Alexis and the Lake Tahoe Tumult - Erica Rodgers [14]
“Looks like you guys are having a party,” said Jake. He leaned over the back of the couch and spoke to Karen. “The coyotes are getting worse, and the vet can’t come till tomorrow.”
“Okay, I’ll be right out,” Karen said.
“Can we come?” asked Alexis. “We don’t have to film the sick animals, but we could look for clues. I mean, I really think whoever called you did this on purpose. Didn’t they say something about the sick animals?”
“They sure did,” said Jake. “We just don’t know how they made them sick. Did they poison them, or what? We can’t help the coyotes until we know what’s making them sick. But I don’t know if you should go near them….”
He looked around at the concerned group and sighed.
“Okay,” he said after a minute of silence. “Come on out. And grab the cameras. There might be some stuff worth filming.”
Lisa left to do some other chores, but everyone else followed Jake to the coyote barn. Angelo didn’t have his walking stick, but apparently he didn’t need it. He followed close beside Bailey with his hand on her elbow and never stumbled.
“Just let me know if we have to go up or down stairs,” he said, tapping Bailey gently on the head.
“You got it!” she said. She was glad he didn’t seem to be angry with her anymore.
The coyotes were a very sad sight. They were all curled up in their cages, whimpering, and one or two of them were barely breathing. Alexis felt a surge of anger. Who could do this to poor defenseless animals in cages? And why?
She noticed that most of the coyotes had bandages or casts on. So they had already been hurt before someone came in and made them very ill.
“Someone is definitely not playing fair,” said Alexis. She took out her camera and began shooting footage of the poor creatures.
“Bailey,” she whispered, “get on camera and explain what’s happening.”
Bailey smoothed out her short hair and jumped in front of the camera next to the first coyote cage.
“Today, we came to the reserve excited to help, but the day has turned sad. Someone broke in during the night and gave the coyotes something to make them ill. Since we have no way to know what they have eaten, it’s hard for Karen to treat them. Everything will have to go on hold until Karen, Jake, and Lisa can figure out how to help these poor creatures.”
“And cut!” said Alexis. “Good job, Bailey. That was great.”
Alexis was stuffing the camera back in the bag when Angelo grabbed Bailey by the arm.
“Don’t move,” he said. “What did you just step on?”
Bailey looked down at her boots.
“Nothing, unless you count the straw on the floor,” she said.
“No,” said Angelo. “It was definitely not straw.”
Angelo knelt down and tapped Bailey’s left boot. “Lift this one up, please. If you could.”
Bailey looked puzzled, but she did what Angelo asked. She lifted her boot, and he placed his hand on the floor. He moved the straw around for a minute and shook his head.
“Nope. Can you lift the other one?” Bailey did what he said, and Angelo searched the straw again. After a few seconds, he lifted his arm up in triumph.
“Here it is!” he said. “What is it? It feels like foil.”
“It is foil,” said Alexis. “It’s a chocolate wrapper!”
“A what?” asked Jake. He came across the barn and looked at the crumpled piece of brown foil.
“A chocolate wrapper,” said Alexis again. “You guys don’t eat in here, do you?”
“Of course not,” said Jake. “Karen! Good news! It’s just chocolate!”
Karen came over to look at the wrapper as well.
“This is good news?” asked Bailey. “Maybe they just ate too much! I get sick every Easter because I eat too many chocolate eggs. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t combine them with jelly beans.”
“Well, chocolate isn’t good for them, but at least now we know what to do for them,” said Jake.
“So is it like the time my cousin’s dog ate my giant candy bar?” Alexis asked. “We thought the puppy was going to die.”
“Yes,