Chapter 4 - The Phantom Thief
Derek stared at the handwritten note in absolute, paralyzing horror.
It was impossible for David Bennett to have written this note because Derek had personally seen the drone footage of David's vehicle exploding.
Someone was playing a vicious, psychological game with him.
He slammed his fist against his mahogany desk and picked up his secure telephone.
He dialed the direct extension for his second-in-command, Major Vance.
"Get to my office right now, and bring the security server logs for this entire floor," Derek barked into the receiver.
Five minutes later, Vance hurried into the office carrying a sleek digital tablet.
"Sir, nobody has entered this room since you left for the gala this afternoon," Vance reported nervously.
"You are lying to me, Vance," Derek growled, grabbing the younger officer by the collar of his uniform.
"Someone opened my personal safe tonight, and I want to know exactly who it was."
Vance swallowed hard and tapped the screen of his tablet to pull up the biometric entry logs.
"Sir, the safe can only be opened by an authorized thumbprint," Vance explained, his voice shaking.
Vance turned the tablet around so Derek could see the digital access record.
The screen clearly showed that the safe had been successfully opened exactly forty minutes ago.
Derek looked at the name attached to the authorized thumbprint, and his blood turned to ice.
The digital log explicitly stated that the safe was opened by Captain David Bennett.
"That is mathematically impossible, the man has been dead for a year," Derek whispered, letting go of Vance's uniform.
"Sir, I think you need to see this," Vance said, tapping the tablet to pull up the hallway security camera footage.
The black-and-white video showed a tall figure wearing a dark hooded jacket standing directly in front of Derek's office door.
May you like
The figure suddenly turned their head and looked straight up into the security camera.
It was David Bennett, looking completely alive and unharmed.
