“You must not leave this apartment until noon,” Calder said, voice low but unwavering. The certainty in his tone made Evan’s skin prickle. Noon? Why that exact time? Calder offered no explanation, only a stare that seemed both pleading and commanding. Evan felt trapped between obedience and the urge to run.
The more Calder spoke, the more Evan’s unease deepened. The old man seemed knowledgeable, alert, and strangely prepared. Evan wondered whether Calder was merely frightened or mentally unraveling. Another darker possibility crept in: what if Calder was trying to harm in some way? But the why of it made no sense.