At first she’d shrugged off her worry. After all, her brother, Michael “Big Mike” Anderson, was trying to make a name for himself in the music game. He’d produced a couple B-level acts while working for a major record label. His work often went late into the night, and reaching him wasn’t always easy. But when Eden had left two “call me right now” messages, followed by texts marked with the same urgency, she’d experienced the first twinges of fear. And now, looking at the black-and-white squad car sitting at the curb of her brother’s front door, Eden’s anxiety went into full throttle.

Eden knocked on the front door. No response. She repeatedly rang the doorbell but didn’t hear the chimes that usually sounded when the button was pushed. Eden knocked harder, first on the door, then on the window. The living room was dark; she could detect no movement. But lights were on upstairs. Eden’s fear increased.

You’ve got a key. Out of her panic came a voice that reminded Eden she had a key to her brother’s house. He’d given it to her months ago, when she’d come house hunting and stayed at his place. She’d meant to give it back but hadn’t. Remembering that she’d placed it in the zipper compartment of her large Junior Drake purse, Eden walked purposefully back to her car to retrieve it. Her steps were measured and much slower than before. Eden wasn’t sure she wanted to find out what was happening on the other side of the door.

Jansen McKnight turned off the shower. Did I hear a knock? He waited a beat, and then another, before turning the water back on and finishing the long, hot shower. He turned to let the water pound against the knots in his shoulders. I need to see Dakkar, he thought dispassionately. Dakkar was the masseuse trained in Swedish massage who had rubbed away tension, stress, and frustration from Jansen’s body for years. For now, however, the near-scalding hot water pulsating from the heavy-duty showerhead was serving as a viable alternative. Jansen rested a large palm on either side of the stall, hung his head, and let the water work its magic.

A loud thud interrupted Jansen’s serenity. His just relaxed muscles tensed, his entire body rigid in alert. He lessened the water pressure, straining to hear beyond the guest bathroom he’d used since agreeing to house sit for Michael the previous week, and beyond the stereo playing in the bedroom across the hall.