It came through the back door. At first, I ignored it. Our dog, Baxter, had always preferred the yard where he had a warm, insulated doghouse on the porch. He'd been Lily's loyal sidekick since she was five — a golden retriever mix with eyes too smart for his own good.
Normally, he barked when he wanted to come in, or barked once or twice to let me know he wanted food or attention, but this wasn't barking; it was clawing. It sounded frantic, desperate, and high-pitched.
It came through the back door.
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