Whispered Shadows

Chapter Eight

Fragments of the truth

Noa

Piper meows indignantly from her carrier as I fumble with the key card to Ryder's hotel room. I balance the carrier in one hand and shove the card into the slot with the other, the light blinking green. As I push the door open, a wave of tension hits me.

The room is small but neat, the bed untouched, and a faint smell of coffee lingers in the air. Ryder is standing by the far wall, pinning something up. He doesn't glance my way as I enter, his focus entirely on the web of papers, photos, and string stretched across the surface.

"Didn't realize you were auditioning for a crime show," I say, trying to keep my tone light as I set Piper's carrier down on the small table.

Ryder turns, his sharp gaze softening for a fraction of a second before the usual edge returns. "Glad you decided to show up."

"I couldn't resist," I quip, unzipping Piper's carrier so she can stretch her legs. "You sounded so grumpy on the phone earlier—I figured I'd better save you from yourself."

He crosses his arms, leaning against the wall. "Noa, this isn't a joke."

"I know," I say, dropping my teasing tone. "That's why I'm here."

His gaze lingers on me for a moment longer before he gestures toward the wall. "Take a look."

I step closer, my breath catching as I take in the sight. It's not just a timeline—it's a visual representation of my sister's life or at least the pieces Ryder has managed to collect.

Photos of Gia smile down at me, pinned alongside printed texts, handwritten notes, and maps. A red string connects various points, forming a web of connections that makes my stomach churn.

"This is all about Gia?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah." Ryder's voice is softer now, the tension in it replaced with something quieter. "Everything we know leading up to the day she disappeared. And everything we don't. What happened to her is happening to you. This guy could be sticking to his pattern, so we may know what his next plan is."

I step closer, my eyes scanning the chaotic wall. The timeline is divided into sections—her first year at GU, the months before she vanished, and the week of her disappearance. But there are glaring gaps, empty spaces marked with question marks, and notes like "Unknown contact?" and "Missing hours."

"Where did you get all this?" I ask, my fingers hovering over a pinned photo of Gia at some campus party.

"Some of it came from her phone records," Ryder says, moving to stand beside me. "The rest is a mix of witness interviews, campus security footage, and old reports."

I swallow hard, my eyes catching on a note scribbled in Ryder's handwriting: Tuesday, 10:15 PM — left dorm. Unknown reason.

"She left her dorm that night?" I ask, pointing at the note.

"Yeah." Ryder sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Her roommate said she got a call and left in a hurry. But we couldn't trace the number. It was either blocked or a burner phone."

I stare at the note, my heart sinking. "I didn't know that."

"There's a lot you don't know, Noa," Ryder says, not unkindly. "That's why I'm trying to piece it together."

I take a step back, letting the weight of it all sink in. Seeing Gia's life mapped out like this feels surreal like I'm looking at a puzzle I'll never solve."

I didn't realize she had so much going on," I admit quietly. "I thought she told me everything."

Ryder glances at me, his expression unreadable. "She told you what she wanted you to know. There's a difference."