I thanked her for the carrying, and she went into the hallway.

Her footsteps moved toward the stairs.

I waited until she was clear of the doorway, closed it, and turned the deadbolt.

There was nothing theatrical about the sound.

It was a bolt going into a frame.

I went back to the table.

The empty box took up more room than the things that had come out of it.

I flattened it and put it beside the cupboard for recycling.