Jones asked about the man. The description was vague but consistent: rugged, wearing old clothes, claiming to have found the dog wandering close to the woods. The forest was a common thread, and that made Jones pay closer attention.
At the second house, the story repeated itself. The dog disappeared, only to be returned by a stranger who asked for a reward. The owners’ description of the man matched the first perfectly, making Jones feel a knot tighten in his stomach.