His secret Obsession
With a plan.
The safe was empty, of course. The files had been taken. But the desk held smaller secrets: drawers, compartments, hidden spaces that Mark assumed no one would ever explore. I examined the surface first, noting the way it was polished, the placement of objects, the subtle grooves that suggested drawers beyond the obvious.
My hands brushed against a false panel, hidden beneath the surface. A click and it slid open, revealing several folders, manila envelopes, and a small, metallic case. My pulse quickened. Hidden truths. Pieces of a puzzle I hadn’t yet begun to see.