Alice-Miranda to the Rescue (22 page)

Alistair Foxley was a self-aggrandised war hero, who had completely invented his military rank and achievements to create a fake history. He concocted his wealthy background to impress others. His knowledge of dogs had stemmed from his mother, who had also run a down-at-heel breeding operation. The man detested the stinking beasts that provided his income but he loved the glamour and glitz of the shows. Being out of sight and out of mind, the puppy farm had never bothered him at all.

As Chairman of Chudleigh's Dog Show, Private Alistair Foxley had easy access to the animals. He had been building up his enterprise to be one of the largest in the country and what he'd needed more than anything was breeding stock. Alistair had taken over the abandoned military-owned land years ago, having known about it from his time there as a young man. It was a terrible coincidence that the Finchleys had purchased the property next door and, when Alistair Foxley learned of this, he saw a golden opportunity. Cavoodles were all the fashion, and Becca Finchley had both poodles and cavaliers. Little did he know he would have them handed to him on a plate when the couple was involved in a life-altering motor accident.

Foxley had suspected that the pup on the flyer was one of his own but the O'Malley lads vowed that it wasn't. He'd gone to investigate for himself but had been prevented by the locked gate. It was just luck that he still had the picture on him when he ran into Mayor Wiley and thought he could sell him another of his cavoodles. After all, in the grand scheme of things, the loss of one pup was nothing, really. Alistair Foxley was sentenced to twenty years in prison for his long list of crimes.

Mayor Wiley was thrilled when Becca promised to sell him one of her puppies once her breeding operation was up and running again.

Declan and Damon O'Malley were given five-year jail terms for their roles in the operation. Two dunderhead brothers hoping to get rich quick had been lured to work for the man by the promise of fast money. They came unstuck when they wanted their fast money to become lightning cash.

Vera Bird, known to some as Phyllis Mould, had been a breeder of champions until her obsessive competitiveness did her in and she'd been caught sabotaging her rivals at a Chudleigh's thirty years before. Heartbroken and appalled by her own behaviour, Vera stopped breeding. By the time her last dog died, her love of canines had been replaced by a love of television shopping and speculating on the stock market, which funded her addiction.

She'd called in on the new neighbours not long after they'd moved in and was mortified to learn that they were Finchleys. Becca's father-in-law, Emerson, had been the man who had banned her for life and the thought that his son might remember her had caused her to stay away – at least until the accident.
Just thinking of what she'd done still made her burn with shame.

When it all came out at the dog show, Vera confessed the whole sordid tale to Becca and Daniel and even invited them up for tea, where they realised the extent of her addictive disorder. Becca is helping Vera to get her life back on track and there have been thousands of dollars' worth of donations to the local canine charities of her unopened goods. In turn, Mrs Bird is helping Becca and Daniel with the dogs, who have all been nursed back to health following their horrific ordeal.

Daniel has kept up his running – not because he's running away from life but because he's decided he wants to be a cross-country champion. His mother is continuing her recovery and there have been signs that she may one day walk again.

Barry Dankworth's crime was one of passion and stupidity. He was banned by the Kennel Club from attending any dog shows for the next two years, after which he could apply for reconsideration. Roberta was furious that his idiocy had almost ruined her reputation, but winning Chudleigh's Best in Show and starring in
Dog Days
had gone some way to appeasing her anger – that and the ever increasing
lists of jobs she presented to him. Barry begged forgiveness from Roberta, who told him she'd think about it.

For all its controversy, this year's Chudleigh's was hailed a great success, not least of all for exposing the darker side of the canine industry and bringing one of its most evil breeders to justice. Myrtle Parker was interviewed by every news station in the country and claimed (to the chagrin of her fellow Show Society committee members) that she had suspected there was something not quite right about Alistair Foxley from the moment she'd met him. He was simply far too charming to be real. Reginald Parker was proud of the way his wife had pulled the event together and told her so. But when an offer for the village to host an upcoming science-fiction convention appeared in the post, Reg decided that it would be best dealt with in the rubbish bin.

Mr Plumpton and Ms Reedy (she decided that, after years of being Miss Reedy, she'd find it too hard to change her surname) boarded a plane bound for South America for their honeymoon. Contrary to popular thinking, they were not attending a once-in-a-lifetime event. When Miss Reedy asked what the surprise was, her husband told her
that he'd concocted the whole story so they could have time off during the term. After all, it was much cheaper to travel when it wasn't school holidays and he'd found a particularly excellent deal. They did go on a jungle safari, though, and one night, on an expedition led by world-renowned ornithologist, Bongo Dodge-Hollows, they spotted an exotic new species of bird with the most curious banded feet. Miss Reedy suggested that it be named the bandy-footed bongo bird in his honour.

Alice-Miranda and Millie never did get to deliver the Fanger's Chocolate to the Fayle sisters. It wasn't until weeks after the drama of the fire and the dog show that Alice-Miranda remembered them. When she found a little pile of shiny wrappers in the corner of Bonaparte's stable, she had a pretty good idea of where they'd ended up.

Fudge, meanwhile, has made himself right at home. He likes to share himself around, though, and finds a new bed to sleep on pretty much every night of the week. Much to Millie's annoyance, he does seem especially partial to Caprice. Mr Grump has lost seven pairs of shoes to date but he really doesn't mind.