"Hmm," Jules said uncertainly. She wasn't sure she had time for something like this, but she couldn't see any polite way to excuse herself and leave him alone with the dog, particularly when he had only gotten involved in the first place to help prevent her from being overwhelmed with the dog's enthusiasm.

The direction he'd indicated was the same way she'd been headed, fortunately, and maybe this wouldn't take too long. How far could the dog have run, really? Dragging its leash like that, someone would have stopped it. But it was strange that no one had come looking for it yet, or even called it. Suppose something unfortunate had happened to its owner and they'd collapsed in the street, making the dog the least of worries for the people nearby who had witnessed it?

"Alright, let's go," she agreed, hoping there was a much less dramatic explanation for the owner's absence.