Within minutes, sirens echoed down the street. Police cars arrived first, followed by a specialized bomb squad truck. Officers quickly established a perimeter, ushering neighbors indoors while bomb technicians approached the yard in protective gear, moving with the precise caution of people trained to expect worst-case scenarios.
The technicians assessed the chest, communicating in clipped, practiced phrases. Carefully, they lifted it using reinforced tools, setting it onto a blast-resistant cart. One technician glanced at Walter with a solemn expression that made his stomach twist. They handled the box like a sleeping predator.