The doorbell stopped ringing, but the house remained silent. No one answered.
He pressed it again. This time, he held it down longer, and the chime rang over and over, echoing through the quiet neighborhood.
The door still didn't open.
Jett Westgate took a few steps back. Before Hugo Summers and Kian Miller could figure out what he was doing, he had already lifted his foot and kicked the spot where the lock was.
With a loud BAM, the doorframe shuddered. The entire door flew inward, slammed against the wall, bounced back, and was shoved open by Jett Westgate.
Wood splinters rained down from the frame. The lock mechanism was warped, hanging crookedly from its housing.
The villa's front garden came into view. It wasn't large, just a square plot of land. A winding gravel path led to the main entrance, flanked on both sides by a riot of colorful, blooming flowers.
To the left, a wooden swing set swayed gently in the breeze.
Further in stood the main body of the villa.
