Free Guide Dog Mystery by Charles Tang

CHAPTER 1
A Special Kind of Dog
    “I wish we had a mystery to solve,” Benny Alden said, kicking a stone that lay in the road. Benny was six years old and liked to do exciting things, like tracking down clues and finding suspects.
    Benny’s sister Jessie, who was twelve, was more patient. “I’m sure something mysterious will come along.”
    “Something always does,” added their fourteen-year-old brother, Henry.
    The Aldens had reached the grocery store in downtown Greenfield. Their grandfather’s housekeeper, Mrs. McGregor, had asked them to pick up some things for dinner. The others waited while ten-year-old Violet, wearing her favorite lavender sweater, tied their dog’s leash to a parking meter. “We’ll just be a minute, Watch,” she told him. The dog lay down on the sidewalk.
    “I wish Watch could come inside with us,” said Benny. “He could help pick out his favorite dog food.”
    Watch’s ears pricked up, and he quickly stood. But it wasn’t the mention of dog food that had interested him.
    “What is it, boy?” asked Henry.
    Watch started barking loudly. The children looked in the direction Watch was facing and saw a young man with dark curly hair coming out of the grocery store. He was walking with a dog.
    “I think Watch just spotted that golden retriever,” said Violet.
    “I thought Jessie said dogs weren’t allowed in the grocery store,” said Benny.

    “From the dog’s harness, I’d say that’s a very special kind of dog,” Jessie said, as the man and dog came closer. “It looks like a guide dog.”
    “What’s that?” asked Benny.
    “It’s a dog that helps blind people,” Jessie explained.
    “If that man can’t see, then why is he wearing a blindfold over his eyes?” asked Violet.
    The children took a closer look. Violet was right. The man had a rolled-up scarf tied around his head, covering his eyes.
    Watch was still barking, but Jessie managed to quiet him by gently stroking his head.
    The man stopped on the sidewalk and the guide dog sat down beside him. The children watched as the man removed his blindfold and spoke to a red-haired woman who had been walking behind him.
    “I’m going to go pat that dog!” cried Benny, running toward the golden retriever.
    Benny squatted and reached out his hand toward the dog.
    “You know, you really shouldn’t distract a guide dog when it’s working,” the man told Benny, his voice gentle. “But it’s okay this time.”
    “What do you mean?” Benny asked, as the other Aldens came to join him.
    “I’m sorry if my brother is bothering you,” Henry said to the man.
    “Oh, no, it’s quite all right. I enjoy meeting young people who are interested in animals,” said the man with the curly hair. “I’m Jason Peters.” He motioned to the woman beside him. “This is Mrs. Carter. She opened the Greenfield Guide Dog School just a few years ago. I work there as an instructor. And this is Ginger.” He stroked the golden retriever’s back. “She’s one of my students.”
    “She looks like a very good student,” said Violet, noticing how obediently Ginger sat at Jason’s feet.
    “As a matter of fact, she just passed her final exam,” Jason said. “She was leading me, and Mrs. Carter was walking behind to make sure Ginger did everything right.”
    “Is that why you were wearing a blindfold?” asked Jessie.
    “Yes,” Jason said. “I had to make sure Ginger would be able to lead someone who couldn’t see. Now that she’s completed her training, a blind person can use Ginger to get around. They’ll be able to go to stores and restaurants, ride on buses, even cross busy streets, and never have to worry.”
    “That’s amazing,” said Henry. “How did you teach Ginger to do that?”
    “It takes a lot of training,” Jason explained. “If you’d like to come by the school tomorrow, I’ll show you how we work.”
    “Wow!” cried Benny.
    “We’d love to!” said Jessie. “By the way, we’re the Aldens.