I held my breath, listening.

The sound of a key turning in a lock came from the front door instead.

Then, the heavy oak door swung open downstairs.

“Arthur?” a voice called out from the foyer.

It was Gavin.

My chest went cold.

“Arthur, where are you?” Gavin called again. “The police are at my apartment. We have to move now.”

I stood paralyzed in the dark study.

I heard my father’s voice rise from the basement stairs.

“I’m up here, Gavin. Did you bring the laptop?”

“I have it,” Gavin said.

Their footsteps met in the foyer.

I looked at the window.

It was a long drop to the stone terrace below.

I couldn’t go down the main stairs without them seeing me.

I looked back at the desk.

A small brass key sat on the corner of the blotter, half-hidden by a crumpled sheet of paper.

It had a small plastic tag attached to it.

On the tag, written in faded blue ink, was a single word: *Star*.

I reached out my hand to grab it.

At that moment, the floorboards right outside the study door groaned.