Hi Mom & Dad! Just wanted to let you know I’ve been busy sniffing out clues and wagging my tail through this adventure. Turned a few frowns upside down and even found that missing sock. Hero stuff, you know. 🐾

Love,
Pebs

It was a dark and stormy night in Pawsburg, which is peculiar considering it’s usually the kind of place where tail wags and sunshine were synonymous. The wind howled through the Emerald Eskimo Estuary, carrying with it the scent of mystery and adventure—a calling too strong for a Shih Tzu detective like me to resist. But alas, allow me to introduce myself; I’m Pebbles, though you can call me ‘Pebs,’ the plucky private eye with a penchant for perilous predicaments and an affection for hamburgers.

As I trotted down the cobblestone streets, my coat a tapestry of white, black, brown, and gray, I couldn’t help but think of my momma. She was back home, likely worried sick, but I had reassured her with succulent sniffs that her little Pebs would be back just in time for morning belly rubs.

Now, back to the unfolding mystery. Just as I neared the corner of Ruby Rottweiler Ridge, a shadowy figure appeared under the dim glow of a flickering streetlight. A pitbull named Proteus, one of the four-legged daredevils who defined the term “muscle on paws.” He slinked out of the shadows and spoke with a gravitas one might expect of a Shakespearean actor.

“Pebbles, we got ourselves a humdinger of a case,” he growled in a way that could only be described as dramatic dogjoy.

I tilted my head to the side with curiosity, ears perked up. “Spill the kibble, Proteus. What’s the scoop?”

“It’s Jelly Roll, your feline pal. He’s gone missing from Happy Tails Tailoring, and we fear foul play,” Proteus said, his eyes narrowing.

I felt a pang of worry tighten in my chest. Jelly Roll was not just a cat; he was family, and despite his occasional annoyance at my enthusiastic greetings, he let me smother him with more love than he could contain. Abduction? In Pawsburg? Or perhaps a more sinister plot was paw at work.

Proteus and I didn’t waste a whistle. We dashed past Bulldog’s BBQ, with its tantalizing scents of sizzling meats—enough to make a detective lose her leash. But focus was key; this was a high-stakes game where distractions could mean the difference between finding Jelly Roll safe or being led into a trap.

Our investigation led us to darker corners, near the seedy outskirts of Mastiff Meadows. Unlit and unforgiving, the area was a stark contrast to the otherwise jubilant Pawsburg. I sniffed the ground, my keen sense of smell picking up on traces of Jelly Roll’s familiar scent, mixed with something else—an old foe, the enigmatic dog known only as “Doja.”

We slid into Whiskers Workshop, a clever cover for Doja’s illicit activities. Doja was there, her white fur punctuated by blue marks as she sat confidently, gnawing on a bone. She didn’t even flinch as we approached.

“Doja, cut the chewin’. Where’s Jelly Roll?” I insisted bravely, my heart pounding like a drum major leading a parade.

She raised an eyebrow and chuckled darkly. “Relax, Pebs. Jelly Roll’s safe and sound at Spaniel Spaghetti, probably scarfing down more yums than his belly can handle.”

Confused, we bolted over to the restaurant, where Jelly Roll lounged in a booth, surrounded by a feast fit for a Pawsburg king. Doja ambled over behind us, humor in her eyes. “He wandered off, is all. Poor kitty was famished, so I brought him here. A simple craving, no foul play.”

Relieved beyond measure, I scooped Jelly Roll up, who mewled and purred in appreciation. Proteus gave me a knowing nod, and Doja? Well, I owed her a bone or two.

“Thanks, Doja. I misjudged you,” I admitted, feeling a tad sheepish.

She grinned. “We’ve all got our ways, Pebs. Some sly, some straightforward. Figure you’ll do the same one day in another caper.”

With Jelly Roll safe, and the storm lifting, I trotted back home, ready to relay the night’s adventures to momma. Cause in Pawsburg, even the simplest nights held tales wagging with excitement. And as always, the morning would come with cuddles and the promise of new mysterious morrows.