Free Riley Mack and the Other Known Troublemakers by Chris Grabenstein Page A

Riley gave the mom and daughter his sunniest smile. “I’ll be back to clean it up. Just need to go get my pooper-scooper.”
    â€œI got these guys!” shouted Briana, who was on thesidewalk doing some kind of loose-limbed chicken dance, struggling to carry one squirming Chihuahua under each arm.
    The girl from the pet store came up the sidewalk cuddling the floppy-eared Lab. The dog was manically licking her face like it was a pork-flavored lollipop. “Thank you, guys, so much!” she said, using her foot to open the door. “Can you help me put them back in their cages?”
    â€œSure,” said Riley.
    â€œHow’d they escape?” asked Briana, giggling because the two crazy-eyed Chihuahuas were nuzzling under her arms with their noses.
    â€œI don’t know,” said the girl. She was wearing a green polo shirt with Mr. Guy’s Pet Supplies embroidered over the pocket. “I think somebody undid the latches on their cages. Two boys were in the store earlier. They said they wanted to look at hamster tunnels. I think they wanted to monkey around.”
    â€œWhere do you want these guys?” asked Briana.
    â€œTheir crates are all back here. Near the dog food.”
    â€œAre they for sale?” asked Riley.
    â€œNo. They’re free—to a loving home.” She slid her frisky puppy into its crate and latched the door shut. “Of course, there’s a small adoption fee. A donation to the animal shelter.”
    â€œWorks for me,” said Riley.
    â€œCould these two little guys ride in my purse like they do in Beverly Hills?” asked Briana. “I saw what’s-her-name, the movie star, in People magazine and she went shopping with two Chihuahuas in her handbag!”
    â€œWould you like to adopt them and find out?” asked the pet shop lady.
    â€œMaybe. I’ll have to check with my mom and dad.”
    â€œGreat. Oh, by the way, I’m Jenny Grabowski. If your folks say yes, just let the store know. Even if I’m not working that day, I’ll come in and set up the adoption papers.”
    â€œCool,” said Briana, somewhat reluctantly handing off her two wiggly tail waggers.
    â€œI’m Riley Mack,” said Riley. “That’s Briana Bloomfield and Hubert ‘Mongo’ Montgomery.”
    Jenny shook their hands after the last cage was closed. “I can’t thank you guys enough for jumping in like that.”
    Riley shrugged off the compliment. “We see a job that needs doing, we do it.”
    â€œAnd,” added Mongo, “we all like dogs.”
    â€œYeah,” said Briana. “Especially Amigo and Pepe.”
    Everybody else looked confused.
    â€œI gave mine names,” she explained.
    Ms. Grabowski smiled. “You talk it over with your parents, Briana. I’ll call my friend Dr. Langston at theHumane Society, tell her we’re holding Amigo and Pepe for you.”
    â€œThanks!”
    â€œWell, we gotta run,” said Riley.
    â€œYeah,” said Mongo. “I gotta buy a baseball hat. We need it to find my lost dog.”
    Ms. Grabowski nodded, even though she probably had no idea what Mongo was talking about.
    â€œThanks again,” she said. “And if you ever need anything, let me know. I owe you, guys—big-time.”
    â€œThanks,” said Riley. “We’ll make a mental note.”
    In fact, as soon as he hit the sidewalk, Riley jotted an entry in the little spiral book he carried to record “favors owed.”
    He didn’t realize how soon he’d be cashing this one in.

17
    ACROSS THE STREET, CHIEF JOHN Brown strode into the First National Bank of Fairview like he owned the place.
    Heck, he strode into every place that way. This was his town. He was the law. When he said jump, people said, “How high?” and “Off what bridge, sir?”
    Riley Mack’s mother was working teller window three. No wonder the boy was such