Chapter 23: Home invasion.

The Carlisle residence backyard was transformed into a vibrant and elegant venue, adorned with strings of fairy lights and lanterns casting a warm glow over the garden. The air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers, the well-tended plants and shrubs adding to the festive atmosphere. Tables were covered with white linens, and a buffet of delicious food lined one side, with a bar set up at the other end, manned by a jovial bartender.

Perse's father, Michael Carlisle, was at the center of it all, his uniform jacket off, but his badge still pinned proudly to his shirt. His colleagues and friends, many of them in uniform, mingled around, laughing and sharing stories from their shifts.