The men outside were what sealed matters. Evan’s instincts screamed to run from them. Who was friend and foe? How would he know? He reached toward a drawer slowly, fingers closing around a kitchen knife. In case of danger, he needed something.
Footsteps echoed in the stairwell—heavy, deliberate, climbing floor by floor. Evan froze. Those weren’t neighbors leaving early or delivery workers arriving. These footsteps carried purpose, coordination, and confirmation of every nightmare Calder hinted at. Someone was coming, and they weren’t coming casually.