The storm arrived before noon, sweeping in from the river like an angry beast. From the penthouse windows, I watched the city blur beneath sheets of rain, the skyline swallowed by dark clouds. Thunder rattled the glass, a deep, guttural sound that made the walls seem thinner.

I pressed my palm against the cool pane, listening to the howl of the wind. New York didn’t stop for much, but even I could tell the city had slowed. Cabs crawled like beetles on slick streets, headlights smeared in the ...