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As the officers reached the door, one of them, a tall man with a stern expression, held up his hand. "Everyone needs to step back," he ordered, his voice sharp and commanding. "You need to leave the house immediately. We’ll need to secure everything inside - do not take anything in the room with you, not even personal items."

Mr. Lay opened his mouth to protest, but the officer raised a hand. "Sir, I understand this is difficult, but it might be a crime scene now. You’ll have to leave everything behind. We’ll contact you when we have more information."

David exchanged a glance with Mr. and Mrs. Lay, their faces filled with uncertainty and fear. Reluctantly, they backed away, stepping outside into the cold night air, their hearts heavy with worry. The door slammed shut behind them, leaving them to watch as the officers swarmed into the house. As they stood by the curb, Mr. Lay subtly reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the notebook containing the appointment details. He had taken it when no one was looking, slipping it into his jacket as they left the house. The appointment with Julian Marlowe was still fresh in his mind, and he wasn’t ready to trust anyone else with this piece of the puzzle. When they climbed into the car, Mr. Lay quietly opened the notebook, his fingers trembling as he glanced at the page with the appointment. The urgency of the situation weighed heavily on him. “We have to get to him,” he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

“You can go home now. We will call you over tomorrow for further questioning,” one of the officers said, his tone professional but not without a hint of weariness. He paused, glancing back at the house where the flashing lights still flickered in the distance. “In the meantime, stay out of the way. We’re handling this from here on out.”

David and Mr. and Mrs. Lay exchanged a look, the weight of the officer’s words sinking in. Reluctantly, they nodded, turning to leave the scene. The cold night air hit them again as they made their way to the car, the reality of the situation settling over them like a heavy fog.

“Do you have a place to stay David? Do you want to stay with us for a few nights?” Mrs. Lay asked, her voice filled with concern.

David paused, looking between them before replying. “Thank you so much, but I won’t be a bother,” he said softly. “I’ll stay at a friend’s place for now.”