Beaglemania Read Online Free PDF

who has the gold makes the rules. At least around here.
    “I haven’t watched the entire thing,” I said cautiously.
    “Well, I think it’s great,” Dante said, and I felt the breath I’d been holding slide out in relief. “I’ll talk to some of my PR folks at HotPets and see how we can use it to promote HotRescues and the good work you’re doing.”
    “Great idea,” I said, glad we were on the same page.
    “It’s really cool,” Kendra added. “I’ll be sending links to all my animal-law and pet-sitting clients.”
    “Wonderful!”
    But it was time for me to toss a monkey wrench into this celebration of puppy liberty. I told them about my confrontation with Efram.
    “We’ll deal with it.” I heard the grimness in Dante’s voice. As I’d told Efram, his settlement payments were toast, and that nearly made me cheer.
    After I hung up, I headed back to the welcoming area. “Run that clip again, please,” I said to Nina. “When we’re done, please send the link to your Animal Services contacts, including anyone at SmART.”
    “Already done,” she responded proudly, and I grinned at her. I should have figured.
    Hopefully, Captain Matt Kingston would see it, too, if he hadn’t already. His SmART team deserved the Internet pat on the back a lot more than I did.
    And the little film, distributed so far, should help in the prosecution of the puppy mill owners—and Efram Kiley.

Chapter 3

    I sat in my office at HotRescues, watching the YouTube clip yet again on the clunky desktop computer that had been my secretary and more for at least five years. There were lots of extra bells and whistles on newer PCs, but I was much happier directing our funding toward more important things, like caring for our residents. Yes, Dante would have paid for something better. No, I didn’t want it, at least not now.
    Three days had passed since I’d first watched myself on YouTube. I’d even forwarded the link to my good friend, Dr. Carlie Stellan, but hadn’t heard back from her yet. No surprise. In addition to her busy veterinary practice, which included being head of the HotRescues medical facility of choice, Carlie hosted Pet Fitness , a TV show devoted to pet health. It aired on the Longevity Vision Channel, a cable TV station that had the theme of exploring life paths for all species, including humans. Carlie was somewhere in the eastern United States now, filming a segment, and sometimes didn’t check her e-mail for days.
    My parents, who live in Phoenix, had also seen the YouTube entry, thanks to the kids’ contacting them. They’d called to tell me, and to let me know they were showing me off to their friends. Their excitement made me smile. Of course they’d told my brother, Alex, who lived near them with his family. He’d also called.
    Each time I peeked at the clip, I segued from basking in quiet pride for having been at the puppy mill rescue to reliving the joy of holding those little beagles to recalling what it felt like to watch puppies being liberated from the storm drain . . . to restoking my outrage at the puppy mill owners, whom I’d heard confirmed in newscasts as Patsy and Bradley Shaheen.
    Their pictures showed up often on the news. I was surprised they looked vaguely familiar, though I hadn’t gotten close enough to see them well at the puppy mill. They did, indeed, live upstairs from the ghastly holding cells. Their apartment must somehow have been noise proofed—and smell proofed.
    Their hearts had to be compassion proof.
    I also thought a lot about Efram Kiley. Our failure with him. He clearly hadn’t learned not to abuse animals. But I didn’t blame myself. I’d known what sort of lowlife he was originally. Was he capable of rehabilitation?
    Apparently not.
    I finally had enough of admiring myself on YouTube, at least for the moment. Although I did look pretty good there, for an aging broad. Not that anyone but family would be watching me. All eyes would be on that sweet puppy in my