The screen lit up with a number I didn’t recognize.

But Arthur’s face went completely white.

He looked at the screen, then at Nathaniel, and back to the screen.

“Answer it,” Nathaniel said.

Arthur didn’t move.

The phone kept vibrating, the buzzing sound vibrating against his palm.

I felt a cold dread settle in my stomach.

Something was changing.

The trap Nathaniel had set was about to snap shut, but I couldn’t tell who was going to get caught in it.

Arthur slowly swiped the screen and pressed the phone to his ear.

He didn’t speak.

He just listened.

The silence in the room grew so thick I could hear the faint hum of the city traffic seventy floors below.

Then, Arthur’s eyes slowly turned to me.

A strange, terrible smile began to form on his lips.

“It’s for you, Claire,” he whispered.

He held the phone out toward me.

“It’s from Brindlewood.”

“And I think you should take it.”

My hand shook as I reached out and took the phone from Arthur’s grip.

The plastic was warm and slick with his sweat.