The knock echoed in my head long after the porch fell silent.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Rain drummed steadily against the roof while cold air slipped beneath the front door, carrying the scent of wet earth and pine.
The small wooden box sat alone beneath the porch light.
Plain.
Unremarkable.
It shouldn’t have looked frightening.
Yet I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it.
Reaper remained on the porch, every instinct he possessed focused on the darkness beyond the street. Sheriff Collins stood beside him, his flashlight sweeping slowly across the road, the empty sidewalks, and the neighboring rooftops.
Nothing.
No fleeing figure.
No tire tracks.
No movement.
It was as if whoever had delivered the box had vanished into the storm.
Behind me, Luca let out a slow breath.
“I offi
