Pete and his friends find a stray dog while hunting for lizards in their mountain desert town. How can he convince his father that the mangy, dusty, little dog is worth keeping? How can he let the poor thing remain in the desert where danger lurks?
 

Please be advised that this audiobook includes some scary imagery that might be too intense for very young listeners, so adults are encouraged to listen to this to determine the appropriateness for a child in their care.
 

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His father didn’t respond, and Pete didn’t know yet if there would be joy or despair. His father pointed to rock next to the tangled Joshua tree in the front yard, and Pete walked to it and sat. “It’s a big responsibility to own a dog, son. I’ll go talk to your mother.” He’d already decided. Pete knew that, but he didn’t know the decision, and that was maddening.

 “But - ” It only took a slight inclination of his father’s head and a glance to silence him. “Yes, sir.”
 

His father walked to the house, and Pete watched him and then stood. His father turned back and looked for a moment like he was going to smile, but instead his face suddenly drained of color. “Don’t move, Peter.”

Peter. The use of his full name from his mother meant trouble but he couldn’t recall the last time his father had used it. The tone of his voice was even, but such was the power of one his father’s commands that Pete froze without thinking. He looked at his father, and saw something on his face he didn’t recognize. It looked almost like indecision, but Pete knew that indecision was an emotion foreign to his father, the man who never had to consider a course of action before taking it.