(Casey's POV)
________
There was a long silence on the line. One of those silences that stretches out just a second too long, heavy with thought, uncertainty, and the weight of something unspoken. Then, finally, her voice trickled through the speaker—hesitant, almost distant.
"Paragon Park?" Janet repeated, her tone uncertain. It sounded like she was chewing over the name as if it had only just registered, or worse, as if it meant nothing to her at all.
A bolt of frustration lit up inside me.
"Come on, Janet," I snapped, sharper than I intended. "You need to keep up. I already told you—I need you to do something for me. Something important."
There was a rustle on her end, the sound of movement—maybe shifting in place, or adjusting her grip on the phone. Then she echoed, confused and wary, "Do something? Something very important? What are you talking about, Casey?"
