Ryan stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring at the mess. A heavy flower vase lay shattered on the floor. Glass and water spread everywhere. Our old neighbor dog, Max, barked once from the corner, tail wagging. He must have chased a stray cat that slipped in through the back window. The cat was long gone now.
I let out a silent breath of relief from halfway up the stairs. Jake had made it out. He had to. That crash was nothing. Just the dog being clumsy.
But Ryan didn’t relax. His shoulders stayed tight. He scanned the room slowly, eyes narrow. “Did someone come here today?” he asked.
I walked down the last few steps, careful not to step on any glass. “No. Why would you think that?”
He kicked a piece of broken vase with his shoe. “The house feels off.”
I forced a small laugh. “It’s
