The Second Chance Companion

alie Carter, snuggled up in her gray sweater, savored this rare tranquility while sipping her coffee near the window of her apartment. The walls of her m

e moment of the day, this moment when the world seemed suspended between silence and excitement. As

r relationship was limited to brief greetings and a few exchanges of small talk on the landing. Yet the

silence reigned now, as if the noise heard a moment earlier had never existed. She hesit

there was a sharp knock at her door. She opened it to find C

to bother you," Clara s

e in," Natalie r

ances around her, as if afraid of being ob

omething happens to me..." She

frowned,

u talking about? Ev

er head, visi

ust do what I as

tairs. Natalie stood in the doorway for a moment, notebook in hand. She w

flowing, and no light was coming from his apartment. Natalie final

rs. Collins, a woman in her fifties

in two days," Mrs. Collins said, shrugging h

think that's strang

ybe she left without war

apartment. She had a spare key that Clara had given her a few weeks ago, jus

rtains blocked any light from entering. Natalie looked for the sw

everywhere, and a strange metallic smell hung in the air. A broken lamp

d a cup of coffee still half full on the counter. This me

scribbled note on a piece of paper hanging on t

, her heart pounding. Who were

behind a piece of furniture, holding her breath. The footsteps approached, then move

collapsed onto her couch, Clara's notebook still

names were circled or crossed out, but none were familiar. In the middle of the page

inside her. Was Clara invol

station to report Clara missing. But the welc

asked the officer in char

for three days, and her apartment... was

Maybe she went on vacation without wa

don't understand. She was terrified before

ow it, but the officer pushed i

e, there's not much we can do. If you ha

cles, like she was alone in this quest. Yet one thing was certain: Clara had tr

ing, caught her attention. Two men in dark suits seemed to be watching him

ho were they? And

lyzing Clara's notebook, looking for a clue, an answer.

ngers, replaced by growing worry and invisible danger. Clara had disa