Darkness as Sam's phone rings. Then the German Shepherd picks up his phone. "Slade here." Another voice speaks, "Quit while you're ahead, bimbo." With his head cocked and ears perked, Sam is trying to figure out who it sounds like. "Who is this?" he asked. "You get too close to the fire, you get burned." The other voice spoke not answering his question. Sam checks his watch. It's nearly midnight. "You think you're hot, huh? Well you're gonna be a cold fish when I get through if you. I got news for you mongrel." The phone clicks. "Hey you got to listen to my news!" Sam frustrated hung it up and heads downstairs to put his plan to action.

Everyone else was in his or her rooms, waiting for midnight. When they heard about the $10,000 they each became greedy. Tex and Lila were in the lobby. Tex was looking out of the French window. "Storm's clearing. I can see the lights from the main land from here." Tex said to Lila. "It'll be better weather when looking for Caroline." Lila said. Tex didn't say anything. "Got to go outside and sing Mirabelle her lullaby." He headed outside not saying another word. Lila picked up a magazine and started to read.

Then Mortimer enters unseen by Lila with a heavy book. He hides behind the screen just as she looked his way. The Shiba Inu became nervous, not wanting to become the killer's next victim. From the right of Lila, Adelaide enters with a butterfly net and quickly ducked behind the couch. Lila looked to her right and stood from her sitting. She looked around before she started heading to the screen. The Airedale Terrier tenses up as he hears her delicate footsteps. Lila is about to check the screen when Sam who had just came from upstairs, tapped her on the shoulder. She screams and quickly grabs onto Sam. Her ears alert and her eyes darting back and forth, she's scared. Sam however is quite pleased. "Sam! Oh Sam! I'm so scared!" She hugs him tightly. Sam's expression is relaxed. "Yeah?" "You're the only one I can hang on to here." Lila said. Sam gave a swish to his tail and he arched his neck. "You can hang on as long as you want doll." Lila loosens her grip. "You're so strong and brave." She buried her muzzle in his fur. "Thanks, Lila. You're no slouch yourself. But you got to be up in your room." Lila releases Sam then said to him. "But I want you there!" Sam's eyes give a surprised look with his left ear sideways. Nervous he asked, "Really?" Lila nodded yes. Sam starts to loosen up his detective collar. "We could probably work something out." "Sam I don't want you down here. You're just bait for the killer!" Lila cried. "It's a hard job but someone's got to do it babe." Sam defended. "If anything happens to you, I don't know what to do." Lila's eyes became teary. "It's alright. Don't worry, nothing's going to happen. Now scram before the killer gets here." Sam gave her a stubborn look. She started to walk away but stopped and faced him. "Oh Sam, when this is all over..." Lila said. Sam's tail started to wag. "Yeah? Yeah?" His tail wagged harder with each wag. Lila sighed, "Oh Sam!" Lila dashes upstairs. "She never finishes a sentence but I liked where it was going to." Sam thought to himself.

He put the ransom money on the coffee table. Looking around he tried to find a pen. As he looked around the sisters came in with a rolling pin and 2 wooden spoons. He gets up and moves to the little side table by the chair. The Papillons quickly dart behind the front desk. He picks up the pen and walks back over to the box with the money. He wrote on it, "Ransom $. Help yourself." "Now time to make the scene more like attempted murder." He though to himself. He lowers the lights. Then Sam lies on the couch with his head on his paws. He dreams of Lila and him running in a field of flowers. Verna crawls in and she goes up the small flight of stairs to the French window. She hides behind the curtain. The Silky Terrier could smell the Airedale's scent. As well as the Papillons. "It's mine and they can't have it." Verna thought to herself.

Then she crouched low and moved quietly to the coffee table. As Verna passed by the front desk, Charity was sitting on top of the desk. The Papillon growled before she jumped down. Verna yelped but Hope came around the corner and smacked her over the head with a rolling pin. The Silky Terrier lay knocked out. The 3 sisters then advanced to the coffee table with the money on it. They were so close but then Mortimer popped out of from behind the screen and scared them off. They dashed back to the kitchen, tails tucked between legs. Mortimer snickered and as his paws almost touched the side of the box, Verna now awake growled at him. He turned and her little paw came close to his nose. He ducked avoiding the punch then ran off frighten. Verna smiled but then she heard Lila's voice. "Don't even think about it." Verna whipped around to come face to face with the Shiba Inu. "And why not Miss Dean?" Lila growled. "I'm warning you once or I'll tear you apart." Lila's lip drew back, revealing her teeth. Verna smirked before she said, "Give it your best shot." Lila leapt at the terrier and sank her teeth in her back. The terrier yelped and when Lila let go she scampered off with her tail tucked between her legs and ears flat back. "Stupid terriers..." Lila said. As she turned around, Adelaide whipped around the corner of the couch and tried to net Lila. But Tex came to her rescue. He rammed Adelaide to the ground from behind. Adelaide rolled herself over and galloped up the stairs. "Thanks Tex." Lila said. "It's alright. Shucks, all them folks are after the money and none are the killer." Tex said. "I think your right." Lila spoke before Tex got a look on his face. "What?" "You..um..got blood on your chops." Tex answered. "Must have been when I bit Verna." Lila licked her chops to clear the blood. Tex nodded his head. "You get on up to bed Miss Dean." "Are you sure?" Lila asked. "I'll keep an eye down here and help Sam out. Now scat." Tex said. Lila looks uncertain but she starts for the stairs. She looks back to see Tex looking at a ring. "That must be Caroline's ring." She thought but when he was still not looking, she sneaked behind the couch.

Tex is still looking at it. He sighs but then he hears a sweet voice. "Caroline?" He looks behind him to see it's Caroline. "Come on you hunk of hound we're eloping and that's that." Tex wags his tail. "I'm not waiting one more minute in that crummy cellar. We're getting off this god forsaken island and getting hitched." Tex howls for joy. "Quiet!" Caroline hissed. "You do love don't you?" she asked. "More...than...than Mirabelle!" Tex exclaimed. "Oh Tex!" Caroline hugs him and then they nuzzle. As they turn to get Mirabelle the clown is standing in front of them with gloves on. Caroline yelps and Tex pulls Caroline close. Caroline frightened asked, "Who are you?" The clown advances. "You're trying to find Barnum and Bailey?" Tex asked. The clown holds up a glove saying No. "Ain't them the handiest hands you've seen. " Tex said as his eyes darted back and forth from one glove to another. "Then you're here for the money?" Caroline asked. The clown holds up his right glove with Yes written on it. "It's like 20 questions!" Tex barked. "Did you kill Uncle Horace?" The clown holds up the Yes glove. "That's down right naughty, Clown!" Caroline thinks some more before she spoke, "Did Gretchen Grimsworthy put you up to this?" The clown holds up the Yes glove. Sam unseen sneaks around the clown. "I bet she paid you real good." Tex said quietly. The clown holds up the no glove. "The ransom money is your pay?" Caroline asked. The clown holds up Yes glove. "Caroline this is a hit clown!"

Then it spoke, "Bye bye!" It leaped and Tex reared at the attacking dog. Sam pounces on it from the back. Both dogs landed on the clown dog. Caroline barks to warn the others. They wrestled with it until the hound and German Shepherd have it on the ground, pinned. "No more funny business for this clown!" Sam barked. "Who is it?" Caroline asked shaking. Tex gets the clown into a headlock and Sam rips off the mask. Revealing, Adelaide Twitterman the Keeshond. Caroline gasped, "Miss Twitterman?" "I guess YOUR anser anatidae is cooked." Sam growled. Adelaide looked at him before she snapped, "What are you talking about bozo?" "Any real birdwatcher would know anser anatidae is a goose." Sam answered. "I bet Adelaide Twitterman isn't your real name." Tex snapped. "Surprise! Surprise! My real name is Cora Cleaver." The Keeshond smiled and her eyes glint with a stubborn gleam. Sam's eyes widen and his jaw drops open. "Cora Cleaver? Ace hit person wanted in all fifty states and fourteen foreign countries?" Cora looks impressed. "Why yes." Sam grabs a pen and paper from the coffee table. "May I have your autograph?" he asks with a pleading look. Verna, Miss Holgrave, Mr. Wilton, Rodney, & Rhonda came down the stairs. "We heard a bark!" Rhonda yapped. The Beaupree sisters appeared from the kitchen. "Oh Caroline's safe!" Faith barked. Mortimer trotted briskly from the indoor garden. "What now!" Cora grabbed Sam and puts the pen to his throat. "Alright try anything and he'll be the first one to be ball-pointed to death!" Sam ears drop to the side.

Everyone gasps and Hope cried, "The pen IS mightier than the sword!" Cora starts backing up. "You rookies can't whip a professional! I've been at this game for too long to get careless!" Lila sneaked around the corner of the couch where she was facing the Keeshond's back. "If you ever want to see him again don't follow me!" Cora snapped. The other dogs stood froze with wide eyes. Lila grabs a thick book from the side table and smacked Cora across the head. Cora dazed mumbles, "Uh oh!" Her knees buckle under her and she falls to the ground. Sam jumps up and hugs Lila. "You saved me Lila!" "Sam I hid behind the couch. I couldn't bear to leave you alone here. I guess love does that." Lila sighed into his