Chapter 3

The property manager led us to the complex's security office.

The technicians quickly pulled up the surveillance footage for my building.

The screen showed:

At 8:18 p.m., my boyfriend, Hugh, appeared in the elevator lobby carrying a large bouquet of flowers.

At 8:20, the elevator arrived, and he stepped inside.

"Switch to the floor cameras!"

The floor footage came up.

At 8:21 p.m., the elevator stopped on the sixth floor, and Hugh walked out carrying the flowers.

Everything looked normal.

I opened my phone and glanced at my call log.

My call with Hugh had ended at 8:49.

"Drag the footage ahead to around 8:49!"

They dragged the footage forward, but the screen went completely black.

"What's going on?"

Everyone was startled.

The black screen lasted for three minutes before an image finally reappeared.

It was my mother's back and Hugh pulling the door of the shared apartment shut.

The two of them had gone back into the apartment together.

On the whole, there was nothing unusual.

Jacob let out a sigh of relief.

"Looks like it was just a coincidence. You're overthinking it. Go on home—your mom and your boyfriend are both waiting for you!"

I said nothing.

After a moment, I looked up into Jacob's eyes.

"Have you thought about what happened during those three minutes when the screen was black?"

"It was probably just a camera glitch!"

"No. In those three minutes, something happened to my mom. The person who went back into the apartment with that man wasn't my mother!"

Jacob's expression was surreal.

"That's impossible!"

"No one can swap one living person for another in three minutes with no preparation!"

"He can!"

Jacob took a deep breath.

"Fine. Even if he can, then tell me—where is your mother right now? We've already searched your floor. There's no way he could have gotten rid of a body in such a short time, is there?"

I knew what I was saying didn't add up.

But I was sure there was something wrong with those flowers.

"Jacob, Hugh and I have been together since our freshman year. I know his personality—he wouldn't lie to me!"

"But…"

"Can you trust me just this once? I want to go back and check, at least to make sure my mom and my best friend are okay. But I'm too scared to go alone. I'm hoping you can protect me from the shadows!"

Jacob hesitated.

"A protective order has to be approved by my superiors. If all of this turns out to be your imagination, we'll have a hard time answering for it!"

"But what if it isn't? What if I go up there and die? What if everything I've said is true—then that's four lives at stake!"

"My boyfriend, my mom, my best friend, and me—are you really going to stand by and let us die?"

Jacob fell silent.

Three seconds later, he picked up his phone and made a call.

"Yes, the situation's urgent. The caller has requested protection. Send more officers immediately!"

Before long, the additional officers arrived.

I put on a bulletproof vest, strapped on a miniature camera and a listening device, and clipped a one-touch alarm button at my waist.

Jacob explained it to me.

"In a minute, you'll go knock on the door alone. But don't be afraid—we've got trained tactical officers stationed right outside the door."

"If you're in danger, press the red button at your waist, and someone will rush in right away!"

My face was stiff.

I nodded and said, "Got it!"

I pulled my own clothes back on, disguising myself so everything looked normal, stepped into the elevator, and pressed the button for the sixth floor.

The elevator began to rise.

My palms had broken out in a sweat.

My face was reflected in the elevator's metal panel.

Ghostly pale.

With a ding, the elevator arrived.

I went to knock on the door.

"Chrissy forgot her keys."

I could hear my best friend's voice from inside.

"I'll get the door!"

My boyfriend volunteered.

The door swung open.

And there before me was the familiar face of my boyfriend, Hugh.