There is no chase. No weapon. No one raises their voice.
Someone enters a room. A phone is placed on a table. A name is mentioned once. Another person answers a little too quickly.
Writing this kind of tension is difficult. Add too little and nothing seems to happen. Add too much and the scene warns the reader that danger is coming.
I have chosen to show the threat through small actions: a hand that stops moving, a look towards the door or an answer that comes too quickly.
The ordinary moment remains ordinary, but it no longer feels safe.