It was another normal day at Gardenview University, but for Rodger, the forensic science classroom felt unusually quiet. He leaned over a pile of papers at his desk, trying to focus on grading assignments—though his mind kept drifting back to the small, squeaky interruptions that were his daughter, Toodles.

Toodles had an uncanny ability to show up at the worst possible moments, always with some new idea or half-baked scheme that required her father’s involvement. But today, he hadn’t seen her yet. It was almost suspiciously peaceful.