Chapter 5 — The Golden Culprit
The harsh yellow glow of the back porch light cut through the driving rain.
It illuminated the dark, soaked fur of the animal waiting outside.
The dog was a golden retriever.
Its thick coat was utterly ruined by thick, wet mud from head to paw.
Clumps of dark soil matted the once-shiny golden hair around its chest and legs.
The retriever looked directly inside through the freshly wiped glass pane.
Its dark brown eyes appeared wide, hopeful, and entirely innocent.
Water dripped in a steady stream from its floppy ears onto the wet concrete of the patio.
The dog matched the exact source of the muddy tracks that ruined the hardwood floor.
Every damp paw print crossing the living room rug belonged to the canine standing right outside.
The golden retriever let out a quiet, pathetic whine and pressed its muddy snout against the glass.
It lifted one heavy, clay-caked front paw and brought it down directly against the glass door handle mechanism.