Duke began barking furiously.
Vanessa attempted to call his name, but her voice came out as little more than a whisper.
Then her knees buckled.
She fell beside the kitchen island.
The last thing she remembered was Duke pushing his head beneath her hand.
Then everything went black.
At 11:17 p.m., Mrs. Henderson heard a crash.
She had been watching television when the sound came from Vanessa’s house.
A few seconds later, she heard barking.
At first, she assumed Duke had knocked something over. But the barking continued, growing louder and more desperate.
Mrs. Henderson looked through her front window.
She could see Duke moving frantically behind Vanessa’s kitchen window.
Then he disappeared from view.
A moment later, he appeared at the front window, striking the glass with his paws.
Mrs. Henderson’s stomach tightened.
She grabbed her coat and hurried outside.
“Vanessa!” she shouted through the gate. “Are you all right?”
