“Hey Mom, guess what? After a swim at Retriever River and some grub at Bow Wow Burgers with Cooper and Keeley, we decided to play detective. We looked into that weird glow at Best in Show Photography. Hold onto your hat… Turns out it was the ghost of my old owner! Spooky, but kinda sweet too. Just an evening in my paw-some detective life. Now, bring on that rosemary-roasted chicken! Love, your daring detective, Lambeau 🐾”

In the heart of picturesque Spencerville, where Fawn Cream Maltese meadows dance with the sunbeams and the Northern Choco Chihuahua Castle reaches up almost tickling the billowing clouds, is where our peculiar journey begins. A tale of four-legged sleuths, conveyed in the affable mutterings of yours truly – Lambeau, the whimsical canine detective.

One gaspingly hot afternoon, after vigorous play at Retriever River, Cooper, Keeley, and yours truly ambled towards Bow Wow Burgers. We greeted Sally, the fast-talking Dalmatian hostess with a casual wag and sauntered towards our booth. Despite the reigning chaos of barking orders and colliding bowls, we had a distressingly urgent matter to investigate.

Our fellow townspets had been reporting an uncanny anomaly – strange glowing traces left at Best in Show Photography. A seemingly harmless event, unless, of course, you’re a dog with a nose for mysteries.

“Either we investigate this, or I swear I will eat that avocado farmer’s floppy hat,” Cooper voiced our collective sentiments, wiping his muzzle clean of the last morsels of his burger. “And, what sort of dog would I be then?”

Reluctantly, I conceded, “Okay, so says the Staffordshire Sherlock. Although, can you imagine me, a German Shepherd mix chomping on avocados? The horror!”

Keeley chimed in with a smirk, “Oh don’t be so dramatic Lambo, if anything, it’ll be an upgrade to that ragged boot of a toy you love so much.”

Dismissing their ribbing with a good-natured sigh, we resolved to start our investigations after dusk under the cloak of darkness. Although Spencerville was a dreamy haven, it was not without its oddities, and this time, it was upon us, the self-appointed, four-legged detectives, to get to the bottom of it.

As night fell and the last beams of light bade adieu to Spencerville, Cooper, Keeley, and I stealthily made our way to Best in Show Photography. Surprisingly, the strange glow was far more intense than the eyesores we’ve been told were avocados. It painted the entire room with an eerie hue, creating shadows where there were none. Swallowing hard, we ventured further, amongst the shadows and anomaly, our senses heightened.

Much to our astonishment, beneath a trove of discarded props, we encountered an unearthly entity with its gaze transfixed on a picture of mine displayed on the wall—the ghost of my late photo-obsessed owner, forever trapped within its beloved camera.

“Bloody avocados!” I exclaimed. In the end, it turned out to be nothing but a heartbreaking image worthy of sympathy and wonder. Remembering the Spencerville promise of reunion, we decided to leave the spectre in his peaceful pursuit.

From that mystic eve onwards, the strange glow proved to be an endearing spectacle every night, reminding us that even in Spencerville, every pixie flicker of light carries the hope of an inevitable reunion. I couldn’t ask for a stranger town nor a more extraordinary existence, prowling after mysteries in the moonlight whilst hoping for a bowl of rosemary-roasted chicken back home. Pray, what more could a German Shepherd mix ask for?

The End.