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CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

Sam tied the trash bag tightly, his fingers working methodically as he gathered his keys from the hook by the back door. It had been a long day at the restaurant, and all he wanted now was to get home and collapse into bed. He sighed, pushing open the heavy side door that led into the alley.

The night air was thick with the stench of garbage and decay as he stepped outside. The door creaked slightly as it swung shut behind him, leaving him alone in the dimly lit passage, the light from the alley’s single flickering bulb casting eerie shadows over the brick walls.

Sam quickened his pace toward the dumpster, eager to finish his task and head home. As he moved, his foot caught on something, and he stumbled, the trash bag slipping from his grip and landing with a thud.

“Fuck!”

Annoyed, he glanced down to see what had tripped him. His heart skipped a beat as his gaze slid over something pale and motionless at his feet. A chill ran down his spine, and a wave of fear curled through his gut.

Fumbling, he dug out his phone and turned on the flashlight. The beam of light cut through the darkness, illuminating a ghastly sight: a young woman’s body, brutally mutilated and discarded next to the dumpster.

With trembling hands, Sam dialed the Brookhaven Sheriff’s Department. The phone rang once, twice, and then a dispatcher answered.

“Brookhaven Sheriff’s Department, what’s your emergency?”

Sam’s voice was shaky, barely above a whisper. “I... I think I found Lindsey Gill.”

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