(Cole)
I left the office a little after six and headed straight for the garage under the building. The day had stayed controlled from beginning to end and I had no reason to linger. My briefcase went into the passenger seat and I pulled into traffic without checking anything else. The drive home was familiar and quiet, the same route I had taken hundreds of times without thinking about it.
My house sat behind a low wall and iron gate at the end of a private street. The lights along the driveway came on as I approached and I pulled in without slowing. The place was large without being showy, glass across the back, clean lines, nothing unnecessary anywhere. I parked, stepped out, and walked up to the front door with the same routine I always followed.
Inside, the silence settled immediate
