Vantage Point Reconnaissance

A good detective never operates from ground level when the territory is unknown. At two in the morning, the flat went quiet, leaving a path open from the baseboard to the tallest bookshelf. Using the spine of a leather-bound dictionary as a foothold, I hoisted myself up, keeping my shotgun slung securely behind my shoulder. From up here, every shadow in the living room lays out its cards. I spotted a brass latch on the tall window frame across the room—firmly locked, no signs of forced entry. This perimeter remains under my watchful eye.