Officer Jones dropped Lukas at home with a quiet promise. Once the boy was safely inside, Jones returned alone to the forest, determined to uncover the mystery of the barking dogs and the strange oak tree. Night had fallen, and only the distant hoot of owls punctuated the silence.
With a flashlight in hand, Jones circled the towering oak. At first glance, it seemed just a massive, ordinary tree—gnarled bark, sprawling roots. He searched carefully, inspecting the trunk, scanning the thick branches and twisting roots for anything unusual that could explain the dogs’ strange behavior.