“There’s no rush,” Iris muttered. “Like, next century will be soon enough.”

  “Stop right there!” Agent R stepped in front of them. “You’ve forgotten something.”

  The friends glanced at each other.

  “When I was a waitress,” Agent R said, “and we started allowing witches’ pets into the restaurant, we had to have all sorts of special things just for them. Plates were top of the list, because trust me, no one will ever want to use a dish that’s had a witch’s cat slobbering all over it. Pet drool is sticky and icky and”—she shuddered—“you NEED separate dog bowls.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.” Evie frowned. “I’ve only got one bowl and that belongs to Fudge.”

  “We could go to the pet store,” Zak suggested.

  “Have you just won the lottery?” Iris asked. “Because that’ll cost loads.”

  “And besides, we don’t have time.” Evie glanced around the backyard, looking for an idea. “I guess we could use some of the takeout containers we keep in the diner…”

  “Nah! We don’t need them,” Agent R said. “I’ll use an old trick I taught myself … I’ll need some strong card stock…”

  “Ooh, I’ve got some!” Agent Hood rummaged around in her basket and pulled out a large pack from her basket.

  “Card stock you can find,” Iris muttered. “Costumes? Not so fast!”

  “Er—how exactly are you going to turn a piece of card stock into a bowl?” Zak asked. “Unless you’ve got a wand?”

  “Huh!” Agent R snorted. “I use muscle, not magic!” Then she took a sheet out of the pack of card stock and began twisting and turning and bending and folding it, and in what felt to Evie about ten seconds flat, she held up—”

  “A bowl!” Evie breathed, her eyes wide. “That’s amazing.”

  “Origami!” Iris said. “Neat! I’ve seen cranes and stars before, but never a bowl.”

  HOW TO FOLD A BOWL BY AGENT R

  Hey! If you want to fold a bowl but you’re not a super-skilled professional rescue agent like me, here’s a simple way to make a square-shaped dish that even Zak can do!

  Start with a square of paper. You can use any size you like.

  Now fold it in half diagonally from corner to corner, and crease the fold line nice and sharp. Then unfold it, and then fold it in half diagonally the other way, creasing the fold line again. When you unfold it, you should see a nice X pattern.

  Now fold the paper in half from side to side and crease the fold line.

  Open it and fold it in half in the other direction, again creasing the fold so that you are making a + shape on top of the X.

  Open it out. Now start folding the corners into the middle, one by one, so the points touch the middle. Use the creases from earlier as guides.

  It will look like this when all four corners are folded in.

  Don’t unfold it this time. Instead, fold the left and right edges into the middle so it looks like a set of double doors.

  Now unfold the doors and lift up the top and bottom triangles.

  Next, refold the long edges (the double doors) into the center, leaving the top and bottom triangles unfolded.

  When you’ve done both sides, it should look like this. Notice the two diamond shapes that have appeared at either end.

  Now we’re going to make some more creases. Fold up the bottom diamond so that it touches the bottom point of the opposite diamond, then crease.

  Unfold, and then repeat at the other end.

  Then unfold, so it is back to this shape …

  Now we’re going to make the walls. Open up the long sides of your shape (those original double doors) to form the sides of your square bowl.

  Here comes the tricky part. You’re going to fold up the ends to make the other two walls. Start by lifting up one of the diamonds. As you lift it up, you’ll find two little triangles jut out of the sides, past the walls of your bowl. These triangles need to fold inside the other way, so that the points touch. If you made the X shape at the beginning, you can use the crease at the center of this triangle as a guide and simply reverse those folds, pushing them to the inside. Then fold the point of your diamond up and over them into the center to meet the other corners of the paper. This will form a firm wall. Creasing the edge of the wall will help it hold its shape.

  It should now look like this!

  Repeat at the other end to finish your square bowl.

  “When you’ve been locked in a tower for a hundred years, you get bored,” Agent R said. “SO BORED!!—Okay, we need to make lots of them now … YOU!” She pointed at Zak. “Help me!”

  “Huh?” Zak’s eyes bulged. “B-b-but I don’t know how to do that—”

  “I’ll show you what to do. I hope you’re a quick learner!”

  Zak looked at Evie and Iris. “Save me!” he mouthed.

  Iris chuckled. “Good luck, cuz! Come on,” she added to Evie. “Let’s get the snacks.”

  Inside the kitchen, Evie could see her dad running around preparing orders.

  “Evie!” He waved from the steamy end of the kitchen, where he was frying eggs with one hand and making toast with the other, while also somehow managing to stir a giant pot of bubbling soup. “Hannah told me about your doggy desserts. Great work. And guess what … The owners have started ordering takeout snacks for themselves while they’re waiting for your pet treats. Isn’t that wonderful?”

  “It is!” Evie beamed at him. Then she turned back to Iris. “Fingers crossed the pupsicles have set! Can you help me get them out of the freezer?”

  For the next few moments, they pulled out tray after tray of doggy desserts.

  “Whoa! Were you expecting Noah and his ark to come calling?” Iris said as she turned over yet another tray of little blocks of frozen fruit puree and knocked them out onto the counter. “There’s enough for five hundred pets!”

  Evie smiled. “I hope you’re right. There are a lot of mouths to feed.”

  “Found it!” Agent Hood trotted into the kitchen with a costume dangling in front of her. “Here.” She handed it to Evie. “And there’s one for you, too.” She pulled another from her basket and tossed it across to Iris.

  “What is it?” Iris held it out in front of her with one finger and thumb, as though it might bite.

  “I think it’s a dog costume?” Evie said. “Wow! This one looks a lot like Fudge.”

  “NO WAY AM I DRESSING UP AS A DOG!” Iris tried to give it back to Agent Hood but the agent had her hands behind her back, refusing to take it. Iris groaned. “How exactly is this going to be a disguise? Dogs don’t walk on two legs.”

  “Seeing is believing!” Agent Hood said with a mysterious look on her face. “If someone barks like a dog and behaves like a dog, you’ll think they ARE a dog.”

  “That’s not true,” Iris said.

  “In case you didn’t notice, a lot of those dogs out there were jumping up on two legs and—”

  “They weren’t waitressing!” Iris interrupted.

  But Evie was smiling now. “I kind of like it. It’s fun. And it’ll make people smile … Come on, I’m putting mine on.”

  “But we’ll melt!” Iris moaned. “It’s a hot, sunny day—and that looks like a furry blanket.”

  “It’s Fairy-Tale Fabric,” Agent Hood said, “breathable and very cooling.”

  “What do you think?” Evie did a quick spin.

  Iris burst out laughing. “Okay, it is kind of funny.”

  “Origami plates coming through!” Zak nearly dropped the bowls he was carrying when he saw Evie’s outfit. “What in the name of—”

  “Ooh, I can find one for you, too,” Agent Hood offered.

  But Zak was already backing out. “I’ll just leave these on the counter … Sorry, got to go make more.”

  Just then, Evie heard a shout from the diner.

  “Evie? Where are the pet snacks?” Hannah poked her head through the door and let out a little squeak of surprise. “Oh, LOVE the outfit! But our four-legged customers are getting restless.”

  “Coming up any moment now. Quick!” Evie called to Iris and Agent Hood. “Help me plate up and let’s get these doggy desserts out to our visitors.”

  “Hi, would your dog like a pupsicle or a pupcake?” Evie said, holding out the tray of bowls she was carrying. “Or there’s banana ice cream on my friends’ trays over there.” She pointed to Zak and Iris.

  “Ice cream?” The curly-haired lady who she was talking to tugged her fluffy chow chow back from grabbing it all. “I’m not sure that’s safe for my Hector.”

  “Don’t worry,” Evie said, lowering her voice so the dog wouldn’t hear. “It’s not really ice cream, just frozen bananas and it’s a hundred percent safe and—”

  “My dog LOVES it!” The older lady in the flowery green pantsuit, who’d been irritated earlier, smiled across the patio tables. “I’ll be asking for the recipe.”

  Evie felt her chest puff up with pride. “Aw, thank you.”

  “Oh, and I just LOVE your costume. Do they make adult versions?”

  After a frantic fifteen minutes, most of the dogs—and their owners—had been served. Many had drifted back to the beach, but a few customers were still sitting on the patio with their pets. Agent Hood was squatting on the steps, trying out some new disguises on Fudge, while Agent B lounged next to her with several dogs snoozing at her feet as she recited poetry.

  “I think they want to hear ‘The Owl and the Pussy-Cat’ again!” She laughed. “Dogs go mutts for that poem.”

  Meanwhile, Agent R had disappeared with her sack of wood. Iris still reckoned she was building a treehouse somewhere. But after being stuck up in the lighthouse earlier, Evie was hoping it was something closer to the ground.

  “Great job, Evie,” Hannah said as she came out onto the patio. “It’s so quiet and calm out here now … Thanks so much, and to you two as well,” she added, smiling at Zak and Iris. “We couldn’t have served so many customers without you. How about a snack break? What would you like?”

  But Evie didn’t hear. She was gazing out across the sand watching two familiar-looking people walking purposefully toward the diner. Uh-oh! She strained her eyes to see if it was who she thought it was … Please don’t let it be them, p-l-e-a-s-e … But there was no mistake now. Oh no! The dog trainer AND the director? And instantly her bubble of joy burst.

  “Oh, is that the TV people?” Hannah said, looking over her shoulder. “They must be coming for Fudge.”

  “B-b-but you can’t let them take him. Please, Hannah.” Evie felt like her tummy was being knitted in knots. “I know today was crazy … but it wasn’t Fudge’s fault. And he’s been so good this week and—and—” She felt tears fill her eyes. She swallowed a few times forcing herself not to cry.

  “It’s okay, Evie. What’s important is what’s best for Fudge.” Hannah waved to Mandy and Delphine as they crossed the street toward them.

  Evie hugged her arms tightly around herself. This is it. I’m about to lose Fudge. And there’s nothing I can do. For a moment she considered grabbing the pooch and making a dash for the lighthouse again. But Hannah had her arm around Evie’s shoulders now.

  “It was so good to hear how amazing Fudge’s screen test was, wasn’t it? And how much he enjoyed the experience…”

  Evie held her breath, waiting for the next part. The part when Hannah would explain that the dog trainer had not only offered Fudge a TV contract, but also a new home, and how a diner could NEVER be a suitable place for a dog to live, and how it would be better for everyone if he went to live with someone who knew a lot about dogs.

  “So I told Mandy that I was happy for her to borrow Fudge for today’s shoot,” Hannah went on, “so long as you thought it was a good idea, too. And then she asked whether she might be able to adopt Fudge, so I told her—”

  But Hannah was interrupted by a loud shout from farther up the street.

  “Excuse me! I’d like a word!”

  Evie spun around. “Mrs. Pemberton?”

  The twins’ mom was marching toward them with Katie-Belle and Clara trotting alongside.

  “Your diner is in BIG trouble!” Mrs. Pemberton said, pointing a long, sharp finger at Hannah. “You’d better start packing, because you’ll be closed down before the end of today!”

  For a second, the whole world seemed to stand still. Then Hannah pushed her hair back and walked down the steps to the sidewalk to meet Mrs. Pemberton. “What on earth are you talking about? The diner’s not closing.”

  “It will be, thanks to THEM!” Mrs. Pemberton pointed toward the patio. “In case you don’t know … dogs are NOT ALLOWED in a diner! And I’ve reported you.”

  “Now, wait one moment…,” Hannah began.

  “There’s no time to wait!” Mrs. Pemberton snapped. “I think you’ll find the restaurant inspector here within the hour. Girls! Take some photographs just in case the Browns try to cover up the evidence.”

  The twins pulled their cameras out from behind their backs and turned them on the diner.

  “No, stop!” Evie stepped in front of them. “You can’t do this! It’s not fair!”

  “Move it, doggy!” Clara said, smirking at her costume.

  “Yeah, go find a bone,” her sister muttered.

  Don’t cry, Wonder Waitress, Evie told herself. Don’t let them see you’re upset. But her eyes obviously weren’t listening. The tears she’d been holding back with the thought of losing Fudge were starting to trickle down her cheeks. She wiped them away, hoping no one had seen. “Why is your family so mean?”

  Mrs. Pemberton snorted. “It’s not our fault your parents are lawbreakers!”

  A crowd was gathering now. Iris and Zak and the two agents came and stood next to Evie, while Fudge wrapped himself around her legs, his tail droopy, his head down. A few of the dog owners were leaning over the patio, watching, too. And Delphine and Mandy were also there.

  “Don’t worry, honey,” Hannah said, putting her arm around Evie. “It’s all going to be okay.”

  “No it’s not!” Mrs. Pemberton said. “You’re going to be closed down. Which is precisely what I said would happen the first—AND ONLY—time I visited your café. I told my husband you were too much of an amateur to run a diner. And I was right. Imagine letting filthy creatures like that onto your premises.” She looked at Fudge and shuddered.

  “He’s not filthy!” Evie cried. Then Agent B stepped forward, too, her fists clenched, her teeth bared, as though she was about to tell off Mrs. Pemberton. (Not that she’d be able to see her.)

  But another voice beat her to it.

  “HEY! YOU!” yelled the older woman in the green pantsuit, who was standing on the patio with her St. Bernard. “Dogs are lovely creatures! And this diner is a hundred times better than yours!”

  Mrs. Pemberton glared at her, then turned back to Hannah. “Face it! You might as well close up now. Oh, and if you’re thinking of selling—which is probably a good plan, as you don’t know the first thing about running a café—perhaps we’ll buy your business. What do you think, girls?” She smiled at the twins. “Shall we have a second café? The Pembertons are always looking to expand!”

  “You’re horrible!” Evie said. “It was your twins who made all the dogs come to the diner. They did it deliberately. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.”

  “Evie!” Hannah put her hand on her shoulder. “Don’t bother with them. We have absolutely nothing to worry about, because I’ve already applied for a license to have dogs on our patio.”

  “Huh?” Evie looked up at her stepmom.

  “Yes. You see I knew if there was a chance we were going to adopt Fudge it would be best to have a license. So I applied for one the day we got back from camping, just in case. And what I was trying to tell you before I was rudely interrupted”—she frowned at Mrs. Pemberton—“is that Fudge is our dog now.”

  “You mean we’re keeping him?” Evie blinked at her stepmom, not sure if she was understanding correctly.

  “Yes, that’s what I told Mandy earlier.” Hannah glanced over and the dog trainer nodded back. “That Fudge is definitely NOT looking for a new home.”

  Evie looked up at her stepmom’s face. “For real?”

  Hannah smiled back. “Yep, Fudge is staying here forever.”

  At the sound of his name, Fudge jumped up at Hannah with a Hi-Hannah-I heard-you-say-I’m-your-dog-now-and-I’m-over-the-moon-about-it sort of a bark.

  For a moment Evie just stood there, swaying a little. Is this actually happening? Has Hannah just agreed that Fudge can stay? She looked across at Iris and Zak, who were grinning and giving her a thumbs-up. And to the agents, who were smiling and clapping … Wow, I guess it must be true!

  “Oh, and Mrs. Pemberton,” Hannah said, turning back to the twins’ mom, “just for the record, Brown’s Diner will NEVER be for sale. And certainly not to you. Brown’s is actually expanding. We’re about to change into a dog-friendly diner, with pet snacks and water bowls on the patio and we’ll be offering doggy bags with all of Evie’s amazing new recipes!”

  The patio erupted into applause … with the older lady in the pantsuit punching the air and leading the cheers.

  Mrs. Pemberton gazed at them, her mouth open like a goldfish’s. Then she turned away and stalked off back along the street, with the twins chasing after her.

  “Wow!” Delphine, the TV director, said. “That beats any drama I’ve ever worked on. I guess Lime Bay’s not the quiet town I thought it was.”

  Mandy laughed. “Do you think we can maybe go shoot the scene with Fudge now, before anything else happens?”

  Hannah sighed. “Sure. But I think I might need a coffee first. My hands are shaking a little. How about I go get us all some snacks to take with us.”

  As her stepmom headed off, Evie heard a low whistle and saw Agent R standing by the side gate that led to the back of the diner. She was beckoning them over.

 

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