The Late-Night Visit
Evan returned to his apartment just after 10:00 p.m. The building was unusually quiet, and the elevator took longer than usual to arrive. When he stepped out on his floor, he noticed the hallway light near his door was off. It is normally left on all night.
As Evan unlocked his door, he realized the deadbolt was not engaged. He rarely uses only the handle lock, especially at night. Inside, everything appeared normal at first. His shoes were still by the door, his jacket was on the chair, and nothing looked disturbed.
However, the window in the living room was open a few inches. Evan clearly remembered closing it earlier that afternoon because rain was expected. The air felt cool, and the curtain was gently moving.
Evan’s next-door neighbor, Chloe, often checks on his apartment when he works late. She has entered before—with permission—to make sure the stove was off or to bring in packages. She is helpful but sometimes acts without waiting for a response.
Earlier that evening, Evan had declined an unexpected visit from a friend, saying he was tired and planned to go straight home. The friend seemed annoyed but said nothing more.
Later that night, Chloe mentioned she heard someone knock on Evan’s door earlier but assumed he was home and didn’t answer.
Evan stood in the doorway, trying to decide what, if anything, had actually happened.
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
What do you think happened?
Who do you think was in the apartment, if anyone?
What are you basing that on?
Which detail carries the most weight?
Why does the open window matter?
Why might Chloe be involved?
Why might she not be?
What does the friend’s reaction suggest?
What assumption are you making?
Which detail feels misleading?
What information is missing?
What would you ask Evan?
What would you ask Chloe?
How could this situation have an innocent explanation?
What would change your conclusion?
