LMJ Rewrite

Almost two months later, and here I am! This is something I'm just experimenting with; I thought it would be a neat idea to provide more lore/context to the story by adding interlude chapters in-between cases. Let me know what you all think!

With that, enjoy! :)

Interlude: The Strays

He wasn't sure how long he had been walking at that point. But it had certainly been awhile.

Every now and then, he would pick up the pace to avoid getting caught by an animal control specialist, or by some random child that hoped to take him home with them, or to avoid an oncoming car!

Finding a place to sleep was a challenge; he couldn't risk sleeping during the day with all of the aforementioned scenarios looming overhead. And at night, it was difficult to find any place that wasn't already taken by other strays, or even other animals.

And that was another thing that bothered him. In every reflection of himself he saw, he was a small dog; a basset hound, according to some humans that pointed him out previously.

Somehow, though, he had the feeling he wasn't always a dog.

But then, who or what was he before...?

"Hey, dog!" The voice of another canine called out to him.

The voice's owner was a larger dog, with tan fur and a broad muzzle. They had seen each other before, no doubt, but this was their first interaction ever.

"Hello?" The smaller dog replied, as he came up to the taller one.

"Are you still lookin' for a place to sleep, dog?" Asked the tan one. "Why don't ya stay with me for awhile? I know a good hiding place."

Not having much of another option, the small basset followed the stray, who had introduced himself as Yapper, to the hiding place in question.

The taller one slid under what looked to be an old basement window. As the shorter one hesitantly followed, he discovered some crates and other junk had previously been arranged under the window to form stairs.

"I know it ain't much." Yapper remarked. "But at least no other human's found it yet."

"Well, I'm just glad to have somewhere to sleep!" The basset retorted, stretching his front legs across the dirt floor, as he yawned before joining Yapper on what appeared to be an old mattress. "How long have you lived here for, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Awhile now." Yapper replied. "I lived here with my pet for as long as I can remember. But one day he went out, and hasn't been back still. I've been waiting for him to come home."

There was a hint of sadness in that last part, cloaked by soft glow of joy.

"Well, enough about me." Yapper smiled. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow, I'll show ya 'round the neighborhood!"

They bid each other good night, before snuggling under some worn out blankets and quickly falling asleep.

A week had come and gone since then; by then Dog, as Yapper affectionately addressed him, had a good feel of the terrain and the people there. He now knew where to find the best scraps for food, and which alleyways and streets were the safest to scurry down, day or night.

In that short amount if time, Yapper had gotten to know more about his newfound companion. For instance, Dog had virtually no memory of who he was; they had some things to go on, of course, such as whenever they passed by a bank. Dog would immediately think of Barkley's, so Yapper figured Dog's pet probably worked at a bank. Though at each bank-like building they tried, not one human coming or going seemed to recognise Dog.

It was during one of these outings that the strays came across an interesting curiosity: A flyer, which courtesy of a wind storm the day before, had blown off the wall it was previously adhered to.

"'Any Mystery Solved'..." Dog read the prominent lettering aloud.

"Maybe they can solve yours." Yapper remarked. "It's not like we've had any luck so far."

"It is tempting..." said Dog, as he pondered the possibility. "Some humans do seem to understand me. But most don't. It's more likely whoever's in charge there will be the majority."

"Well, see if they can understand ya first, then go from there." Yapper suggested.

Dog nodded. "I'll give it a go." And he headed straight for the address written on the flyer, by then knowing exactly where Chancer Lane was.

"Good luck!" Yapper called to him, waving his paw as he saw his friend off.