Viola smiled brightly at the old lady and began chatting with her.
Their conversation was light and casual. They talked about the weather, about how business had been lately, about how young people nowadays did not know how to properly cook fish anymore. The old woman laughed often, her wrinkles deepening around her eyes. She looked like a sweet grandmother you would trust instantly, the kind who would secretly slip extra food into your bag when no one was looking.
Ezekiel stood slightly behind Viola, silent and observant.
From the outside, everything looked normal.
After a few minutes of friendly chatter, Viola's tone subtly shifted.
"Say, Auntie," she said gently, pointing toward one of the displayed fish. "Do you have a fish like this, but with smaller scales and a smaller mouth?"
The old woman's smile froze for just a second.
It was brief. So brief that an ordinary person might have missed it.
But Ezekiel did not.
The atmosphere changed.
