"No."
"Then why are you questioning me?"
The officer took a breath.
"Because someone called."
The words hung in the air.
Tasha stepped forward.
"Can we know who?"
"I'm sorry," Carter said. "We generally don't disclose the caller's information."
Marcus nodded slowly.
He understood the legal answer.
But understanding it didn't make the situation easier.
Across the street, Karen watched from behind her curtain.
She saw the officers talking.
She saw Marcus gesturing toward the backyard.
She saw Tasha standing beside her children.
Something uncomfortable moved through her chest.
She had expected police intervention to confirm her fears.
Instead, she was watching a family stand confused in their own backyard.
Officer Brooks looked toward Marcus.
"Would you mind if we ask a few questions?"
Marcus stared at him.
Then he looked at his family.
"Fine."
The questions were ordinary.
How many people were present?
Were they residents?
Was anyone intoxicated?
Had anyone been fighting?
Was there a dispute?
Marcus answered each one.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
Officer Carter eventually stepped backward.
"Everything appears fine."
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"Good."
"We're sorry for the interruption."
Marcus looked at the officers.
Then at his children.
"You're not the ones who interrupted it."
The officers didn't answer.
They couldn't.
Because he was right.
After the police left, nobody immediately returned to the party.
The grill continued burning.
The music continued playing.
But the feeling was gone.
Mia sat on the porch steps.
Jordan had stopped eating.
Tasha gathered the plates quietly.
Marcus stood near the fence.
Across the street, Karen remained behind the curtain.
She watched him.
Then Marcus looked up.
Their eyes met.
Karen froze.
Marcus didn't shout.
He didn't point.
He simply looked at her.
And somehow that was worse.
Because there was no anger in his expression.
Only disappointment.
Karen stepped away from the window.
She sat on the couch.
Her hands trembled.
She told herself again that she had only been careful.
But the sentence sounded weaker now.
A knock came at her door.