Instead of seven-year-old Milo running into his arms, Cooper—the family’s golden retriever—dashed frantically through the foyer. The dog let out a sharp, urgent bark, brushed past Marcus’s polished boots, and bolted back toward the side exit leading to the estate's rear lawn.
Marcus’s smile vanished. His military instincts, honed by years of surviving combat zones, instantly registered that something was terribly wrong.
"Cooper, what is it?" Marcus called out, breaking into a brisk run as he followed the barking dog out the door.
Chapter II: The Crate on the Grass
Cooper sprinted across the expansive green lawn, barking continuously until he stopped by a row of thick, manicured hedges at the far edge of the garden.
Tucked away in the damp dirt behind the bushes, completely hidden from the party’s view, was a plastic, wire-gated dog crate.
Inside the cramped kennel sat Milo.