Meet Me by Dawn (By Dawn series book 1) ✓

Chapter 10

Darkness crept up on me as I hid behind a large container, its cold surface pressing against my back. I loathed containers; they harbored an eerie darkness, a hollow void that seemed to conceal potential threats—a lurking presence ready to drag unsuspecting souls into the depths of oblivion. 

Too dramatic?

It appeared that the police station was undergoing some form of decluttering or renovation, making it vulnerable to intrusion, as Andrew had deemed. While Andrew and Jenny were preoccupied with their plans for Paris, I had Julie guiding me through my little mission.

"Whenever you're ready," Julie's voice murmured calmly through the earpiece. Peering cautiously beyond the container's edge, I surveyed the grounds. "The guard is in the office, engrossed in a movie on his laptop without headphones. His gun rests on the table beside him. You'll need to pass by the office to reach the door leading to the cellar," Julie instructed. I knew the file room awaited me in the cellar, which meant I had to get out the way I got in. This process had proven both complex and surprisingly straightforward on previous occasions.

"Why haven't they digitized everything?" I muttered in frustration.

"Small towns," Julie sighed. Despite only meeting Julie twice in person, her presence had been a constant reassurance during my operations. With her black bob and deep brown eyes, she possessed a great intellect, a vital asset to Andrew's tech team, and not so surprising, the woman Jenny hated because she had sacked Andrew a few times. I couldn't blame him; she was drop dead gorgeous. "You're clear to move," she confirmed, though I awaited that unmistakable gut feeling.

"Are you joining agent 098 and 022 in Paris?" I inquired mischievously, sensing Julie's impatience.

"For heaven's sake, 048, move," Julie grumbled. "And yes," she added, conceding to my persistent questioning.

"Ever tasted a fresh French croissant?" I prodded, teasing her further. The raindrops began to fall lightly on my nose and I ran as Julie was flipping out on me, however her voice subsided as I moved between the trees. A single camera guarded the entrance.

"The camera is offline for ten seconds," Julie informed me. "And the doors are unlocked."

Lucky for us, the recent installation of electronically controlled doors simplified my break in, a weakness exploited by Andrew and Julie. Ascending the stairs, I cautiously pushed open the doors. "The entrance camera is disabled; proceed quickly," Julie urged. Hastening through the hallway, I bypassed the reception desk. "Oh, shit," Julie exclaimed, I took it as a cue to take cover. "The guard noticed the camera outage. He's checking; stay quiet—you're breathing loudly," Julie cautioned. I muffled my breath, listening intently as the guard's footsteps approached. With a sense of urgency, I darted forward as he ventured outside to investigate. Glancing over the countertop, he was merely a shadow down the hallway with his back to me, which allowed me to proceed unnoticed towards the door leading me downstairs.

"He's returning, 048," Julie whispered urgently as I rounded a corner, narrowly evading detection. "Open the door," I instructed, and like magic the lock clicked open, and I slipped inside. "Just another ordinary Thursday night," I remarked, attempting to ease the tension.

"Arrogant," Julie chuckled softly. "What exactly do you hope to uncover? Do you expect the police to harbor secrets regarding the victims?" she queried skeptically.

"I want to trace the locations where the victims were either discovered or died," I explained. I needed to revisit the crime scenes, correlate the evidence, and understand any patterns.

"Alright, Nancy Drew," Julie replied.

"These things have happened since the 60'and before," I said. "Someone has to figure it out." I looked up at the ceiling. "No camera's here, right?"