They returned to Scarlett Green just before noon, blending into the lunch crowd like ordinary customers. The café looked the same—soft music, clinking cups, the smell of coffee—but to them, everything felt different now.

Angelo scanned the room slowly. Every table, every reflection in the glass, every movement felt intentional.

Henry leaned in and whispered, “Act normal.”

Ben nodded, though his jaw was tight.

They took a seat near the window. From there, they could see the counter clearly.

A waiter approached them with a polite smile. “Same place again?”

Angelo’s heart skipped for half a second.

“Yes,” he replied casually. “Didn’t know you remembered.”

The waiter chuckled. “Hard to forget faces.”

He walked away.

No one spoke for a moment.

Henry broke the silence. “That wasn’t normal.”

Ben lowered his voice. “He didn’t ask what we wanted.”

As if on cue, the waiter returned, placing the plates down carefully in front of them.

Smashed avocado.

Poached eggs.

Exactly the same order.

Angelo’s fingers tightened around his fork. “We didn’t say a word.”

Henry forced a smile, loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. “Guess we’re predictable.”

The waiter smiled back, but his eyes lingered a second too long before he turned and walked away.

Ben leaned closer. “He knew.”

Angelo nodded. “Which means the code wasn’t just a hint. It was a reminder.”

Henry glanced toward the counter. “Or a warning.”

From the corner of Angelo’s eye, he noticed something taped behind the register—half hidden, almost careless. A small newspaper clipping. Old. Yellowed.

He couldn’t see the headline clearly, but one word stood out.

Murdered.

Before he could focus more, the waiter stepped back into place, blocking the view.

Angelo pushed his chair back slightly. “We should go.”

Henry frowned. “Already?”

Angelo didn’t take his eyes off the counter. “Yeah. Now.”

They paid quickly and stood up. As they walked past the door, Angelo felt it again—that heavy sensation, like someone was standing right behind him.

The bell above the door rang as they stepped outside.

None of them looked back.

But inside the café, the waiter reached up slowly… and removed the newspaper clipping from view.