Chapter 4: The Eyes in the Dark

Adrian’s mind was reeling. The connection between the victims was impossible to ignore, but what did it mean? The killer had been watching them for years, waiting for the right moment to strike. They weren’t just random targets—they were part of something larger. Something sinister.

The grim realization set in as he and Lena walked through the police station’s corridor, the weight of the case pressing down on them both. Rowan had pulled up more records from St. Mary’s Home for Children, and the dark truth was beginning to unfold like a tangled web.

“This orphanage…” Adrian’s voice was quiet but heavy. “You said all three girls were adopted out at the age of six, right?”

Lena nodded. “Yes. And every single one of them had one thing in common—they all went to the same family.”

Adrian stopped in his tracks. “What do you mean?”

Lena hesitated before answering. “The same family adopted all three of the girls. The Sorrentino family. They moved out of Greyford when Emily was ten, but the girls never mentioned them after that. No contact, nothing.”

Adrian’s pulse quickened. The name hit him like a punch to the gut. He’d heard of the Sorrentino family before. In fact, everyone in Greyford had. They were wealthy, influential, and well-known in the community. But what was their connection to the killings?

They continued to walk in silence, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the quiet halls. Adrian's mind was a flurry of thoughts, each one more disturbing than the last.

By the time they reached the detective's room, the usual chaos of phone calls and murmurs was drowned out by a heavy silence. Every detective in the room had their eyes trained on the computer screen, where an image of the Sorrentino family was projected.

“What’s this?” Adrian asked, his voice strained.

Lena stepped forward. “We’ve been pulling records on the Sorrentino family. They’re clean. No criminal activity, no questionable behaviour. But…” She trailed off, glancing at the screen. “We found something strange. Their youngest child, Alessandra Sorrentino, went missing five years ago.”

Adrian’s brow furrowed. “Five years ago? What does that have to do with anything?”

Lena continued. “Alessandra was twelve when she disappeared. No ransom, no demand for money, just... gone. The family didn’t report it for two days. And when they finally did, there was no sign of struggle. It was as if she just vanished.”

Adrian’s instincts screamed. The pieces were falling into place, but they didn’t fit. Why hadn’t the Sorrentinos been involved in the investigation? Why hadn’t they mentioned the disappearance of their own daughter when Adrian began digging into the other girls?

“Are you telling me that the Sorrentinos were connected to the disappearances all along?” Adrian asked, his voice rising.

Lena gave him a look. “I don’t know, but I think it’s worth looking into. Maybe Alessandra’s disappearance wasn’t just a coincidence. Maybe it was the beginning of something much darker.”

Adrian rubbed his eyes, feeling the weight of the case pressing down on him like never before. The answers seemed just out of reach, as though the truth was hiding in plain sight.

His phone buzzed, breaking the tense silence.

He glanced at the screen. It was a text from Claire.

“Adrian, you need to see this. Now.”

Greyford - Abandoned Building - Nightfall

The rain had begun to fall heavily, turning the streets of Greyford into a blur of wet asphalt and puddles. Adrian arrived at the location Claire had sent him—the crumbling remains of an old factory on the outskirts of the city. The building looked abandoned, with windows shattered and vines crawling up the walls like something out of a forgotten nightmare.

He stepped into the darkened building, the musty air thick with the smell of decay. Claire was already waiting for him near the entrance, her flashlight cutting through the blackness. Her face was grim, eyes tight with anxiety.

“What is it?” Adrian asked, his voice echoing in the hollow space.

Claire didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she led him further into the building. The floor was slick with water, and the walls seemed to pulse with an eerie silence, broken only by the distant hum of city traffic far beyond.

They stopped in front of a door at the far end of the hallway. It was ajar, hanging loosely from its hinges. A faint, metallic scent hung in the air, but it was the sound that hit Adrian first—the soft, rhythmic clicking of something being turned over and over.

“What’s that noise?” Adrian asked, his heart beginning to race.

Claire didn’t answer, her eyes wide with fear. She pushed the door open slowly, and they both stepped into the room.

The room was small and barren, with only a single table in the centre. The walls were lined with old, peeling wallpaper, and the dim light barely illuminated the corner where a single, spinning object rested.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

It was an old, rusted tape recorder.

“Is this what you called me for?” Adrian asked, trying to steady his breath. He was already starting to feel the dread creep up his spine. Something wasn’t right.

Claire nodded and picked up the recorder. Her hands were shaking as she pressed the play button. For a moment, the only sound was the static crackling from the speaker.

Then, the voice came.

It was faint at first, as if it was being recorded from a great distance, but it was clear enough. It sounded like the same voice from the tapes—the clown-like voice that had haunted Adrian’s dreams.

“I know you’re listening,” the voice whispered, its tone smooth but chilling. “You’re closer than ever. But you’ll never stop me. The game has already begun.”

Adrian’s blood ran cold.

The voice continued, each word heavier than the last.

“The girls are already lost. And so are you.”

Then the tape stopped.

The room went silent. Adrian stood frozen, staring at the recorder in Claire’s hands. The voice seemed to linger in the air, filling the room with a thick, suffocating tension.

Adrian’s mind was racing. The message. The game. The voice. It all pointed to something larger, something terrifying. The killer was toying with him, leading him down a path where the stakes were rising with every step.

But what was the endgame?