One of the private-school boys grabs hold of his buddy's arm. "Let's get outta here," he says. "See the fangs on that monster? And the way his ears are sticking up?" Justin is fascinated with the aged guard dog at the corner store. He names it Smokey and sneaks the dog treats. Smokey belongs to a company that supplies working dogs to local businesses. Justin is thrilled to get a job working for Smokey's company, until he learns about the mistreatment of the animals. As the suspicious activity in the company increases, Justin starts to worry about the fate of his friend-and himself.

Monique Polak is the popular author of many books for juveniles and teens, including Finding Elmo and 121 Express in the Orca Currents series. Monique lives in Montreal, Quebec.