Eventually, the mother and her three children decided to go and check.
Seeing that the shutter door was pulled down and could not be opened with the key from the outside meant that the bolt was engaged from the inside, which indeed indicated that they were "doing business". If it had been possible to open the door directly, it would have meant that the door had been locked for some other reason.
This was a secret code known among the family members.
They banged on the door forcefully, but no one came to open it, nor was there any response.
The mother and her three sons couldn't help but feel a growing panic as they knocked louder and louder, shouting the names of the husband and older son, but there was still no movement behind the shutter door.
Instead, it attracted the attention of the surrounding neighbors.
"Is everything okay? What's happening?"
"Can't you open the door?"
"I remember this shop's been closed all afternoon. Did the boss go off to play cards again?"
