You tell Pearl about sifting through leaves and pine needles, about finding the right questions to ask the right people, about following trails through the woods and sneaking back. And about that boot print.
"Whoa," Pearl says. "That's really weird. I wonder who could be out there." As interested as she is, though, she can't hide the yawn that comes in at the end. "Sorry. Now, come on. Breakfast is at seven, and we need sleep." Pearl turns and walks back into the cabin, closing the door very, very carefully behind her.
Alone outside the cabin with your flashlight, you get your first chance to look at the bracelet that you've recovered. It's definitely the bracelet that Samira described: silver, with a rose engraving and filigree that looks like leaves and flowers. But she had said that her bracelet was tarnished; she was very clear about that. And old, too. She inherited it from her grandmother.
The silver bracelet in your hand is bright and shiny. The engraved rose stands out clearly, not worn down at all.
It's not just that it's been polished. (And, anyway, who steals a bracelet to polish it?) It's that it's new.
You've solved one mystery, but you've found another. What's going on in the forest?