Chapter 3: The Detective’s Shadow
321 Words
Maya stepped out of the penthouse using the service elevator. Her hands were steady, but her mind was racing. She had barely reached the rain-soaked sidewalk when she saw a flash of blue and red reflected in the lobby's glass. A dark sedan was parked at the curb. Leaning against the driver's side was a man who looked like he hadn’t slept since the start of the decade.
Detective Elias Vance matched the files perfectly: brave, reliable, and always tired. He adjusted his trench coat, his sharp, focused eyes landing on Maya like a hawk spotting prey.
"Leaving so soon, Miss Thorne?" Vance's gravelly voice cut through the noise of New York traffic. "Usually, when there’s a 'disturbance' at a Vane property, you’re the first to arrive and the last to leave."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Detective," Maya said smoothly. She kept her hand over the pocket that held the flash drive. "I was just checking on Mr. Vane’s security systems. The storm caused a surge."
Vance stepped closer, his presence feeling heavy. "A surge. Is that what we’re calling it now? I’ve been trying to nail Julian Vane for five years. Every time I get close, the evidence disappears. It’s like a ghost cleans up the crime scene before I can even get a warrant." He leaned in, his eyes drifting to a faint smear of red she hadn’t noticed on her shoe. "You’re clever, Maya. But even clever people make mistakes."
"If you have a warrant, Detective, show it. Otherwise, I have a client to protect," Maya said, moving around him.
"I don't want to arrest you, Maya," Vance called out as she signaled for a cab. "I want to know why someone with your skills is protecting a monster."
Maya stayed silent. She couldn’t tell him that she wasn’t protecting the monster anymore. She was just waiting for the right moment to take him down.
- Writer
