The fluorescent lights flickered overhead in the precinct, casting a harsh glow on the rows of desks cluttered with papers and empty coffee cups. Julian leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his tousled hair, his mind racing as he replayed the frantic conversation with Clara's mother. The echo of her panicked voice still haunted him: "She was just here, and now she's gone!"
He felt a gnawing unease in his gut. He had seen too many missing person cases end in tragedy, and the weight of Clara's disappearance felt heavier than most. Julian glanced at the clock on the wall—it was already past midnight. The precinct was winding down, but he felt far from ready to leave.
His partner, Detective Evan Ross, strolled in, tossing his jacket onto the back of a chair. "You still on that case?" Evan asked, raising an eyebrow. "You should take a break, man. It's not going to solve itself."
Julian shook his head, determination setting his jaw. "I can't just sit here and do nothing, Evan. Clara's out there, and I need to figure out what happened."
"Okay, okay," Evan raised his hands in mock surrender. "What's the plan, Sherlock? You want to chase down leads at two in the morning?"
"Actually, yeah. I think it's worth checking out the last place she was seen," Julian replied, his heart racing at the thought of unraveling the mystery.
"Where's that?" Evan leaned forward, his interest piqued.
"Some bar downtown, The Silver Fox. She was last spotted leaving with a group of friends," Julian said, pulling up the bar's address on his phone. "I need to talk to the bartender, see if he remembers anything."
Evan sighed, a hint of reluctance in his voice. "Fine, but I'm not going alone with you. Let's grab the car."
As they made their way to the parking lot, the night air was thick with humidity. The distant sounds of the city buzzed around them, but Julian felt a heavy silence weighing down on him. The stakes were high, and every minute counted.
Once inside the car, he turned to Evan, his gaze serious. "If something happened to Clara, I don't want to be the one who didn't do everything I could to help her."
Evan nodded, the camaraderie between them solidifying the resolve in Julian's heart. "Then let's go find her."
The Silver Fox was a dive bar nestled between a shuttered bookstore and a neon-lit diner. As they entered, the stale smell of spilled beer and smoke engulfed them. Dim lighting cast shadows over the faces of patrons, some hunched over drinks while others laughed boisterously at a table in the corner.
Julian's eyes scanned the room, searching for a familiar face among the crowd. The bartender—a burly man with a bushy beard—wiped down the counter with a rag that looked more like a mop.
"Can I help you?" the bartender grunted, glancing up.
"Yeah, we're looking for information about a girl who was here a couple of nights ago—Clara Mitchell. Do you remember her?" Julian leaned forward, hoping the urgency in his voice would elicit a response.
The bartender's brow furrowed as he thought. "Yeah, I remember her. She was with a group, laughing, having a good time. Left around closing time, I think."
"Did you see where she went?" Julian pressed, his heart pounding as he awaited the bartender's response.
"Not really. Just that she walked out with some guy. Could've been her boyfriend, but I don't know. Just another night at the Fox," the bartender replied, shrugging.
Julian felt a surge of frustration. A guy? Of course, there was always a guy. "Did you get a name?"
The bartender shook his head, uninterested. "Can't help you there, detective. I don't keep tabs on everyone who leaves."
Julian sighed, feeling the weight of hopelessness creep in. He turned to Evan, who was examining the surroundings. "This isn't getting us anywhere."
"Wait a second," Evan said, his voice sharper now. "What about the security cameras? You must have something recorded, right?"
The bartender hesitated, looking around as if assessing the situation. "Might have something, but you'll need a warrant for that."
Julian felt a flicker of determination. "We can get one. Just tell me where to find the footage."
The bartender gestured toward the back of the bar. "Back room. But like I said, you'll need official paperwork."
Evan nudged Julian, a spark of enthusiasm in his eyes. "Let's go back to the precinct and get that warrant. We can't let this slip away."
As they left the bar, Julian's mind was ablaze with possibilities. The thought of Clara walking out with some unknown guy gnawed at him, raising the stakes even higher. If they could find that footage, it could change everything.
On the drive back, Julian's mind raced. He thought about Clara's mother, her desperate plea for help. He thought about the mystery that was beginning to unravel—a girl who vanished into thin air, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions.
As they entered the precinct, the fluorescent lights flickered once more, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Julian was ready to dive headfirst into the chaos of the night, fueled by the adrenaline of the chase and the hope of finding Clara.
Butthe closer he got to the truth, the more he felt the heavy weight of secretslurking in the shadows, threatening to pull him under.
YOU ARE READING
Awakening Shadows (Book 1)
Mystery / Thriller(Just writing out of hobby, and letting my mind go where it go instead of forcing where to go) Detective Julian Carter's life changes forever when Clara Mitchell, a bright-eyed college student who is like family to him, mysteriously disappears in th...
