Chapter 3 - The Fake Detective
I crept silently toward the front door and peered through the small glass peephole.
A tall man in a dark trench coat was standing in the hallway.
He held a golden police badge up to the peephole, but something felt completely wrong.
Real detectives usually worked in pairs, and they certainly did not demand a mysterious key at three in the morning.
I also noticed a jagged spiderweb tattoo creeping up his neck from beneath his collar.
"I am calling 911 right now to verify your badge number," I shouted through the thick oak door.
The man outside let out a low, menacing laugh.
"You have five seconds to open this door before I kick it off the hinges."
I didn't wait a single second longer.
I sprinted back into the guest room and shook Leo awake.
"We have to leave right now," I whispered urgently, grabbing his shoes.
A deafening crash echoed through the apartment as the heavy front door splintered inward.
I pulled Leo toward the bedroom window and threw it open to the rainy night.
We climbed out onto the rusty iron fire escape just as heavy footsteps stormed into my living room.
I carried Leo down three flights of slippery metal stairs, the cold rain soaking through my pajamas.
We reached the dark alleyway and ran toward a 24-hour diner a few blocks away.
I used the diner's payphone to call a cab, keeping us hidden in the shadows until it arrived.
We spent the rest of the night driving aimlessly around the city to ensure we were not followed.
When the sun finally rose, I directed the cab to the downtown bank.
I walked up to the teller, presented my ID, and handed her the brass key from the bloody envelope.
She led us down into a highly secure underground vault and left us alone in a private viewing room.
I unlocked the metal box and pulled out a thick stack of documents.
The very first paper on the pile was Leo's official birth certificate.
May you like
I read the name of his biological father, and the entire room seemed to spin.
The father listed on the document was David Vance, my former fiancé.
