Ethan and I then stood on the stairs of the mansion, side by side, looking out over the crowd that had gathered in front of the packhouse. Every eye was fixed on us, and an uneasy silence hung in the air. People were staring, clearly trying to make sense of what was happening. Their expressions ranged from confused to concerned, and some even looked a little afraid. They didn’t know what to expect from us—or from what had just happened.

They would have seen the damage to the front ...