It was a heavy-duty truck.

I walked over to the window and wiped the condensation off the glass.

Through the falling snow, I could see the blue and white logo of Northline Logistics on the side of the cab.

The driver’s door opened, and a tall figure stepped out into the cold.

It was Calvin.

But he wasn’t alone.

Two other men stepped out from the passenger side, their faces obscured by their heavy winter hoods.

They walked toward the cabin steps, their boots crunching loudly in the deep snow.

My father stepped back from the fireplace, his hand still holding the yellowed note.

“What is this, Avery?” he demanded. “Did you set us up?”

“I told you to come alone,” I said, looking at him. “I didn’t invite them.”

The front door rattled as someone knocked heavily on the thick wood.

The sound echoed through the silent cabin like thunder.

Nobody moved.

“Avery!” Calvin’s voice called out from the other side of the door. “Open up. We have a problem.”

I looked at my father, then at the door.