Secrets beneath the Surface

's

ess, replaying the conversation with the woman over and over. Jake was trouble, she ha

the couch, I knew there was no way I'd be able to rest. Too many quest

e some alone time, but now, the quiet felt suffocating. I grabbed my phone and started scrol

ice officer. We'd kept in touch over the years, mostly through social media, but we hadn't spok

ed his number. It rang a fe

Tom's voice was warm, instantly

p my voice steady. "Yeah, it's bee

up?" he asked,

y words carefully. "There's a guy there-Jake. Something about him feels

t, clearly thinking it over

t his old place without a word, and someone warned m

erious now. "I'll see what I can d

have been so careless? "No, I don't," I said, feeling a bit embarrassed

I'll do my best," Tom replied. "

hanks, Tom. I rea

, okay? If you feel like you're in

promised befo

on the case. But I couldn't just sit around and wait for him to get b

d up the community center's website, checked social media for any mention of him, and even searched through

more suspicious. If Jake was hiding so

ing room. The air was cool, and the city below was starting to wind down for the eveni

. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how reckless I had been. Going to Jake's old a

cony door, I noticed a figure standing across the street. It was too far away to see clearly,

ching me? I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe they w

e myself feel safer. I checked the door twice to make sure it was locked, then double-chec

, and I couldn't stop thinking about that figure on the street. Wh

omething productive. I grabbed a notebook and started writing down everything I knew about Jake so far.

did before. He kept to himself, didn't talk about his past. Moved out of his

le who knew what he was up to and were helping him cover his tracks? The idea sent a fresh wave of anxiety t

ugh, no matter how dangerous it might be. There was something going on, something b

s still wide awake, my mind racing. I kept glancing at my phon

ted to think clearly in the morning. But as I lay there in the dark, staring at th

ard a noise. A soft, almost imperceptible sound, lik

noise came again, this time louder. Someone wa

dialed Tom's number. But before I could hit c

ear anything that might tell me what was hap

and crept to the door. I peered through the peephole, but t

hoever had been out there might have left for now, but I kn