He mapped the connections first. There was the breeding facility. Then, trainers who were listed on the paperwork. Thirdly, the buyers who appeared repeatedly in sales records. Each name felt ordinary on its own, but together they formed a network that seemed too efficient, too insulated to be accidental.
Online forums filled in what official records didn’t. Buried posts mentioned “enhanced dogs,” always in passing, always framed as insider knowledge. The language was casual, almost proud, as if everyone reading understood the implication without needing it spelled out.