But later that night, while waiting for her results, the vet came out, holding a small envelope. “We found something unusual,” she said. “There was a microchip — but it’s registered to a child, not an adult.”

Aaron frowned. “A child?”

The vet nodded. “A girl named Sophie Carter. Eight years old.”

Aaron’s heart sank. “The woman buried there… Emily Carter. That must’ve been her mother.”

The vet nodded sadly. “Maybe the girl’s still alive. Maybe the dog was protecting what was left.”

Aaron took Lulu home that night, his mind restless.

He called every shelter, every number he could find. By dawn, one name finally answered: Sophie Carter, listed under a foster program 30 miles away.

He called the social worker. “Does she… know about her dog?”