The Incident Concerning The Alsatian Dog.

Chapter 6

I was on my way down to Oscar's pen. This time, I was completely alone, as everyone else was inside and Barnes knew too well than to follow me. It felt rather eerie, knowing that a dog had died in it, but luckily they had removed his body before I arrived.

I unlocked the pen and stepped in, hitching up my skirts as my shoes sank in the mud. I could see the other footprints of the policemen who had come to take Oscar away, so no chance of finding any important ones.

It suddenly struck me how stupid I had been, not coming to do this earlier. I had been all too ready to assume that Oscar had barked when someone had walked past his pen on their way to the boathouse. I hadn't even stopped to consider the fact that he might have barked for some other reason.

Like someone bringing out his food, for that matter.

Ellie had said that the big Alsatian hadn't been fed that morning, but what she had really meant, I now guessed, was that she hadn't fed him. And since it was her job to feed him, she had assumed that nobody else would have.

I frowned, looking down at the food bowl.

Somebody had.

The bowl was about half full, and I bent down to take a closer look. I couldn't see anything wrong with it, so I leant in to take a sniff. I instantly decided that I didn't like the smell of dog food, so stood up, waded my way through the mud to the door of the cage, and stepped out, my mind in turmoil. So Oscar had been fed that morning. But when? And was it Ellie, or was it someone with more sinister intentions?

As I reached the back door, I suddenly felt dizzy again. I tried to steady myself on the doorhandle, but failed.

This time, I really did pass out.

I came to in a bed, with Dr. Scott standing over me, Newham on my right holding my hand and Isabel on my left, looking suitably worried. There was a damp cloth on my forehead and the window was open, blowing cool air in. I groaned. It was pointless trying to tell them all I was fine, as doubtless they had just found me passed out by the back door. But I was fine. I didn't feel ill in the slightest.

"Allie?" Isabel was speaking.

"What?" I said grumpily.

"You're ill, aren't you? Why didn't you tell us?" she asked. I looked bluntly at her.

"I don't feel ill" I replied. I had been thinking long and hard about how to tackle Isabel after last time, and had actually come up with some pretty strong arguments.

Isabel sighed, obviously annoyed by the fact she had barely any comebacks to what I had just said.

"You'll run yourself to the ground before you admit you're ill, Alianna Winter" Newham said sternly. I groaned. Next to Isabel, Newham was my biggest problem when it came to me getting out of bed.

"I'm fine!" I complained, slowly and deliberately.

"No you're not!" Newham argued, in exactly the same tone that I had used.

"Am too!" I grumbled.

"Then how do you explain the fact I found you passed out at the back door?" Newham snapped.
I opened my mouth to answer, then shut it again. That was a very interesting question, and now I thought about it, it could have a very interesting answer. Forgetting all about the argument I was supposed to be having, I leant back on the pillows, lost in the realms of possibility. Newham, obviously believing I had given in, kissed me on the head and left, with a promise he would be back soon. Everyone else filed out after him, except for Isabel, who stayed sitting by my side. Not that I noticed, as I was too deep in thought.