Chapter 36 - The House That Wasn't Empty
Daniel's phone rang before he could react to Samuel's security alert.
The caller was Officer Martinez.
"Mr. Carter?"
"Yes."
"We received an alarm from your residence."
"Were you expecting anyone?"
Daniel looked at Samuel.
"No."
"We're on our way," Daniel replied.
The drive back felt endless.
When they arrived, two patrol cars already blocked the driveway.
Nothing appeared broken.
No shattered windows.
No forced doors.
The front entrance stood exactly as Daniel had locked it.
Officer Martinez met them outside.
"We searched the first floor."
"No one."
"The alarm triggered in the study."
Daniel entered slowly.
Everything looked untouched.
The desk remained organized.
The filing cabinet was closed.
The hidden safe beneath the floor remained sealed.
Samuel checked the security recordings.
The cameras had captured nothing unusual.
Then Lily quietly pointed toward the bookshelf.
"That wasn't there before."
A single book rested on the shelf upside down.
Daniel immediately recognized it.
His father had always insisted that books should never be placed upside down.
Someone had done it deliberately.
Inside the book waited a folded sheet of paper.
No signature.
Only one sentence.
You're searching where we wanted you to search.
Daniel folded the note without speaking.
Someone had entered the house...
Avoided every camera...
Left a message...
And disappeared without taking anything.
May you like
Whoever they were, they no longer seemed interested in hiding their presence.
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