‘You’re not going a kid. Oh no, I won’t bother with her, you think. And you wonder why I didn’t tell you about him before.
Will, isn’t it obvious? Don’t you see what happens when I do?’
Muriel’s voice got higher and higher, and Edward began to growl. Macon looked down at him and saw the hair on the back of his neck standing up stiffly. A bad sign.
Muriel looked down too and stopped speaking. She tapped her foot twice, but Edward not only failed to lie down; he rose from his sitting position. Then with a howl he jumped straight at Muriel’s face.
At once Muriel raised the leash with both hands and lifted Edward completely off the floor. He hung by his collar, making little noises in his throat.
‘He can’t breathe,’ Macon said. ‘Stop it. It’s enough!’
Still she let him hang. Macon shook Muriel’s shoulder and then Muriel lowered Edward to the floor. He landed in a boneless heap. Macon knelt next to him. ‘Oh, God, he’s dead!’
Edward raised his head and licked his lips weakly.