously afraid of people, but he felt comfortable with Hero. Someone must have been really mean to him.

  The pup tipped his head to the side and sniffed at Ben’s backpack, probably hoping for more food. Ben felt terrible, but he and Hero needed to get home. They were going to have to leave the puppy here.

  “Come on, Hero,” Ben said. Hero looked at him but didn’t get up. “Hero, come. We have to get home.” Hero didn’t budge. Ben had never seen him ignore a command before. “We’ll come back tomorrow with some more food for the puppy,” Ben said, “but if we don’t get home now, my parents are going to kill us. Come.”

  Hero stood up, but he looked down at the puppy and started to whine. The puppy hopped up and tucked himself between Hero’s front legs, under his chest. Both dogs looked up at Ben.

  Ben couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Was Hero refusing to leave without the puppy? He looked from one dog to the other while he tried to figure out what to do.

  “Uh, Hero, my parents are going to be mad at me if we’re late. What do you think they’re going to do if I’m late and I bring home another dog?” The dogs just stared at him. Ben shook his head. “Oh, man. Okay, okay. We’ll take the puppy home with us.”

  Ben pulled Hero’s harness out of his backpack and put it down on the ground. Carefully, he adjusted the buckles to make it as small as possible. He held up the harness and reached for the puppy, but the little dog let out a high-pitched growl and backed away from Ben. Hero nudged the puppy toward Ben with his nose. The pup stumbled reluctantly forward, Hero right behind him.

  Ben slowly stretched his hands out again. This time the pup sniffed him and the harness. Ben gently lowered the harness over the pup’s head. He swiped one tiny paw at the nylon straps and scooted backward, trying to get out of it. Hero licked the puppy’s head, as if to reassure him that it was okay. After a moment, the pup accepted the harness and sat down. It was loose, but it would work.

  Ben turned to Hero. “You happy now, bud?”

  Hero wagged his tail and let out a short, happy bark.

  “I thought you’d say that.” Ben clipped Hero’s leash to the harness. He tugged on it lightly. The puppy resisted and tried to bite the strap. Ben tugged again. “Okay, pal. Up you go.” The puppy stood, and Hero rose to his feet, standing at Ben’s side.

  “I think he needs a name, don’t you, Hero?” Ben looked at the pup, then back at Hero. Ben thought of all the people his dog had saved over the years. He thought of how Hero could sniff out trouble and find people in danger. He thought of all the times Hero and his dad had put their lives on the line to help others.

  Maybe the puppy belonged to someone else, and maybe they would have him only for a day. But Hero had tracked the pup into the woods—had saved him—and instantly taken a liking to him. It was almost like the pup was a tiny version of the older dog. And what was Hero? A searcher . . . a rescuer . . . Ben ran through all the words that popped into his head until he came to the right one.

  “Scout,” Ben said quietly, trying out the name. It felt right. “Scout,” he repeated, louder this time.

  Ben started walking. Hero followed, and Scout waddled along behind them. The little dog took four wiggling steps for every one of Hero’s, his short legs working overtime.

  “Come on, Hero. Come on, Scout,” Ben said to the pair. “We’re going home.”

  3

&
nbsp; THEY MADE IT HOME JUST IN time for dinner. At the sight of his parents’ cars in the driveway, Ben felt a twinge of uncertainty in his gut. On the ride home, with Hero trotting alongside his bike and Scout tucked into the front of Ben’s sweatshirt, Ben had gotten pretty comfortable with the idea of bringing the puppy home. It wouldn’t have been right to leave the tiny dog there alone at night. And clearly Hero wasn’t going to allow that to happen. But now what? He had no plan. In fact, he hadn’t thought this through at all, beyond getting home on time. What would they do with Scout? Would his parents even let him bring the dog inside?

  Ben hopped off his bike and dropped it on the front lawn. He raced up the walkway, carrying Scout under one arm in a football hold. Nervously, he opened the front door.

  His dad was in the kitchen cooking dinner. He heard the clatter of a pan lid and his dad muttering, “Ow, that was hot.” His sister, Erin, sat at the dining room table, clutching a crayon in her pudgy hand. Erin and Ben were six years apart in age, but they looked almost identical, with the same freckles, light brown eyes, and curly brown hair. His mom stood in front of the couch in the adjoining living room, folding laundry into neat piles. All three of them looked up and immediately spotted Scout in Ben’s arms.

  Erin jumped out of her seat and ran toward him, squealing, “Puppy!” at the top of her lungs.

  Oh, his mom mouthed in surprise. His dad squinted as if trying to decide whether it was a real dog. Scout started to tremble with fear in Ben’s arms. He looked around anxiously, taking in all the new faces and sounds and smells. Erin held out her hand to Scout, who sniffed at it nervously.

  “It’s okay, boy,” Ben said softly, patting Scout’s head. “That’s just my kid sister. She won’t bite.” Erin stuck her tongue out at Ben.

  Ben looked to his mom and saw a glimmer of appreciation for Scout’s cuteness cross her face. He held Scout out toward her. “He’s a little nervous, but he’s really sweet, Mom. Want to hold him?”

  “No thanks,” his mom replied, shaking her head. “At least not until he’s had a bath and a flea dip.”

  “So,” his dad said, with an amused expression on his face. “What exactly are you planning to do with that dog?”

  “Um.” Ben didn’t know where to start. “We—Hero and I—I mean, I . . . Scout was all alone. The puppy was all alone. We found him in the woods at the park. Hero wouldn’t let me leave him there. I mean—Hero really liked him right away. He’s such a little guy.”

  His dad nodded. “He is. He’s just a pup. A really cute pup.” Ben’s dad walked toward them. He was tall—well over six feet—and he towered over Ben and Scout. Scout tried to push himself backward in Ben’s arms, like he was trying to get away from his dad.

  “It’s okay, Scout,” Ben said softly. Hero stood up on his hind legs and put his front legs on Ben’s arm. He licked Scout on the face, soothing him. Scout immediately relaxed in Ben’s arms.

  “Hero really does like him, huh?” Ben’s dad said. He studied Scout carefully. Ben’s dad loved dogs. He was the best officer in the K-9 unit. Ben could tell that his dad wanted to keep Scout too. But Ben’s mom would be the ultimate decider. “He’s got some bite marks on him,” Ben’s dad said as he ran a gentle hand over Scout’s trembling body. “His wounds are consistent with the other dogs we’ve found in town lately. I’d bet my next paycheck this little guy is part of the same fighting ring.”

  “I was afraid of that,” Ben said. “So, can we keep him?” He held his breath and looked at his parents. He hadn’t realized until that very moment that he actually wanted to keep Scout. He already had one dog. Now he wanted two?

  Ben saw his parents share a look. Erin bounced up and down on her toes, practically bursting with excitement. Scout let out a hungry whimper in Ben’s arms.

  “What did you call him?” Ben’s dad asked.

  “Scout,” Ben said, kind of embarrassed. “Because he reminds me of Hero.”

  “Honey,” Ben’s mom interrupted. “Let’s talk this over, please?” She smiled and shook her head. Ben’s dad shot her a sheepish look.

  “Well, take Scout out back and hose him down while your mom and I discuss what to do with him,” his dad said.

  “Sure thing,” Ben said, happy that his parents hadn’t given him an outright no.

  “There are some old towels and Hero’s dog shampoo in the laundry room,” Ben’s mom called after him as Ben and the dogs headed outside.

  “Thanks, Mom.” Ben gave Scout a scratch behind the ears.

  “Can I help?” Erin asked.

  “Sure,” Ben said. “Come on.”

  Ben had never given a puppy a bath before—it was more like the puppy gave him and Erin a bath. They hosed him off as best as they could, then stepped back into the kitchen half an hour later dripping wet and muddy from chasing the slippery dog across the lawn. At least Scout was clean and wrapped in a snuggly towel.

  “Upstairs!” Ben’s mom commanded them both with a laugh. “Get those wet clothes out of here.”

  Ben put the pup down on the floor, and Hero immediately walked over and lay down next to him.

  When Ben came back downstairs in dry clothes, he found his parents watching the two dogs on the floor. Hero had his front paws stretched out in front of him and his ears pricked forward, on alert. Scout leaned against Hero’s side and licked himself. The downy fur on the backs of his ears stuck out in all directions.

  “I’m surprised that Hero is so attached to this puppy,” Ben’s dad said. “I’ve never seen him like this before.”

  “Yeah,” Ben said. “He wasn’t going to come home without Scout. He made that pretty clear.”

  “Well,” Ben’s dad said, “Hero’s not going to like this, but your mom and I have decided that Scout needs to go to the shelter tonight.”

  Ben’s heart sank.

  “Then tomorrow,” his dad went on, “when I get to the station, I’ll see if anyone’s filed a missing dog report. There’s a chance Scout could be someone’s pet, although, like I said, I suspect he was part of the dogfighting ring. If he was, he might be able to help me find out who’s behind it and put an end to it once and for all. Either way, they’ll take good care of him at the shelter.”

  “But, Dad—”

  “Sorry, Ben. It’s the right thing to do. I’ll run him over there now while your mom finishes making dinner.” He leaned down to scoop up Scout from the floor. As he did, Scout skittered backward, away from Ben’s dad, a frightened wail escaping his throat. Scout had gotten comfortable with Ben pretty quickly, and he had let Erin hold him right away. But something about Ben’s dad terrified the puppy.

  Hero buried his nose in the pup’s fur, comforting him.

  Ben’s dad took another step toward Scout, and Hero stood up, positioning himself between the man and the puppy.

  “Whoa, Hero,” Ben’s dad said, surprised. “It’s okay, pal. I’m not going to hurt him. Sit.”

  Hero sat, but he kept his eyes locked on his longtime handler. Scout trembled with fear, but he let Ben’s dad pick him up and head for the front door. Before Ben’s dad could get there, though, Hero bounded across the room and stepped in front of him.

  “Hero really doesn’t want you to take him,” Ben’s mom said, astonished.

  “I guess not,” Ben’s dad replied.

  “That’s how Hero was acting in the woods,” Ben said, hoping the dog could convince his parents to let Scout stay.

  Still cradling Scout in his arms, Ben’s dad reached for the doorknob. Hero barked at him. It wasn’t an aggressive bark, but it was clear from Hero’s tone and furrowed brow that he was upset. He started to whine.

  Ben’s dad took a step backward, away from the door. Hero stopped whining and wagged his tail. Ben’s dad took a step forward again, and Hero barked. Ben’s dad studied Hero for a moment.

  “You’re not kidding, are you, Hero?” He looked back at his wife. Ben’s mom raised her hands in an I don’t know gesture. “What do you think, hon?” Ben’s dad ask
ed her.

  “I think Hero knows what he wants.” She sighed. “It sounds like Scout stays.”

  “Dad?” Ben asked, his heart thumping in his chest.

  “All right,” his dad said.

  “Yes!” Ben pumped a fist in the air. “Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad.”

  “This isn’t permanent, Ben,” his dad cautioned. “Tomorrow I’ll figure out where Scout came from, and we’ll get him back where he belongs. As long as it’s safe for him there.”

  Ben nodded. “I understand. But good luck explaining that to Hero.” He chuckled.

  “No kidding,” his dad replied. “Listen, no matter how attached Hero is to the puppy, we don’t know this dog at all. I know this is hard to hear, but dogs like this—they’ve usually been treated pretty badly. Sometimes people are awful to animals. And it . . . changes them.”

  “I know, Dad.”

  “Plus, you don’t have a lot of time to take care of a puppy, Ben,” his mom chimed in. “You’ve got to keep your grades up in order to keep Hero, remember?”

  He remembered. How could he forget?

  “Two dogs and school,” his mom went on, “that’s a ton of responsibility. And a puppy is a lot more work than a well-trained dog like Hero.”

  “I’ll help!” Erin shrieked. “Are you hungry, puppy?” She ran for the cabinet, grabbed a bowl, and filled it with Hero’s kibble. She dropped it on the floor next to Hero’s bowl, ran to her dad, and snatched Scout from his hands. The puppy looked completely confused.

  “Easy, Erin!” Ben cried, cringing. But once he caught a whiff of the food, Scout didn’t seem to mind. He went floppy in her arms, his back legs dangling and his tail wagging.

  Erin carried the puppy across the room and set him down in front of the bowl. Scout went right to work, crunching away at the kibble.

  Ben whipped out his phone and texted Noah: Wait till you see what I found today. He couldn’t wait for Noah to meet Scout.

  4