“Is it?” I asked.

“There’s a car parked at the end of the street, Ethan.”

He froze, the glass halfway to his mouth.

He slowly set it down on the counter.

“What do you mean?”

“A dark sedan,” I said. “It’s been idling there for an hour.”

He didn’t answer. He walked past me into the living room and parted the curtains.

I followed him, watching his back tense as he looked out at the street.

“It’s probably just a neighbor’s guest,” he said, though his voice lacked conviction.

“They sent me a text message,” I said.

He spun around to face me, his face pale in the dim light.

“Who did?”

“The people Ryan owes money to,” I said. “They have my phone number, Ethan. They know my name.”

He took a step toward me, his hands raised in a defensive gesture.

“Sophia, let’s just calm down. It’s a mistake. I’ll handle it.”

“How are you going to handle it?” I asked, my voice rising.

“I told you, I’m working things out with Ryan. We’re getting a loan.”