7
365words
Bennett frowned." Ryan's phone is off, and he's missing. But we can't arrest based on that. Are you sure you saw a murder?"
I was disappointed but I nodded firmly.
"No one left before we arrived? This place has only one exit. If there were bodies, they would have come out through the door.
"No one left. I was watching the entrance."
He nodded and radioed for more officers. A second car arrived with forensic tools for a thorough sweep.
They sprayed luminol, which glows blue-green with blood. But even late into the night, no traces appeared.
The cameras of the surrounding shops didn't capture the studio's entrance. Instead, they only showed me climbing up and waiting outside.
Ms. Morgan cooperated with the police, watching me silently.
When questioned, Claire said she had broken up with Ryan, but he bothered her that afternoon. She claimed she got rid of him and came to the studio for a shoot, and everyone there supported her story.
I sat there, dazed. I wanted to expose her lies, but I had no proof.
The police finished their search. There were no bodies and no sign of blood. They even suggested that I might have hallucinated what I saw because of climbing the building.
Then Lily called.
"Jack, Claire told me everything. Are you stressed from work or all that traveling? Let's go see a therapist."
"I'm not sick!" I roared.
I'd never snapped at Lily. Ryan meant nothing to me, but the bloody scene haunted me.
Lily sobbed." Claire's scared of upsetting you and won't stay with us. Come home. Tomorrow, we'll go out and relax."
I hung up and left the studio, driving aimlessly. Lily called repeatedly, but I didn't answer.
I knew I wasn't delusional. I saw Claire kill. How could the bodies vanish so thoroughly?
Driving past a construction site, a roadblock sparked an idea.
What if the bodies weren't removed but hidden? A secret basement?
I called Bennett, who sounded exhausted and told me to calm down. They'd searched extensively—no evidence. Maybe I was overtired.
I got angry and said I'd go back to the studio myself if they wouldn't.
