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Stanley hurries through the snow from behind the dumpster. “I’ve got it, Miss. You shouldn’t be exerting yourself like that.”

“What? Why not?”

The bag soars through the air, landing inside the dumpster in a soft thud before he scrubs his gloved hands together. “Well, I would say women have different sensibilities, but that was another time. Sometimes, I forget myself.”

A latent sadness burns in his eyes, making him look like a lost puppy.

“Well, that’s alright. I don’t take any offense. I know you would’ve done it, but I know today’s your day off, and I needed the fresh air.”

“One doesn’t get a day off from this place,” he mutters, walking beside me as I opt to walk around the outer edge of the estate to the front.

“I feel that. The longer I’m here, the more I think this place could easily become a part of you.”

“Don’t let it hear you say that,” he says with a smirk, but alarm flickers in his eyes, and I pay heed.

The trickling sound of the fountain in the front tickles my ears, and I turn my attention toward it. “Shouldn’t we turn this off? Won’t it freeze?”

“Yes. I need to winterize it. The storms snuck up on us early this year. In fact, with the sun out today, it’s the perfect day to do it.”

Skirting the edge of the fountain, I happen to look down at a leaf poking out of the snow. I stare at it for a long time before I realize it’s inside a footprint.

I cock my head and inspect the area.

Tons of prints are scattered nonsensically through the packed snow, as if someone had been dancing in the storm.

The idea feels odd, but also fantastically beautiful.

“That’ll be Lenore,” Stanley says from behind me, his tone soft.

“Who?”

His face pales as he realizes he’s said too much, and he shakes his head. “No one, Miss. I spoke out of turn.”

Hand cold on the stone fountain for balance, my eyes travel back down.

They’re small, far smaller than any of the men inside.

Sophie went home days ago.

Someone else is here.

Flicking a glance up toward the estate, I spy a dark figure in the very top window in the middle. The fourth-floor room I was called to.

It’s masculine and looming, but I can’t make out any details beyond its size.

“This house seems to have many occupants,” I whisper, meaning the statement only for my own ears.

“That it does, Miss.”

Stanley makes off for the tool shed to gather supplies to winterize the fountain, and I move back inside the estate to warm up and get back to work.

Even though Kyrin said the job I was initially hired for was done, I decided to make sure I had everything in order with the office.

When I returned to my desk, the phone on it was ringing.

I didn’t know it worked.

“Hello?”