The house was quiet—eerily quiet, like it had been holding its breath all night.

Kingsley sat up from the guest room’s king-sized bed, a thin blanket tangled at his feet. His back ached from the mattress he wasn’t used to, and the events of the previous day weighed on him like bricks on his chest. He didn’t bother showering yet, just threw on a black T-shirt and loose joggers before stepping out into the hallway.

The scent of roasted ...