Max, the dog, looked at me with eyes that seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. There was an intelligence there that went beyond the usual canine curiosity. He whined softly, as if urging me to act quickly. My hands shook slightly as I folded the letter back into the envelope and tucked it into my pocket. There was no time to waste.

I led Max to my car, opening the door and gesturing for him to jump inside. He hesitated for a moment, then leapt in with surprising agility. I glanced at him in the rearview mirror as I started the engine, his eyes never leaving mine, as if reassuring me that we were in this together.