The room was quiet.
But none of them could move an inch.
Adeline sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes fixed on Davies.
Jarvis stood near the window, still holding his phone.
The news about Oliver had changed everything.
None of them knew what had happened to him.
They only knew something was terribly wrong.
Davies looked at Jarvis.
"Call Oliver."
Jarvis did.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
No answer.
He lowered the phone.
"Still nothing."
Adeline stood.
"Could he really be dead?"
Davies shook his head.
"I don't know."
"What's going on?," Adeline said quietly.
Davies looked toward her
"I can't reach the inspector."
A strange silence followed.
Then the television switched on by itself.
All three of them froze.
Static filled the screen.
Adeline slowly stepped closer.
"What is that?"
Davies reached for the remote.
Before he could touch it, the static disappeared.
A photograph appeared.
Adeline's heart stopped.
It was a photograph of her.
Taken inside the room.
She was sitting exactly where she was now.
Jarvis stared at the screen.
"That was taken just now."
Davies immediately looked around the room.
"Everybody stay where you are."
Another photograph appeared.
This time, it was Jarvis.
Then Davies.
Three photographs.
Three people.
The screen went black.
A message appeared.
I CAN SEE ALL THREE OF YOU.
Adeline's breathing became unsteady.
"Davies…"
"I know."
Another message appeared.
ONE MORE.
Jarvis stepped away from the window.
"He's playing with us."
Davies nodded.
"He wants us frightened."
"Then why show us the photographs?" Adeline asked.
Nobody answered.
The television suddenly went black again.
Then the room's lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then went out completely.
Adeline grabbed Davies's arm.
"What's happening?"
"Stay together."
A noise came from the hallway.
A soft footstep.
Then another.
Davies looked toward the door.
"Someone's outside."
Jarvis whispered, "Don't open it."
Another sound.
This time, closer.
Davies reached for the door handle.
Adeline stopped him.
"Don't."
He looked at her.
"He could be there."
"That's exactly what he wants."
Before Davies could respond, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone stared at it.
Davies answered.
"Who is this?"
Silence.
Then a distorted voice.
"You're getting closer."
Davies's expression hardened.
"What have you done to Oliver?"
A quiet laugh came through the phone.
"Too late."
Davies clenched his fist.
"Where is he?"
"You should have protected him."
The line went dead.
Adeline looked at Davies.
"What did he say?"
Davies didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"He said we're too late."
Jarvis's phone suddenly rang.
He stared at the screen.
Unknown number.
He answered.
"Hello?"
A whisper came through.
"Jarvis."
His face changed.
The voice continued.
"You're a hopeless romantic man, Adeline will suffer"
The call ended.
Jarvis slowly lowered the phone.
Davies stared at him.
"What did he say?"
Jarvis looked at Adeline.
"He knows us… too well"
Adeline's voice trembled.
"What does he want from me?"
Before anyone could answer, the television came back on.
One sentence appeared.
ASK MY DEE ABOUT US.
Adeline stared at the screen.
Her face went pale.
"What does that mean?"
Davies turned toward her.
"Adeline…."
"…i don't know."
Jarvis watched Adeline's confused face
"My Dee?" Adeline muttered
Davies' hands trembled
She looked at the screen again
"what is he talking about?"
"Darling, do you know the killer?" She asked again
Suddenly, something crashed upstairs.
Everyone jumped.
Davies turned toward the stairs.
Jarvis immediately reached for Adeline's phone.
"I'm calling the police."
luckily, this time, it went through
Inspector Hawthorne arrived shortly afterward.
He entered the room with two officers behind him.
His eyes immediately went to the television.
"What happened?"
Davies explained everything.
The photographs.
The messages.
The calls.
The noise upstairs.
Hawthorne listened without interrupting.
When Davies finished, Hawthorne looked around the room.
"Did anyone leave this room?"
"No," Jarvis answered.
"Anyone enter?"
"No."
Hawthorne walked toward the television.
He examined it carefully.
"He wanted you to know he could reach you."
Adeline looked at him.
"Why?"
"To frighten you."
"Why would he do that?"
Hawthorne looked at her.
"Because frightened people make mistakes."
A sudden sound came from upstairs.
Hawthorne immediately turned.
"Stay here."
He drew his weapon and moved toward the stairs.
Davies started after him.
"Inspector—"
"Stay with Adeline."
Hawthorne disappeared upstairs.
Seconds passed.
Then—
"STOP!"
Heavy footsteps followed.
Something crashed.
A window shattered.
Hawthorne rushed toward the sound.
But by the time he reached the window, the killer was gone.
He looked outside.
Nothing.
Only the empty street below.
Hawthorne returned downstairs.
"He was here."
Davies stared at him.
"You saw him?"
"Not clearly."
Jarvis stepped closer.
"Did he leave anything?"
Hawthorne pulled a small piece of paper from his pocket.
He handed it to Davies.
Three words were written on it.
TOO SLOW AGAIN.
Davies stared at the message.
Adeline's face tightened.
"He's been here the entire time."
Hawthorne nodded.
"And he wanted you to know it."
"I'm not surprised though"
Jarvis and Adeline's gaze met
"What do you mean "
"This has confirmed my suspicion of your connection to this case, and I'll appreciate your collaboration from now on"
The News
Several hours later, the three of them remained together.
Nobody wanted to be alone.
The television was still on.
Then a news reporter appeared on the screen.
"Breaking news this morning. Police have confirmed the death of Oliver, a man who was found dead in London during the early hours of today."
Adeline immediately looked up.
Davies froze.
Jarvis turned toward the television.
Oliver's photograph appeared.
Smiling.
Alive.
The same man who had stood beside Davies on his wedding day.
The same man who had been his best man.
Now dead.
The reporter continued.
"The victim was discovered in the area where a private wedding ceremony recently took place. Police have not yet released the full circumstances surrounding his death."
Adeline covered her mouth.
"Oliver…"
Davies stared at the screen.
His expression was empty.
Jarvis looked at him.
Davies couldn't speak.
The reporter continued.
"Investigators are currently examining whether this death is connected to the recent series of murders. Police have not officially confirmed a connection, but the same letters and wedding rings were found at the scene"
Adeline recognized the words "My Dee", horrified, she turned to stare at Davies
Hawthorne stood behind them.
His eyes remained on the television.
Then Adeline's phone vibrated.
She looked down.
One new message.
No number.
She opened it.
A photograph appeared.
Oliver.
And beneath it:
ONE MORE.
Adeline's hands began to shake.
Davies took the phone from her.
Hawthorne looked at the photograph.
His expression became serious.
"This isn't random."
Jarvis looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Hawthorne stared at the message.
"He wants you to know that Oliver was only part of the game."
"I'm sorry about your loss Mr Davies, but I'm glad I met all three of you ; you need to be questioned "
Davies looked at him.
He knew he couldn't escape this time
"Then who's next?" Jarvis asked
Hawthorne didn't answer.
somewhere back in London, the killer watched the news report.
Then smiled.
The game was far from over.