Page 109 of Symphony for Lies

I dug my fingers into my sleeves, forcing my breath to steady. “This is ridiculous.”

In frustration, I kicked a loose pebble toward the statue.The small stone bounced off it with a tiny, insignificant sound.

I let out a hollow, bitter laugh.

I was so fucking foolish.

What had I expected? A clue? A sign? Some grand revelation that would suddenly make everything make sense?

I wasn’t special. I wasn’t a damn detective. I wasn’t going to solve anything.

Zane was a grown man. Maybe he just left.

No. He wouldn’t just disappear.

“Think, Amelia.”

I pressed my fingers to my temples to steady my racing thoughts. My eyes locked onto the statue. It was cold, and the stone-carved face seemed to mock me.

My eyes dropped to his hand.

It was pointing.

A slow breath left my lips as I followed its direction.

The basement? A simple school basement.

But—

My memory flickered, reaching into the past.

Ten years ago… there was no building there. It had been a garden. A bridge with a pond and flowers. Aster flowers. And then, they tore it all down. Built something over it. Buried it.

Right where the statue pointed was a slightly open window.

My breath hitched.

“Oh my God.”

It was all real. Or was my mind playing tricks on me? Was I forcing a connection that wasn’t there?

I bit my lower lip as uncertainty clawed at my chest.

No. I couldn’t afford to second-guess myself.

I pulled out my phone and typed a message to the group chat.

Amelia:

I might have solved the riddle. I’m at the school. I think Zane was taken. If I don’t hurry, he might be the third victim. I have to check. I love you guys.

I hit send.

My fingers tightened around the gun Stacy had given me. It just had blanks, but it felt heavier than ever. With my phone’s flashlight cutting through the darkness, I took a deep breath and trudged on.

“Please… let me be wrong.”

Chapter 24