I closed my eyes, but my mind kept returning to the photo Derek had sent.

I woke up at six in the morning.

The sky outside the window was a pale, icy grey.

The air inside the apartment felt even colder than it had the night before.

I could see my breath rise in faint plumes in the dim light.

Carl was already dressed in his heavy canvas work jacket.

He was standing by the stove, waiting for a pot of water to boil.

“The heat is off completely,” Carl said as I sat up.

“Did the boiler go out?” I asked.

“I don’t know yet,” Carl said. “I haven’t gone down to the basement.”

“Let’s serve them first,” I said, rubbing my arms to stay warm.

I got dressed quickly, pulling on my heavy winter coat and boots.

I tucked the manila folder under my arm.

We left Carl’s temporary apartment and walked down the second-floor hallway.

The floorboards creaked under our boots.

The corridor was silent, but the cold was heavy.

As we approached the stairwell, a door on the left opened.