“What the heck is going on here?” she screamed at the offender intent on hurting her father.

The man slowly turned his head to look at her. Still chewing his gum, he said, “Who the fuck wants to know?”

Sally fished out her ID and marched up to him, shoving it in his face. “Back off. Or I’ll arrest you. Dad, what’s going on?”

“This lout just kicked Dex.”

Sally glanced at the gate to her parents’ house and saw her dog lying on the ground. She ran to him and knelt beside him. “Dex? Dex, are you all right, boy?” Sally’s mother was on the other side of the gate. “Sally, he needs the vet, love. I was just about to take him.”

“Shit. Okay, I’ll do it, Mum. I’m going to call for backup before I go. Can you try and get Dad in the house, away from that yob?”

“Lord knows I’ve tried, love. He won’t listen. Sally, I’m scared.”

“Don’t be. Nothing will happen while I’m here,” she assured her mother in spite of the apprehension gnawing at her gut.

She heard a commotion behind her and twisted just in time to see her father put his head down and ram it into the neighbour’s midriff. The brute and her father ended up on the ground, shouting and striking each other.

“Shit! Mum, call the station, tell them who you are and say I asked for immediate backup. Go!” She stroked her beloved dog and ordered him to stay, not that he looked as though he would be able to go anywhere soon. He whimpered as if sensing the imminent danger as she got to her feet and sprinted towards the fighting men. “Cut it out. Dad, get off him.” As she tugged at her father’s arm, the thug took the opportunity to punch her father on the jaw. “Do that again, shithead, and I’ll make sure you never get out of prison. Now, get to your feet.”

Sally managed to help her father stand but had to restrain him from surging at the thug again. The man bared his teeth, and when his two mates stepped forward to help him stand, he cursed and shrugged them off.

Within seconds, Sally was relieved to hear the sound of approaching sirens. “Whatever you’re thinking of doing next, buster, I’d reconsider that thought quickly.”

Ignoring her, he lunged at her father. Sally was quick enough to pull her father behind her. The man’s fist caught her good eye and her cheek. She heard a deafening crack before she ended up in a heap on the ground. Her father crouched beside her as two panda cars arrived at the scene.

“Arrest this goon for assaulting a member of the public and a police officer,” she ordered as four constables rushed to assist them.

“Yes, ma’am. Are you all right?” The female constable helped Sally to her feet.

“I will be. I need to take my injured dog to the vet. Add a count of animal abuse to the charges, too.” Holding a hand over her sore eye, she turned back to look at her wounded pet. “Dad, I need you to drive me and Dex to the vet.”

“All right. Sally, I’m sorry. I couldn’t let him get away with kicking poor Dex. Christ, I’ve gone and made things a thousand times worse now. Are you all right?”

“Busted cheek, I suspect. Sod me; I’m more concerned about the boy. Let’s go.”

“What about your mother? I don’t fancy her being left here alone with this mob.”

Sally nodded and asked the constable, “Would you mind staying here until we get back?”

“Of course not. You go. I’ll keep an eye on things here. Try to restore a little peace.”

“Good luck with that,” Sally replied, observing three uniformed officers as they wrestled with the man shouting abuse, his arms flailing around impersonating the sails of a windmill. She walked towards the house with her father. “We’re going to have to lift him into the back of the car, Dad.”

Her father stroked Dex. “It’s all right, boy. We’ll get you sorted.”

Between them, they carried the whimpering dog to her car, where the female PC held the back door open for them. Carefully, they placed the injured Dex on the backseat, and Sally and her father jumped in the front. She sped along the main road and pulled up outside the clinic of the vet who had cared for a number of their other animals over the years. Dr. Munroe agreed to see Dex straight away, and after assessing him, he came to the conclusion that the dog had two or three broken ribs. He rushed Dex through to another room to carry out the X-rays that would confirm his diagnosis. He returned about fifteen minutes later. “Three broken ribs. Can I ask how this happened?”

“We live opposite some thugs. I’d taken Dex for his evening walk when this goon drove like a maniac towards us, missing us by inches. When he got out of his car, I had a go at him about driving more carefully. He ran at me aggressively. Dex lunged at him, trying to protect me, and the bastard—sorry, excuse my French—well, he kicked the poor dog in the side. It was terrible. The force raised Dex off his feet.” Tears trickled from her father’s eyes.

Sally placed a comforting arm around his shoulders. “It’s all right, Dad. He’s safe now. Isn’t he, doc?”

Dr. Munroe inhaled a large breath. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. It’s too early to tell. Depends if the fractured ribs have caused any internal damage. I’m going to have to keep him in for a few days to monitor his recovery. Are you insured?”

“Yes, but even if we weren’t, it wouldn’t matter. Just do what you can for him please.” Sally gently wiped tears from under her painful eyes.

“You look as though you’ve been in the wars, too, Sally,” Dr. Munroe said.

“This one I had already, and this was courtesy of the same man who struck Dex. Don’t worry, he’s been arrested. We’ll make sure we throw the bloody book at him, too. People with such violent tendencies shouldn’t be allowed to roam the streets.”

“Quite right, too. I hope you and Dex heal quickly. I’ll keep you updated daily. Hopefully, he should be able to come home at the weekend, all being well.”

“Thanks, doc. Just do your best; that’s all we ask. He’s our special dog.”

“I will. I must get on with my surgery appointments now. People will be cursing me for keeping them waiting.”

“Thanks for squeezing us in,” Sally’s father said, shaking hands with Dr. Munroe before they left his consulting room.

Sally glanced around the room at the sea of angry faces staring at them. “I’m sorry for the hold-up. It was an emergency. I’m sure as pet lovers, you will totally understand our concerns.”

She was greeted by nods and a number of embarrassed smiles. The evening was filled with her father voicing his recriminations over and over and threatening what he planned to do to the thug if the police failed in their duties.

“It ain’t going to happen, Dad. I’ll make sure of that. I’m even going to go one step further and try and get them moved. You’ve dealt with enough of their shit over the past year. I have a friend on the council. I’ll urge them to look at relocating the family, in light of what went on today. I’ll make sure it’s treated as a priority.”

“But I wouldn’t feel right about another group of people being lumbered with such an out-of-control family, Sally,” her mother said meekly.

“They won’t just plant them anywhere, Mum. They’ll read them the riot act and caution them about their future behaviour before finding a suitable home for them. They might even tell them to take a hike and refuse to rehouse them. Here’s hoping, eh?” Sally said, hopefully putting her mother’s mind at rest.

Her father grunted. “Transfer them to a desert island. That should do the bloody trick. Trouble runs through their veins. They’re not likely to change their ways, sweetheart.”

Sally chuckled. “We’ll see what we can come up with between us. I’m positive they’ll be out of your hair soon, Dad. I’ll emphasise the need for peace and normality in the neighbourhood.”

Her father nodded then sighed heavily. “Fingers crossed. Poor Dexter.”

“He’ll be fine. Dr. Munroe has never let us down in the past. Will you ring the insurance company in the morning, or do you want me to do it?”