Free Dangerous Deception by Peg Kehret Page B

Spangler’s closet. I tossed the clothes from the floor into it.
    Mrs. Spangler smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. “This is the most excitement I’ve had in a year,” she said. “I don’t get many visitors and now I’ve had two in one week. First the girl upstairs needed to make a phone call, and now you needed help to rescue a cat. For once I’ll have something interesting to tell my daughter the next time she calls.”
    I promised myself that I’d return sometime to visit her, but right then I wanted to get back out to the Dumpster to catch Midnight. I hoped that getting thrown in the Dumpster had not made him so scared of people that he wouldn’t come to me.
    Mrs. Spangler waved as I left. “Come back any time,” she said. “Let me know how kitty gets along in his new home.”
    As I rounded the back corner of the building, I saw Midnight sitting beside the empty tuna can, washing his whiskers.
    â€œHey, kitty, kitty,” I said. “Hey, Midnight.”
    He strolled over and rubbed his head against my ankles. I let my breath out in relief. Then I scooped him up, held him against my chest, and headed for the bus stop.
    A boy who appeared to be a year or two older than I am waited for the bus.
    â€œAnimals aren’t allowed on the bus,” he said as I stopped beside him. “Once when my uncle and I were on the bus, some kid tried to bring his dog on board and the driver said he couldn’t unless it was a service dog, like a Seeing Eye dog or a seizure alert dog.”
    â€œThis is my seeing eye cat,” I said.
    â€œYeah, right.”
    â€œThe bus driver won’t know,” I said. “I’ll put Midnight under my shirt.”
    The boy looked doubtful. “I wonder how much the fine is for hiding a cat on board,” he said.
    I shrugged. I hoped he didn’t plan to give me away.
    When I saw the bus approaching, I stuffed Midnight under my T-shirt and pulled my jean jacket shut, holding the cat against me with my left hand while my right hand dropped the fare into the slot.
    Until then, Midnight had been fine with me holding him. He had snuggled against me and purred while we waited for the bus. Once he was under my shirt, however, he went berserk, struggling to get out. I hurried down the aisle, hunched over so that nobody would notice my abdomen popping up and down like a jumping bean. “Ouch!” I said as Midnight’s sharp little toenails dug into my skin.
    The boy I’d been talking to laughed. “Shh,” he said, holding one finger to his lips.
    â€œOh!” I gritted my teeth as I slid into the seat by the window. As soon as I sat down, I lifted my shirt far enough to grasp Midnight’s paws and make him quit raking my stomach.
    Although there were plenty of empty seats, the boy plopped down beside me and watched me wrestle with Midnight.
    â€œHe’s shredding me,” I whispered.
    â€œMove him so he’s between your shirt and your jacket,” the boy said.
    I did as he suggested and it helped a little, but Midnight still squirmed so much that his toenails penetrated the T-shirt. “I wish I had my backpack to put him in,” I said. “I’m going to bleed to death before I get this cat home.”
    â€œPut disinfectant on your stomach as soon as you can,” the boy said. “It’s easy to get an infection from a cat scratch.”
    â€œOh, great,” I said.
    â€œCat bites are even worse than cat scratches,” he said, “so don’t let him bite you.”
    I nodded grimly, imagining headlines worthy of Crystal:
Girl Dies While Rescuing Dumpster Cat
. Or maybe,
Doctor Sews Up Two Thousand Bloody Cuts on Sixth-Grader’s Stomach
.
    â€œI hope he doesn’t have rabies,” the boy said.
    Rabies! Knowing the financial status of Sophie’s family, I was sure Midnight had not been vaccinated. I began to have second thoughts about saving