Chet The Dog

Posts Tagged ‘To Fetch A Thief’

Beginnings

On Sunday we take a look at the start of a Peter Abrahams novel, including those written under the Spencer Quinn moniker™. How about To Fetch A Thief? I’ve heard recently from readers who’d like to see more of Peanut, an elephant who plays an important role in the story. It’s got me thinking of some sort of future cameo appearance, the kind thing Marlene Dietrich used to do. Meanwhile here’s how To Fetch A Thief begins:

“I smell trouble,” Bernie said.

Better stop right there. Not that I doubt Bernie. The truth is I believe everything he says. And he has a nice big nose for a human. But what’s that saying? Not much.

It’s a fact that trouble has a smell – human trouble especially, sour and penetrating – but Bernie had never smelled trouble before, or if so he hadn’t mentioned it, and Bernie mentioned all kinds of things to me. We’re partners in the Little Detective Agency, me and Bernie, Bernie’s last name being Little. I’m Chet, pure and simple.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everybody!

Rick Torres crouched under a strip of tape, came toward us, shook hands with Bernie. “Hey, Chet,” he said, and gave me a pat. “Lookin’ good. Is he still growing, Bernie?”

“Hardly seems possible,” Bernie said. “This is my son Charlie. Shake hands with Sergeant Torres, Charlie.”

Rick held out his hand. Charlie gazed down at the ground.

“I won’t bite,” Rick said. Of course he wouldn’t! Hardly any humans did, their little teeth not being much of a weapon. I did remember a perp named Clancy Green chomping on some other perp’s arm, but that was on a Halloween night, the only holiday I don’t like – Halloween brings out the worst in people, Bernie says. Thanksgiving is my favorite, except for that one time with the drumstick incident, maybe a story for another day.

Peanut (More)

Which was kind of confusing. All I’d really understood so far was the part about working for peanuts. Once I’d palled around – well, maybe not palled around, more like attempted to herd actually – an elephant, name of Peanut. This was deep in the desert, maybe down Mexico way. But before that Peanut had worked in a circus for peanuts, just like this Raker dude. I knew one thing for sure: if he was like Peanut, herding him was off the table.

Peanut

The Peanut episode came up in the FB comments yesterday. For newcomers to the series, Peanut (seen below) is a character in To Fetch A Thief. She and Chet have a bit of an adventure.