Chapter One Sarah The sound of my phone buzzing on the nightstand next to me pulls me out of a deep sleep. I grab for it, seeing an unknown number and a text from a blocked sender. It’s time to wake up, Detective. You’re needed on a high profile case that’s about to make national headlines. I’m sending the address now. Don’t be late. This is a big one. My heart races as I sit up in bed, holding my phone like it’s a ticking time bomb. I’ve been waiting for this case for months. The other detectives in my precinct have been getting their chance to shine while I’ve been stuck doing the dirty work. Usually, I wouldn’t mind, but these cases have been low level trash. Nothing worth mentioning in the papers or on the news. But if this tip is correct, this case will put me back on the map. Back into the good graces of the higher-ups. I throw off the covers, letting them pool at my feet as I stand and make my way toward the bathroom. My hand shakes as I scroll through my contacts, trying to find the person who sent me the message. There are only a few people who have my number who would be sending something like this. A small bubble pops up with a message. Don’t bother looking. You won’t find me in there. I stop dead in my tracks, clutching my towel tighter around me as I whip around to look at my bedroom door. There is no one there. Of course there isn’t. The only beings that would be able to see this message are barely five-foot tall and covered in white fur. I really need to stop watching horror movies before bed. Another bubble pops up. I’m not your dog, but I am here to help. My heart races as I unclench my fists and slowly take a step forward, sliding the message open. I know what you’re thinking. No, I’m not a ghost, and yes, you are still asleep. But I need you to listen to me and do exactly what I say if you want to solve this case. “Who are you?” I whisper. I’m someone who can help you get what you want if you do what I say. “What do you want from me?” I want you to succeed. I want you to solve this case because no one else can. You’re the best detective they have on the force. You just need a little help from someone on the outside. I swallow hard as I click on the address that was sent to me. It’s in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. It’s the perfect place for someone to get lost or disappear and never be seen again. “Who is this? Why are you helping me?” As much as I’d love to tell you all of my secrets, I don’t have time for that right now. Get dressed and head to that address. You don’t have much time if you want to beat your partner there. “My partner? How do you know about her?” Let’s just say we have someone in common. And it’s time for everything to come full circle. I glance over at my clock as I start to get dressed, realizing that if I don’t leave now, then there is no way I’ll beat my partner there. And she has a way of making every situation about her, even when she is supposed to be working as part of a team. I grab my keys and gun, letting gravity pull it into its holster as I slide it on before making my way down the stairs of my apartment building. My mind is racing as more questions start to pop into my head.

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Chapter One

Sarah

The sound of my phone buzzing on the nightstand next to me pulls me out of a deep sleep. I grab for it, seeing an unknown number and a text from a blocked sender.

It’s time to wake up, Detective. You’re needed on a high profile case that’s about to make national headlines. I’m sending the address now. Don’t be late. This is a big one.

My heart races as I sit up in bed, holding my phone like it’s a ticking time bomb. I’ve been waiting for this case for months. The other detectives in my precinct have been getting their chance to shine while I’ve been stuck doing the dirty work. Usually, I wouldn’t mind, but these cases have been low level trash. Nothing worth mentioning in the papers or on the news. But if this tip is correct, this case will put me back on the map. Back into the good graces of the higher-ups.

I throw off the covers, letting them pool at my feet as I stand and make my way toward the bathroom. My hand shakes as I scroll through my contacts, trying to find the person who sent me the message. There are only a few people who have my number who would be sending something like this.

A small bubble pops up with a message.

Don’t bother looking. You won’t find me in there.

I stop dead in my tracks, clutching my towel tighter around me as I whip around to look at my bedroom door. There is no one there. Of course there isn’t. The only beings that would be able to see this message are barely five-foot tall and covered in white fur.

I really need to stop watching horror movies before bed.

Another bubble pops up.

I’m not your dog, but I am here to help.

My heart races as I unclench my fists and slowly take a step forward, sliding the message open.

I know what you’re thinking. No, I’m not a ghost, and yes, you are still asleep. But I need you to listen to me and do exactly what I say if you want to solve this case.

“Who are you?” I whisper.

I’m someone who can help you get what you want if you do what I say.

“What do you want from me?”

I want you to succeed. I want you to solve this case because no one else can. You’re the best detective they have on the force. You just need a little help from someone on the outside.

I swallow hard as I click on the address that was sent to me. It’s in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. It’s the perfect place for someone to get lost or disappear and never be seen again.

“Who is this? Why are you helping me?”

As much as I’d love to tell you all of my secrets, I don’t have time for that right now. Get dressed and head to that address. You don’t have much time if you want to beat your partner there.

“My partner? How do you know about her?”

Let’s just say we have someone in common. And it’s time for everything to come full circle.

I glance over at my clock as I start to get dressed, realizing that if I don’t leave now, then there is no way I’ll beat my partner there. And she has a way of making every situation about her, even when she is supposed to be working as part of a team.

I grab my keys and gun, letting gravity pull it into its holster as I slide it on before making my way down the stairs of my apartment building. My mind is racing as more questions start to pop into my head.

How does this person know about my partner? And what do they mean by circle? I haven’t done anything to warrant anyone wanting to come after me. At least not that I can remember. And trust me, my memory is spotless. I beat myself up over every little thing I’ve done wrong in my life, and I can’t ever seem to forget it.

The drive to the warehouse is silent as I drive through the dark streets. My partner, Kelsie, would have already called me at least three times by now, and my mother would be blowing up my phone with texts and calls if it was a normal day. Thankfully, it’s not. And they both know that I work best when I can just focus on the task at hand.

I turn onto a side street, seeing the flashing lights of several patrol cars up ahead. I signal to turn, hearing a car honk at me as I make my way to the warehouse. A tall, dark haired man with a radio in his hand lifts his hand in the air, signaling for me to stop. I roll down my window, showing him my badge as he shines his flashlight into my car.

“Are you Sarah?” he asks, not even bothering to look at my name.

“Yeah. What’s going on?”

I’m not used to having people know who I am when I arrive at a scene. But then again, I’m not used to being late to a scene either. By the time I’ve finished my coffee from the drive-thru, and I’ve made it to a new case, I’m usually one of the first on the scene. It’s a risk that I’m willing to take to keep myself off of someone else’s radar.

“The body is in the back,” he says as he waves me forward. “You don’t want to miss this.”

The body?

My heart races as I watch him walk back to his squad car, waiting for his signal that I can proceed further. My only hope is that this isn’t who I think it is. That this is just a fake out and that the real scene is somewhere else entirely.