Because dogs are involved, I’d like to offer a WAG (Wild-Ass Guess):
As for the popping noise in the morning and evening, that’s a different mechanism. It’s thermal expansion and contraction. The sun hits your roof and heats it up. As the lumber expands, it moves, and it will rub against other pieces of wood that aren’t moving at the same rate. This movement creates the popping noise. When the wood cools down after sunset, the same thing happens in reverse.
Which makes some sense to me, based on my own personal version of your story:
(Distant) Second option involves Witness Protection Program, you, and a visually impaired – but highly motivated – mob hit man…
I’m gonna’ page @Tride and ask if he as any thoughts on this one, too.