Chapter 14 - THE ENVELOPE WITHOUT A SENDER
The detective placed the envelope inside an evidence tray.
“No one touches it until it's photographed.”
Alex could barely take his eyes off it.
“I've lived here for three years,” he said quietly. “There has never been a compartment behind that wall.”
Daniel studied the opening.
“The cut is clean.”
Detective Bennett nodded.
“Professionally done.”
A forensic specialist measured the edges.
“This wasn't made today.”
“What do you mean?” Alex asked.
“The paint around the opening has aged.”
He looked closer.
“The compartment has existed for months… possibly years.”
Alex's confusion deepened.
“How could I never notice?”
“Because your bed covered it completely,” Daniel answered.
The detective carefully opened the envelope.
Inside was a single folded sheet of paper.
Nothing else.
No photographs.
No money.
No documents.
Just one page.
She unfolded it slowly.
Across the center, written in neat black ink, were seven words.
If you're reading this, they found you first.
Nobody spoke.
Alex felt every muscle tighten.
“They?”
Detective Bennett turned the page over.
There was more writing.
Much smaller.
Almost like instructions.
Do not trust anyone who already knows the name Orion.
Daniel's face became unreadable.
Alex noticed immediately.
“You knew that name.”
Daniel met his eyes.
“Yes.”
“And the letter says not to trust people who know it.”
“I noticed.”
An uncomfortable silence settled between them.
Detective Bennett folded the letter again.
“This changes things.”
“How?” Alex asked.
“Because whoever wrote this knew two things.”
She held up two fingers.
“First, they knew someone would eventually search this apartment.”
“Second…”
She looked at Daniel.
“They knew Project Orion would become relevant.”
Daniel exhaled slowly.
“That letter wasn't written today.”
“No.”
“It was left here long before this morning.”
Alex frowned.
“But why leave it in my apartment?”
Detective Bennett answered before Daniel could.
“Maybe it wasn't originally meant for you.”
Alex blinked.
“What?”
She pointed toward the hidden compartment.
“If this apartment had another tenant before you…”
“…the message may have been waiting for someone else.”
Daniel immediately turned.
“Can you find out who lived here before Alex?”
The landlord nodded.
“I've kept every lease.”
He hurried downstairs.
Fifteen minutes later, he returned carrying an old binder.
He flipped through faded paperwork until he stopped.
“There.”
He handed the file to Detective Bennett.
She read the name aloud.
“Previous tenant…”
Her voice trailed off.
Daniel stepped beside her.
The moment he saw the file, his expression changed.
Alex looked between them.
“What is it?”
Daniel slowly closed the folder.
“I know this man.”
“Who was he?”
Daniel answered in a voice barely above a whisper.
“He was Marlowe Global's former Head of Internal Security.”
Alex frowned.
“What happened to him?”
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at the date printed beside the lease termination.
May you like
The man had moved out…
…exactly three days before he disappeared without a trace.
