The morning light slanted across the white exterior walls of the suburban villa, casting mottled tree shadows. The air was eerily quiet, so much so that one could hear the distant sound of an automatic sprinkler system in someone's garden.
Bruce stood motionless at the door, his gaze fixed intently on the sculpture at the entrance. His fingers gently traced a “Z”-shaped pattern beneath the statue's chin, his eyes flickering with a mix of certainty and memory.
“I've been here before,” he said, his voice hoarse yet firm. “Three years and nine months ago, if I recall correctly—the owners of this house were a couple of dentists.”
The patrol officer nodded in agreement. “That's correct, Mr. Bruce. They were the owners of the Nobi Chain Dental Clinic. The couple was quite well-known in the co
