Part 14

Nathan returned from his business trip after three days. His throat felt sore, and his head throbbed, blurring his vision. He asked the office driver to take him back home, leaving his car at the central office.

The house was quiet when he unlocked the door. Aunt Jody was probably out shopping, he thought. Nathan chose to enter his room, too tired to bother changing his clothes, and fell onto the bed, instantly drifting off to sleep.

Haisley had just come back from campus when she noticed the front door slightly ajar, with Nathan's keys still hanging from the lock. It was unmistakably Nathan's, yet she didn't see his car in the garage. With a soft shake of her head, Haisley pulled the keys and locked the door from inside, as she usually did. All of them—she, Nathan, Gilbert, and Aunt Jody—had copies of the keys, making it convenient for everyone to come and go.

Speaking of Aunt Jody, the middle-aged woman had called her earlier, asking for permission to return home because one of her