A Dog's Breakfast - Noemi Betancourt (children's books read aloud txt) 📗

The Keebler County police rolled up in front of their tree on the tidy affluent cul-de-sac that was Breakfast Row at 3am, the flashing lights alerting the neighbors of yet another indiscretion. Crackle and Pop shook their heads sadly as Snap was led away in handcuffs and put into the back of the squad car. He never once raised his head; he wouldn't look his friends in the eye. He was an old and dear friend with a serious affliction and they tried to be supportive for they loved him truly, but his sickness was beginning to take its toll on them. Sam, Sonny and Trixie had made it abundantly clear that the Krispie Boys were no longer welcome at Poker Night two weeks ago and poor Pop had come home in tears only yesterday when Count Chocula and Franken Berry quickly ushered their children across the street when they saw him coming; whispering and glaring at him as they walked their kids home from school. Crackle had not told the others yet but he had noticed a steady decline in business and even sweet old Aunt Jemima, the one true voice of reason in the community and their source of comfort since all this began, had become stiff and distant as of late. Crackle snorted at the thought of the Count being so selective in who he did and did not keep company with, especially since he himself was just out on bail!

Count Victor Chocula had been arrested at his chalet on Big Rock Candy Mountain only a few weeks ago thanks to the quick work of the Krispie Detective Agency. All had not been sweetness and light at the Chocula Chalet and shortly after Amelia Butterworth had filed a restraining order against the Count, a large shipment of syrup had disappeared from Canadian stores. While the Krispie Boys had felt sorry for the Count being jilted like he was when Amelia had suddenly run off to marry Jimmy Dean of Lick Fork, Virginia after a whirlwind romance, it was no excuse for theft. His heartbreak hadn’t lasted for long however for Jemima had had her eye on Victor for years and, with her sister out of the way, she moved in for the kill! Cornelius Crunch, captain of the police force, was Crackle's only ally and had enlisted his help on the case.

"The Count has been most uncooperative!" Corny had told him, slamming his hat down on the desk and scrubbing his snowy hair with his large veined hands, "He isn't saying a word except to insist he's being profiled because he's black!"

Crackle sighed inwardly. If he could arrange for the captain to keep from arraigning Snap before he got to the station with the bail money he might be able to keep the story from getting into the press again. Money was tight as it was and one more black eye could kill the agency. Something had to be done about Snap. This type of thing could not go on forever, the man refused to go for help but now it was starting to affect their livelihood and Crackle suspected the strain on poor Pop's nerves was killing him.

The movement of curtains in a few windows confirmed their neighbors had indeed been watching and Crackle snorted again, holding Pop to him as he trembled. That smarmy Lucky Charms bastard had been waiting for a chance like this to boot him out of his position as President of their HOA for years. Tomorrow promised to be a miserable day indeed.

Publication Date: 11-24-2012

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