"I know. But I want to be sure if this is mind control or if I've been framed. Someone might have disguised themselves and faked those footprints."

He didn't look at all convinced of the latter. He had been framed for theft in Tazmily, but he was miles away and didn't even know about Butch's accusations. But if he were there, he would have defended himself to the extent that his overly obedient old self was. With this theory in mind and the experience of fighting a Claus stripped of his own free will, he was afraid.

"That night..." Duster drew his a deep breath and stared at his hands as he spoke. "I came home after giving lessons in the training facility. I normally go to bed late and take walks at night, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary."

He closed his eyes and focused on that night. What happened? Where did things go wrong?

"I can't remember. I took a walk, went home, and slept until the next morning. Did I make a wrong turn at some point? I went down Sparrow Street, took some smaller streets to Creek Road..." And he forgot what happened next.

Sparks might know. Duster looked up at him, hoping for an answer. "Where did you find the bodies?"