Early morning, the fog was thick, the windows in the corridor weren't shut, and the crosswind made Thea Lynch's shoulders shake.
Thea lowered her head to check the time; it was ten past six.
She hesitated for a moment at Ian Preston's door, then finally knocked, "Third brother."
"Third brother?"
It seemed he wasn't home again.
Thea frowned. Could he really be out buying breakfast at this hour?
Taking out her phone, she called Ian. The ringtone went twice before the call was picked up.
"Third brother, are you not at home?"
"You're up so early?"
Both voices sounded simultaneously.
Thea was momentarily stunned, then answered first, "I got up around five. Are you outside now, third brother?"
"Yeah." Ian was indeed surprised she was up this early. He was still driving, glanced at the time, and said, "I'll be downstairs in about ten minutes."
"Alright, I'll go down to wait for you."
"No need. It's cold outside today, wait upstairs for me. I'll call you when I arrive."
