As I was lost in thought, a sharp knock at the door startled me. My heart skipped a beat as I slowly rose to answer it. Standing on my porch were two police officers, their presence both unexpected and unsettling. The taller officer greeted me politely, “Good morning, ma’am,” tipping his hat as if his courtesy could ease my rising anxiety.
“Good morning, Officer,” I replied, trying to muster a smile while pulling the belt of my robe a little tighter around me. “How can I help you? Is everything okay?”
My mind raced. The basement had always been a shadowy, forgotten part of the house—a space I had only briefly explored when I first moved in. I remembered the dusty boxes, the cobwebs in the corners, and the old workbench laden with remnants of a past long gone. Lauren had stored some of her grandfather’s belongings there, but I had never given it much thought. Now, however, I was forced to confront it.
“Are you sure?” one of the officers asked, as if to confirm that I hadn’t brought much with me. “I can help you move everything to a storage unit if needed.”
“I’m sure,” I responded, trying to sound decisive. “I didn’t bring many things along. I wanted a fresh start, so I left the extra baggage behind.”
Yet, as I stood there on the threshold of my new beginning, a nagging doubt crept in. What could possibly be so urgent about my basement? Had something illegal happened here before I moved in? Was this investigation about Mr. Nolan’s past, or was there something else hidden in those dark, neglected corners?
The officers’ request left me with more questions than answers, but I knew I couldn’t interfere with their job. I stepped aside and allowed them to enter my home.
Into the Shadows: Descending into the Basement
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