The animal control worker crouched low, speaking softly, his voice deliberate and calm. He edged forward a step at a time, the catch pole angled but not yet extended. The dog’s growl vibrated through the earth, his body arched protectively over the bundle.
Another officer flanked the opposite side, sweeping his flashlight over the ditch. The beam illuminated the crumpled blanket, catching the faintest stir beneath its folds. Tina’s chest clenched; even with help here, she couldn’t shake the terror of what they might uncover.