Chapter 2 The Silent Witness

Rain lashed against the windows of Room 213 as Detective Mara Velasquez stood quietly, her gloved hands holding the rose that had rested at the victim's feet. It was brittle now, dried at the edges, a rose that had not been freshly cut. She tucked it into a plastic evidence bag and scanned the room once more.

There was no sign of a struggle. The victim, Juliana Croix, hadn't fought back. There were no bruises, no defensive wounds. It was as if she knew her killer-or trusted them enough to sit calmly in that chair before her final breath.

Downstairs, hotel staff were being questioned. Caleb remembered one detail: a man had approached the desk hours earlier. He wore a long coat and asked only one thing: "Is the lady here yet?" He didn't leave a name, nor did he return.

Surveillance footage confirmed it. The man appeared in the elevator at 1:58 AM, head low, face obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. He pressed for the second floor-Juliana's floor-then vanished. No footage of him leaving. No record of his check-in. He was a ghost.

Mara returned to the crime scene. On a hunch, she inspected the notepad again. The handwriting had a slight tremor, like someone nervous. One line repeated:

"Meet me before midnight. Bring the photo."

What photo?