Finch nodded, then led a few officers toward the Limping Man's door, their footsteps careful and quiet.
I stayed close behind Finch, my heart hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat.
Silas was even more worked up. He gripped his wedding ring, knuckles white, murmuring under his breath: "Julia... we're finally going to find the monster who killed you and our baby."
His voice trembled. He'd clearly been waiting for this moment for a very long time.
Finch knocked on the door, his tone calm and even. "Hello — community inspection, checking gas lines. Could you open up, please?"
Footsteps shuffled inside. Then the door swung open.
Standing before us was a limping man, his face a ruin of burn scars.
His eyes — they were exactly the same as the man's in the video. An exact match.
He stared at the uniformed officers crowding his doorstep instead of community workers, and froze for two seconds.
Then he smiled.
"You finally came."
His voice was calm, as if he'd been waiting for this exact moment.
Captain Finch caught the strangeness instantly and signaled his men to restrain the Limping Man.
The Limping Man didn't resist. Even pinned between two officers, he was still smiling.