Stealing Brutus

The line went dead as Claire hung up the phone and shook out her long, blonde hair. She looked out the car's side window into the dark night. All was quiet as she watched the large, modern, detached house in front of her. There were no lights on and no signs of any movement from within.

Sat next to Claire was Fred in his usual checkered shirt. "Well, it looks like Jack's car is not in the driveway. He must be out, as we planned. What did your lawyer say?"

She held up the paper and tapped it with her finger. "He confirmed that this piece of paper will be legally binding if we get Brutus' paw print on it." A conspiratorial smile came across her face. "We'll own Brutus and half of Dad's house."

"I didn't know you wanted the dog this badly," yawned Fred.

"I don't want the bloody dog, you fool. As soon as he's mine, then I'll get him rehomed." She put her fingers together in an arch. "It's the house and the stuff in it I want."

Fred turned and stared at his sister. "That's savage."

"You keep the dog then," she snapped.

"What? No! That was never part of the agreement. That dog hates me."

"Exactly. The dog hates everyone." She held her hand up to the window and continued to survey the house. "But we need it right now. We'll get in, get Brutus' print, and get out."

"What happens if he's... well... not very cooperative?"

"Oh, shut up. Always finding hurdles. If he makes life difficult, then we just grab the dog and get out." Claire's voice was edged with annoyance.

The car door clicked as Claire pulled the handle and pushed the creaking door open.

"Shhhhh," scolded Fred. "You want the whole neighbourhood to hear us?"

Claire turned to him, eyes narrowed. "There isn't another house for at least a mile, you idiot."

She stepped from the car, leaving Fred to scramble out the passenger door. "Hey. Wait for me."

The two of them strode tentatively along the driveway, the loose stones crunching underfoot. As they closed in on the door, the security light switched on. Fred froze like a rabbit in the headlights, then jumped into the nearest hedge. "Hide!"

Standing frozen in the middle of the drive, Claire watched him calmly as he disappeared, then continued towards the house. "It's an automatic light, you idiot."

The bush rustled as Fred scrambled back out on hands and knees and got back to his feet and brushed the loose leaves off himself. He quickly caught up to Claire and they stood together looking at the front of the impenetrable house.

"How the hell do we get in?" Fred asked nervously. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this."

"We'll climb over the back fence and take a look at the back. We'll find a way in," Claire said confidently. She walked with measured steps towards the fence.

Fred followed, eyes darting around, searching the night, jumping at every sound. An owl's hoot, an animal scuffing around in the bushes — every sound was amplified to his ears. Claire's voice snapped his attention back to the task.

"Fred. Hurry here and help me over this fence."

He moved to her side and put his hands together to give her a foothold. Claire put her foot into his hands and pushed with her legs and reached up and grabbed the top of the fence with her hands. She tried to pull herself up but didn't manage. "Push, you idiot."

In response, Fred threw all his effort into the task and lifted his hands as high as he could. Claire shot into the air and then disappeared over the fence. There was a loud bump and a cry of pain as Claire hit the floor on the other side of the fence.

Her voice drifted through the air. "You idiot."

Fred quickly jumped and pulled himself over the fence and landed on top of Claire.

She yelped. "My god. How are we related? Idiot."

They dusted themselves off and began to survey the back of the house. It was shut up tight, just like the front.

Just then, a panel in the back door opened outwards and out jumped Brutus. He stopped in his tracks when he saw them, growled, and then jumped back through the huge dog door. Claire stared at the door where Brutus had just disappeared.

"Looks like we've found our way in."

"But why did Jack fit such a big door for Brutus?" Fred asked, a nervous squeak in his voice. "Jack hasn't got a dog of his own. Has he?"

Claire took a step forward. "Absolutely not. It would have been all over his Facebook like when he got Brutus."

"Okay. If you say so," said Fred, unsure.

"Just get your arse in there," Claire instructed, pointing at the dog door.

"Why do I have to go first?" Fred's voice grew in pitch.

"Because I was kind enough to put your name on this document as well," Claire scowled. "If I was going to have to do all the work, then I would have kept everything."

Fred's mouth dropped open. He began to protest, but the look on Claire's face cut him short. "Errk, fine."

He got down onto his hands and knees and began to push against the dog door. It swung inwards with a slight squeak. Claire watched as Fred’s rear end disappeared into the house and the dog door clicked back into place.

Claire waited in the back yard. The night was quiet and still; the hair on the back of her neck stood on end as a cold breeze blew across her skin.

A sudden commotion from within the house made her wince. The sound of running and the crash of something breaking, and a low rumble, then a deep bark. Claire approached the dog door and bent down, putting her ear to the door. She heard the distinct yap of a small dog; the large hallway must have magnified the bark. She poked her head through the dog door.

"Fred. What's happening? What are you doing, you idiot?"

There was no answer.

"Damn you, Fred," Claire uttered to herself as she tentatively pushed her way through the dog door into the large hallway.

The house was still but for the yap of Brutus coming from a room down the hall. Claire walked slowly towards the noise, muscles coiled and ready as she made her way across the black and white, checked floor, her shoes quietly clicking as she went. As she reached the door, she peered around the corner and saw Jack on a high kitchen work surface; what looked like a broken cup or plate was on the floor. Brutus sat, looking up at Fred, barking his tiny bark.

"What the hell is going on?"

"D... dog!" quivered Fred.

Claire looked at Brutus and then at Fred. "Yes, that's why we're here."

She worked towards Brutus and bent to pick him up. A tiny growl escaped Brutus before he ran through the door.

"Damn," cried Claire. "Get down here and help me, you idiot."

"Not while that dog is there."

"Whatever, but I'm keeping everything then." Claire's voice was stern and impatient.

Following Brutus into the hall, Claire looked down the hall and saw Brutus sitting by the dog door; the dim light cast a large shadow behind him, making it look like Brutus was a much larger dog.

"Come here, you little mutt," declared Claire as she strode confidently down the hall, but as she drew near, her confidence faltered as a deep growl came from Brutus' direction.

She stopped in her tracks. "Brutus?"

In answer, the shadow behind Brutus took a step forward; a set of sharp, white teeth gleamed, and the deep rumble intensified into a full‑grown snarl.

"Oh sh..." Claire's words were cut short as the huge dog lunged forward, and she turned and fled towards the kitchen, jumping onto the work surface opposite Fred, sending more plates crashing to the floor.

"I t... told you," stuttered Fred as the massive dog took a position in the middle of the kitchen where he watched the pair of them, growling deeply.

"I guess we're not getting Brutus' paw print tonight," said Fred, shivering on the kitchen side.