The message appeared on the screen.
YOUR TURN.
Oliver stared at it.
For a moment, he thought it was a joke.
A prank.
Something sent by a wrong number.
He frowned and typed back.
Who is this?
The message was delivered.
No reply.
Oliver waited.
One minute.
Two.
Five.
Nothing.
He tossed the phone onto the bed and sighed.
Then—
DING.
Another message.
This time, there was a photograph.
Oliver's blood ran cold.
It was a picture of his house.
Taken from across the street.
He slowly sat upright.
His eyes moved toward the window.
The curtains were closed.
He hadn't noticed anyone outside.
His hands began to shake.
Another message appeared.
Don't look outside.
Oliver froze.
Then another.
I'm already inside.
His breathing stopped.
He looked toward the bedroom door.
It was slightly open.
He was certain he had closed it.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Oliver reached for the lamp.
Nothing.
The hallway was empty.
He grabbed his phone and called the police.
Before the call connected, the lights went out.
The phone slipped from his hand.
And somewhere in the darkness—
a slow clap echoed through the house.
NORTH YORKSHIRE
Morning came quietly.
Adeline woke to sunlight touching her face.
For a few seconds, she forgot where she was.
Then she remembered.
Davies.
Jarvis.
The murders.
The fear.
She turned her head.
Davies was sitting beside the window.
He looked exhausted.
"You stayed."
He turned toward her.
"I promised."
Adeline slowly sat up.
"You didn't sleep?"
"Not much."
"Why?"
Davies gave her a faint smile.
"I wanted to make sure you were safe."
Adeline studied him.
Something about his expression was different.
Softer.
Almost vulnerable.
She remembered the night before.
His arms around her.
His voice.
The way he had told her he loved her.
She looked away.
"Davies."
"Yes?"
"Did you mean everything you said?"
He didn't hesitate.
"Every word."
She swallowed.
"Even after everything?"
"Especially after everything."
Silence settled between them.
Then Adeline noticed something.
There was a small red mark near Davies's lower lip.
She stared at it.
Davies noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She quickly looked away
A loud knock interrupted the silence.
Davies immediately stood.
Adeline's expression changed.
"Who is that?"
"I don't know."
Another knock.
Davies moved toward the door.
Adeline grabbed his arm.
"Don't."
He looked at her.
"I'm not leaving you."
He slowly approached the door.
"Who is it?"
A familiar voice answered.
"It's me."
Jarvis.
Davies opened the door.
Jarvis stepped inside.
His face was serious.
"What happened?" Davies asked.
Jarvis looked at Adeline.
"Nothing here."
"Then why are you here?"
Jarvis pulled out his phone.
"I received something."
Davies's expression hardened.
"What?"
Jarvis showed him the screen.
A message.
YOUR TURN.
Adeline stood.
"Who sent that?"
"I don't know."
Davies looked at Jarvis.
"When?"
"Twenty minutes ago."
"To you?"
Jarvis shook his head.
"No."
He looked at Adeline.
"Someone else."
Adeline's face went pale.
"One of the five?"
Jarvis nodded.
"I think so."
Davies frowned.
"Who?"
Jarvis hesitated.
"Oliver."
The name immediately changed Davies's expression.
"Oliver?"
Jarvis nodded.
"Your best man."
Davies took the phone from him.
"Have you spoken to him?"
"I've tried."
"And?"
"Nothing."
Davies's jaw tightened.
Oliver had been his best friend for years.
He had stood beside him on his wedding day.
He had been there when Davies needed someone.
And now—
the killer had chosen him.
"We need to find him," Davies said.
Jarvis stepped in front of him.
"You can't just walk into this."
"Someone is about to die."
"And that's exactly what the killer wants."
Davies stared at him.
Jarvis continued.
"We need Hawthorne."
At the mention of the detective's name, Adeline looked up.
"Yes."
Davies nodded.
"Call him."
Jarvis reached for his phone.
But before he could dial—
Adeline's phone rang.
All three of them froze.
She looked at the screen.
Unknown Number.
Davies immediately moved toward her.
"Don't answer."
The phone continued ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then stopped.
A message appeared.
Adeline opened it.
There was a photograph.
Her blood ran cold.
It was a picture of the three of them standing inside the room.
Taken only moments earlier.
Underneath it were three words.
I'M STILL HERE.
Adeline dropped the phone.
Davies stared at the photograph.
Jarvis slowly looked toward the windows.
Someone had been watching them.
Again.
And this time—
they were close.
Very close.