The knock at the gate came mid-morning, steady rather than frantic, and Erik recognized the rhythm before he'd even reached the door.
"Ethan."
The boy stood on the other side, damp from the rain but composed, none of the panic that had characterized the previous night's visitor. "Sorry to bother you. I wanted to tell you something before I lost my nerve, or before it stopped mattering."
Erik kept the gate between them, giving the boy his full attention through the narrow gap. "I'm listening. What is it?"
Penelope emerged from the hallway, drawn by the voices, Kai and Killian following a moment later, all three gathering near the gate rather than opening it further.
"It's about the murders," Ethan said. "I think I heard something. Last night, actually, around the same time we had someone show up here asking for help."
"What did you hear?" Penelope asked, standing close enough to the gate to hear clearly without needing it opened.
