Patch didn’t tell the humans. They would call the police, dig for a week, and find nothing. This was a dog’s problem. So, he invoked the Twilight Howl —an ancient pact among the city’s strays.

The rescue was not a chase. It was a ghost story in reverse.

The escape was a blur of silent shadows. Mr. Whisk’s alarms were useless because there was no noise to detect. The dogs moved like water through drains, under fences, past sleeping security hounds who pretended not to see.

The pup opened his mouth. No sound came out. He tried again. Still nothing.