Chapter 65 - Uninvited Guest
"I didn't mean to surprise you," the woman said, laughter barely veiled behind her words. "I just figured if I didn't show up in person, I'd be dodged forever."
Carl said something in response—too quiet for me to hear.
I eased toward the top of the stairs, pressing my hand against the wall for balance. The shadows stretched long across the banister, cast by the late afternoon light filtering through the windows.
She wore a long camel-colored coat with fashionably oversized buttons and cream-colored boots that clicked gently against the tile. Everything about her was curated: from her sleek, shoulder-length bob to the perfectly neutral lipstick that made her seem polished, not warm.
Carl stood near the console table, one hand gripping the edge of it like it was keeping him grounded. His voice carried upward—low, controlled, but unmistakably tense.
"Why didn't you call first?" he asked. "You don't just show up here unannounced."
