Chapter 4 — An Unnoticed Detail
Samantha crouched down on the hardwood floor, ignoring Clara’s ongoing complaints.
She turned her attention entirely away from the marble island.
The raised voice of the relative faded into a dull background hum.
Samantha rested her fingertips on the smooth planks of the kitchen flooring.
Distinct smudges were stamped directly into the wood.
They formed a clear, repetitive pattern leading away from the kitchen island.
Samantha leaned in closer to inspect the discoloration.
The shade of the smudges was unmistakable.
It matched the vibrant pink frosting of the damaged cake on the counter.
There was no doubt about the pigment.
It was the exact same shade of sugary pink that coated the ruined dessert and Clara’s empty box.
Samantha followed the trail with her eyes.
The prints didn’t look anything like small human footprints or scuffed shoe soles.
They were small, rounded pads with distinct toe impressions pressed into the sticky mess.
Samantha reached out her hand slowly.
She hovered her index finger right above the edge of the nearest print on the floor.
She pressed her fingertip gently against the side of the smear.
The substance was cool, tacky, and distinctly wet.
It left a thick residue of pink sugar right on the pad of her finger.
Samantha brought her hand back up to examine it in the bright overhead light.
As she looked closer at the damp smear on her skin, she realized the truth of what she was touching wasn’t just a spilled drop of icing.
It was a wet, sticky paw mold.