Chapter 1 - The Midnight Visitor

My heart hammered violently against my ribs as Adrian’s voice echoed through the thin wooden door.

I frantically shoved the recorder, the photos, and the scarf back into the waterproof plastic bag.

My hands were shaking so badly that I nearly dropped the evidence onto the hardwood floor.

I kicked the yellow stuffing back into the torn armrest of the couch and threw a decorative blanket over the damage.

Jerry stood by my side with the hair on his back completely raised.

I took a deep breath, forced my facial muscles to relax, and unlocked the deadbolt.

Adrian Vale stood in the hallway with a bottle of expensive red wine and a perfectly practiced smile.

He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation and glanced around my dimly lit apartment.

He told me he was just driving by and thought I might need some company on a lonely night.

I lied and said I was just about to go to sleep because I had an early shift at work tomorrow.

Adrian walked directly toward the center of the living room and stopped right next to the new couch.

My blood turned to ice as his eyes slowly drifted down to the decorative blanket hiding the torn fabric.

He reached out his hand and slowly pulled the blanket back, revealing the exposed springs and yellow foam.

He asked me what had happened to my beautiful new furniture.

I forced a fake laugh and blamed Jerry, claiming the dog had gone crazy and chewed it up.

Adrian looked at Jerry with a cold, dead stare that sent a shiver down my spine.

He placed the wine bottle on the coffee table and told me that disobedient animals usually need to be put down.

He finally turned around and walked out the front door, wishing me a good night.

I locked the door and let out a massive sigh of relief, thinking I had fooled him completely.

Then Jerry suddenly sprinted into the kitchen and began barking aggressively at the fire escape window.

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