Rex, who had been quietly lying near the coffin, suddenly stood up, his ears perked, and let out a low, mournful howl. Jason’s heart ached as he watched the scene unfold, the dog’s loyalty and pain palpable in the air. While the officers were searching, one stopped and hesitated, his hand shaking a bit as he reached into the jacket pocket of Tom, Jason’s father.
Carefully, he took out a napkin, making Jason’s heart race. The officer unfolded it, showing a dark, questionable stain. “This could be poison,” he said in a low voice, almost drowned out by the shocked silence of the crowd.