Sam began cross-checking auction records against those forum posts. Dates lined up. Names repeated. Certain dogs appeared briefly, sold for high sums, then vanished from public listings altogether. The gaps felt deliberate, like footprints brushed away after someone passed through.
Prices told their own story. Dogs trained under specific handlers consistently sold for far more than others. Buyers paid thousands more for animals advertised as aggressive but obedient, powerful yet controllable. Sam recognized the familiar logic of profit justifying risk.