“Hey, you! Just another night, chasing adventure in Pawsburg. Solved the mystery of the Tail Wagger’s counterfeit coins. Wasn’t hard for me to sniff out no-gooder Bruno. Case closed, but you know there’s never a dull moment with me. Catch you tomorrow for another romp. Your favorite sleuth, Duke 🐾”

Listen to the story here

Right from the time I’ve known Duke, I’ve been well aware of his perfectly honed detective nose – an uncanny, almost supernatural knack to sniff out the ordinary from the extraordinary. And on this particular night, as he lay under the grand oak in that comfortable nook he had claimed as his own, something was stirring him, pulling him out of his peaceful slumber.

The night in Pawsburg was vibrant, marinated in the warm, golden glow of the carefully lined street lamps with Bow Wow Burgers still humming with activity in the backdrop. Luna was merrily trotting around Poodle Pond while I noticed Mr. Jingles, our sweet feline mate, stealthily slipping into The Tail Wagger’s Tailor and some muffled sound echoing.

The distinct clanking of coins sent Duke’s ears perking up. He audaciously grabbed his green-squeaky dinosaur, his steadfast sidekick in all his investigations, and made his way towards the Tail Wagger’s Tailor. A casual looking, I slipped into my ‘Sherlock’ mode and tailed him, with my heart fluttering anxiously in my chest.

There, in the dimly lit room, I found Mr. Jingles awkwardly tangled in a heap of ribbon and frills, and clawing at something shiny in a drawer. It seemed indeed odd; Mr. Jingles wasn’t known to fuss over blinky objects.

Duke, with an air of professional crispness, sternly nudged Mr. Jingles away from the drawer, picked up that suspiciously peculiar shiny coin and hoofed it towards me. To our shock, it was not the usual coin we’d seen; it showcased a different emblem. “The Doggy Depot’s emblem!” I sighed in surprise.

My mind raced back to earlier when I had heard the strange clanking of coins. Someone must have switched the Tail Wagger’s earnings with the counterfeit coins from The Doggy Depot!

Curiously enough, a cucumber, the least favored thing on Duke’s palate, lay aside, probably dropped accidentally amidst the confusion. Duke picked it up, sniffed, and twitched his snout in irritation. He trotted outside and headed straight towards Dog-gone Good BBQ, entering with a bravado only Duke can muster.

The chef, a large Bulldog named Bruno, was slicing cucumbers in the distinct style of Dog-gone Good BBQ. Duke, utilizing his formidable presence, towered over the saloon-style doors, dropped the cucumber slice in front of Bruno, and watched his reaction. The shocked Bulldog could only stutter, “I…I…didn’t.”

In the end, the coin-switch mystery was solvable, all thanks to our very own resident sleuth, Duke. In truth, the event was a ruse gone awry, and Bruno had meant no real harm. After all, in the heart of it, all of Pawsburg is a neighborhood to play, a place for adventure, and a town of warm camaraderie. Each day held a promise of a new mystery, a new adventure, and, best for me, a new story with Duke, the extraordinary detective.

The End.

Share This Story: