The sudden silence felt larger than the music had.
People stopped chewing.
Miller appeared in his office doorway.
“What is it?”
Lucas did not answer immediately.
He raised one finger.
Listen.
At first there was nothing.
The refrigerator compressor hummed.
Rainwater ticked faintly in a gutter.
Someone’s chair creaked.
Then the wind pushed against the building again.
The outer rear structure gave its familiar hollow rattle.
Two seconds later came another sound.
A metallic scrape.
Slow.
Controlled.
From inside.
Jojo set down his plate.
“That ain’t wind.”
Lucas looked at Nora.
She said nothing.
Miller walked toward them.
“Everybody stay where you are.”
Walsh pointed toward the rear corridor.
“Storage room should be locked.”
“Was it checked today?”
“I checked it at five.”
“Outer door?”