Emma stepped out of her brand new 2018 Volkswagen Jetta into the pouring rain on Sycamore Road in the mountains of South Carolina. She bolted to the large front door, frantically looking for her house key in her blue purse. She unlocked the door and stepped across the threshold soaking wet. Emma couldn't wait to see her dog, Clark, after such a long day at school.
That's weird, she thought, usually Clark comes running and barking when I open the door. She shrugged it off and just assumed he was asleep. She walked into the dark kitchen to put away the groceries. In the kitchen sat her crestfallen mother Susan.
"Is everything okay, mom?" Emma asked her mom inquisitively. Her mom just sighed and said tearfully,
"Clark has been stolen!"
"By whom?" Emma wanted to know
"I'm not sure" Susan said, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her cardigan. Emma felt hot tears prick the back of her blue eyes. She couldn't imagine life without her beloved dog.
¨ Go get your father¨ Susan told her daughter. Emma went upstairs and got her dad from his bedroom. Gerald, the father, was very confused but sat down at the kitchen table.
¨Maybe we can call the neighbors, in case they may have seen who it was.¨ Emma suggested.
¨Good idea,¨ Susan said as she pulled out her phone. A few minutes later, the neighbors, an older couple, Herbert and Shelley, knocked on the door. Susan let them in and told them to remove their foul smelling shoes covered in crusty old mud, so as not to make the vibrant wood floors dirty. They both walked to the table and sat down. Emma, frazzled by the situation, snarled as she stood up, with a death stare toward the culprits.
¨My dog Clark has been stolen. ¨ Emma told the couple.
¨Oh no! ¨ Shelley exclaimed worriedly. She and Herbert exchanged a look of great sorrow. Emma turned to her father.
¨Describe what happened when Clark was stolen. ¨
¨I was asleep-¨ Gerald started.
¨LIAR! ¨ Emma yelled. ¨When I went upstairs to get you, you were reading a book! ¨
¨wha-what ?¨ Gerald stuttered. ¨ I was- uh- uh- I was sleeping earlier! ¨ Gerald exclaimed, sweating.
¨ I don't believe you. ¨ Emma said menacingly.
¨Ugh, fine, ¨ Emma sighed after a pause. After glaring at her father for what seemed like forever, she turned to look at her mom.
"Mom, what happened when Clark was stolen?"
¨I was at work earlier today. I woke up and let Clark outback to go to the bathroom, ¨ Susan stated matter-of-factly. ¨ I know for a fact that I let him back in. After that, I went to work. When I got back home, Clark was gone. ¨
¨Did you see who stole Clark? ¨ Emma asked her mother.
¨No¨ her mom replied. Emma, thinking thoroughly about what her mom said, exclaimed finally.
¨Wait! ¨ She exploded. ¨Was dad here when you got home, mom? ¨
¨Yes, ¨ Susan said, deep in thought. ¨ he said he had to work extra late today and that he wasn't coming home until at least midnight! ¨ Susan yelled. If looks could kill, Gerald would have been incinerated in seconds.
¨I took a day off! ¨ He protested. ¨ I didn't feel well today so I stayed home! ¨
¨When I got home, you were perfectly fine¨ Susan said furiously.
Emma looked at her dad in disbelief. Sighing, she turned to Shelley and Herbert ¨Shelley, what happened when Clark was stolen? ¨ Emma questioned.
¨ Me and Herbert were watching TV. We have no idea who stole your dog. ¨
¨Okay¨ Emma said to the two confused neighbors. Emma thought long and hard. Her dad was definitely behaving suspiciously. Her mom and the neighbors were in the clear. It MUST be dad! Emma thought. She walked around the kitchen then stopped near the hot stove. Her eyes widened, full of realization.
¨Hold on, ¨ Emma said finally.¨ This bootprint has a heart shape in the heel!¨ Emma said, motioning for the adults to come towards her. Emma knew her dad did not own a pair of boots with a heel in the heart. Suddenly, Emma ran to the mudroom and grabbed her neighbors' shoes. She placed them down on the floor.
¨I know what happened, ¨ Emma started. ¨ While dad was sleeping and mom was at work, Herbert and Shelley snuck into the house. They could not have been watching television because the rain knocked out the signal." She picked up Shelley's boots and took them over near the oven. The adults followed. "See," she said with a slight smirk on her face, "This bootprint has a heel in the heart. You can see it on the boot as well." She pointed to the heel of the boot.
"That doesn't mean we did it." Shelley said nervously. Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from next door. It was a bark.
"Clark!" Emma shouted, tears streaming down her face. She went over to Herbert and Shelley's house and asked them to unlock the door. Clark came running out of the house wagging his tail. Emma scooped him up and turned to look at Herbert who was crying.
"I'm sorry, Emma. I always wanted a dog. I shouldn't have stolen him. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Emma smiled "You can come over and see Clark anytime you would like."
"Thank you," Herbert said. "Emma, you are a good person."
