As the house was secured and the immediate danger controlled, Cruz noticed details that refused to settle into a simple explanation, because the main valve was open far wider than normal and the ventilation duct near the boiler had been deliberately blocked, not by accident or neglect, but by a towel shoved tightly into place from the inside.
Reeves met his gaze, the understanding passing between them without the need for speech.
This was not a mistake.
Lily was placed under temporary protective care while her parents were transported to the hospital, and as dawn crept across Willow Creek, painting the quiet town in pale light, investigators moved through the house with slow precision, photographing, collecting, documenting every detail that told a story no one had expected to hear.
The boiler itself showed signs of interference, adjustments made by someone who knew exactly where to touch and how far to go, and a technician shook his head as he examined the
