Then they saw it.
A sleek digital keypad.
Silence inside.
And a red notice taped to the door.
Ethan stepped back.
“No… no…”
Linda read the bold text.
For once—she had no words.
“What is this?” she snapped, tearing it down.
Ethan read it aloud:
ACCESS RESTRICTED BY LEGAL ORDER.
ENTRY PROHIBITED.
ANY ATTEMPT WILL BE REPORTED.
Below it—the name of a law firm.
And one final line:
The former occupants have been notified.
“Former occupants?” Ashley whispered.
“This is insane!” Linda shouted. “She can’t do this!”
But Ethan wasn’t listening.
He stared at the door that had never been his.
For the first time—
he understood.
He called me.
I was sitting in a rocking chair at Hannah’s house, my son asleep against my chest.
I watched his name flash.
Ignored it.
He kept calling.
On the fifth call, Linda called Hannah.
“Put it on speaker,” I said.
“Vanessa!” Linda snapped. “Open the door right now! We’re outside like fools!”
I adjusted my baby.
“That’s strange,” I said calmly. “Seven days ago, I was locked out of something important too. No one opened the door for me.”
Silence.
