The city was completely shrouded in fog. It was hard to tell whether it was day or night anymore. I sat alone in my office, sipping what might have been my fifth or seventh cup of coffee. At some point, the count had stopped mattering.

  My mind kept circling the same question. Should I do what Jane asked and let this go, or should I keep going? The practical part of me said to drop it. That was the safer path. But my heart refused to listen. It told me to continue. Not for Mayor Johnson. Not for a promotion. Not even for some abstract sense of justice. I was doing this because, for the first time since that incident, I had a purpose.

  I am sorry, Juniper.

  After sitting with that thought for a long moment, I picked up my phone and dialed the Mayor’s office. A feminine voice answered from the other end.

  “Hello, this is the Mayor’s secretary. May I know the purpose of your call?”

  “I am Officer Elmroot,” I said. “Please convey a message to Mayor Johnson. I need to meet him regarding the case related to his wife.”

  There was a pause. Silence stretched on the line, broken only by a soft breath. Then a different voice spoke, rough and unfamiliar.

  “So that Saint has finally found a dog who is ready to go against me.”

  A chill ran through my spine. The phone suddenly felt heavy in my hand. My grip slipped, and it fell to the floor. I scrambled to pick it up, my heart hammering in my chest. When I raised it to my ear again, the voice had changed.

  “I have noted your message,” the secretary said calmly. “The Mayor is in an important meeting right now. Please provide your personal number so we may contact you later.”

  With shaking hands, I gave her my number. Sweat ran down my forehead as I ended the call. I drank some water, trying to steady myself. I had not been this afraid since that day.

  I am sorry, Juniper. I know I am still broken, but be my strength.

  Not long after, exhaustion took over. I swallowed my pills and let sleep claim me.

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  When I woke the next day, it was already late morning. My phone showed three missed voice messages.

  The first was from the Mayor’s office. “Mayor Johnson has received your message. He will meet you at 1 PM today at his residence.”

  The second was from Jane. “Sorry for stepping out of my boundaries. I do not want you to suffer. I hope you understand.”

  The third message was anonymous. It simply said, “Go to The Mother Oak Church on Wrullaidweak Street. You will find strength under the shades.”

  I checked my watch. It was already noon. There was no time to overthink. I took a quick shower, got dressed, and headed straight for the Mayor’s residence.

  Security was tighter than usual. One of the butlers guided me toward the garden and asked me to wait. As I stood there, unease crept in. I felt watched. The memory of the phone call from the night before gnawed at me, and I wondered whether I should tell the Mayor about it at all.

  After a while, Mayor Johnson arrived.

  Even now, he carried that familiar aura of justice. To a detective like me, he was someone to look up to. Five years in the army. Forced to retire early after a spinal injury while protecting a senator from terrorists. He studied law during recovery, became a lawyer, put countless criminals behind bars, and eventually rose to become our Mayor. He had led attacks against the Devil himself. Without him, the city might have collapsed long ago.

  “What did you want to ask me?” he said. “Have you found the murderer?”

  “I have found a few things,” I replied carefully. “I wanted to ask if Ma’am has remembered anything about the incident. And there are a few other questions I hoped to discuss.”

  His expression hardened. “So you called me here for that? She cannot answer anything yet. When she can, I will inform you personally. Is there anything else?”

  “Yes, sir,” I said. “While reviewing files, I noticed that certain pages were removed on Chief Harrison’s orders. With your authority, it might be possible to recover them.”

  He called one of his guards over, whispered something, then turned back to me. “It will be handled. Now, if there is nothing else, I have work to do.”

  I bowed my head and took my leave.

  After that meeting, I wandered through the city, trying to shake the weight pressing on my chest. Eventually, I found a quiet café and ordered another coffee. The waiter was a kind young woman. Remembering Jane’s message, I asked another staff member to pack a slice of dark chocolate cake as a gift.

  When I turned back to my table, I noticed a folded piece of paper beneath my cup.

  “It sees all, even at the Mayor’s office and residence.Meet at 1X 58G 78P 2A.”