Officer Wolff received the disc when he arrived at work an hour later than usual. It wasn't directly addressed to him but it did have Darcy Hotchner's red initials on it which made all alarm bells ring.
The disc itself had been checked for fingerprints, though Wolff already knew there weren't going to be any traces.
The disc needed a moment to load on his laptop but it said it was a video file that was a minute and three seconds long. Would a minute and three seconds be enough to solve this goddamn mystery?
The thumbnail that appeared when the video loaded was of a completely empty, dark room with no windows or any other openings in sight. The person sitting on the chair was Grant Shefferson. There was no denying, though his hair was unhealthy, his skin was dirty and there were several dark circles underneath his hazy looking eyes.
He wasn't tied up, though. His hands were folded in his lap and there was no sign of fear.
Wolff hoped with all his heart that this wasn't going to be the visualisation of Grant Shefferson's death. He clicked play.
Hi. I'm ... Grant. Shefferson, Grant.
Wolff immediately noticed how calm Grant looked. He looked dazed, no question. But where was the fear? The anger?
And this isn't a message that anyone wrote down for me to read. This is me seriously, honestly talking. I cannot tell you what is happening, all, and I mean it, all I can say is what is the right thing to do.
I know everyone at home must be totally freaking out. That includes the parents of Ruby and Joseph, that includes my parents and of course, Darcy Hotchner's parents. But this message is proof and guarantee that Darcy and I are safe. Darcy isn't here but that is because I am the only one who is allowed to bring this message forward.
The ... killings are over now. Nobody else is going to get hurt.
I'm telling you this so you'll have to trust me when I advise the local police and anyone else to stop looking for us. Stop looking for us if you want us to stay alive. I beg you.
YOU ARE READING
Loopholes
Mystery / ThrillerDarcy Hotchner was nineteen and about to start a brand new life in college when she suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth. Two years later, with her family still pulling on a string of hope and all her friends being scattered around the wo...
