(1504 words)

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Michael got home just before sunset.

The folded piece of paper Nina had given him was still in his pocket.

Daniel Harper.

His mother's best friend.

The one person who supposedly understood Alicia better than anyone else.

On the way home, Michael had thought about the phone number the entire time.

Now he stood in the hallway, staring at it once again.

Part of him wanted to call immediately.

The other part wanted to wait.

Maybe because every answer he found only seemed to create new questions.

The voices coming from the kitchen pulled him back to reality.

Mark was sitting at the table with several papers spread out in front of him.

Leo stood nearby, drinking coffee.

The atmosphere was tense.

"What happened?" Michael asked.

Mark slid one of the papers across the table.

"The rent."

Michael glanced at it.

Another notice.

Another unpaid month.

Another mystery.

"I'm going to the police tomorrow," Mark said.

Michael pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Not yet."

Mark looked up immediately.

"What do you mean, 'not yet'?"

"We don't have enough information."

"I have enough information for me."

Michael shook his head.

"No."

Mark leaned back in his chair.

"Then tell me what's going on."

Michael hesitated.

He couldn't explain Nina.

He couldn't explain Daniel.

Not yet.

"I think I'm getting closer."

Mark stared at him.

"Closer to what?"

Michael looked down at the paper.

"The truth."

Nobody spoke for a moment.

Then Mark sighed.

"You've been saying that for weeks."

"I know."

"And what if you're wrong?"

Michael looked him in the eyes.

"I'm not."

The answer surprised even him.

Mark noticed it too.

For several long seconds, he simply studied Michael's face.

Then he nodded slowly.

"All right."

Michael blinked.

"All right?"

"You've got two more days."

Michael hadn't expected that.

"And then?"

Mark pointed at the letter.

"After that, I'm going to the police."

Michael nodded.

"That's fair."

Leo looked from one of them to the other.

"Did you find anything today?"

Michael stood up.

"Maybe."

That was all he said.

A few seconds later, he was in his room with the door closed behind him.

The folded paper was still in his hand.

Daniel Harper.

Slowly, he picked up his phone.

Then he pressed Call.

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Nothing.

Eventually, the call ended.

Michael tried again.

No answer.

He called once more.

Still nothing.

Finally, he left a short voicemail.

"Hello. My name is Michael Bennett. I'm trying to find my mother. Please call me back."

Then he waited.

Nothing happened.

The next morning, he tried again.

No answer.

Later that day.

Still nothing.

By evening, he was beginning to think the number was useless.

Then his phone rang.

An unknown number.

Michael stared at the screen.

Then he answered.

"Hello?"

A woman's voice replied.

"I have several missed calls from this number."

Michael sat up straighter.

"I'm looking for Daniel Harper."

Silence.

Not a long silence.

But a noticeable one.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Michael Bennett."

The silence returned.

This time, it lasted longer.

"How do you know Daniel?"

Michael hesitated.

Even in his own mind, the truth sounded strange.

"I'm trying to find my mother."

The woman didn't answer.

"My mother disappeared on June twenty-fifth."

Still nothing.

Then she spoke.

"Alicia Bennett?"

Michael froze.

His grip on the phone tightened.

"You know her?"

The woman ignored the question.

Instead, she asked one of her own.

"Has Alicia contacted you?"

Michael frowned.

"What?"

"Has Alicia contacted you?"

The answer came immediately.

"No."

"I haven't spoken to her since she disappeared."

The woman remained silent.

Michael could hear her breathing.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Sarah."

Another pause.

Michael's heart started beating faster.

"Do you know where Daniel is?"

Silence again.

Even longer this time.

"No."

Michael frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't know where he is."

The answer made no sense.

"Did he leave?"

"No."

"Then where is he?"

Sarah took a deep breath.

"I wish I knew."

Michael stood up and began pacing around the room.

Something felt wrong.

Very wrong.

"When was the last time you saw him?"

He heard her hesitate.

Then she answered.

"June twenty-sixth."

Michael stopped walking.

"The day after my mother disappeared."

"Yes."

Neither of them spoke.

His mind immediately began connecting the dates.

"What happened?"

Sarah gave a quiet laugh.

Not because anything was funny.

Because she sounded exhausted by the question.

"I don't know."

Michael sat down again.

"Did you report him missing?"

"Of course."

"To the police?"

"Yes."

"And?"

Sarah was silent for several seconds.

"Nothing."

The word felt heavy.

"They found his car," she said.

Michael listened carefully.

"They found his phone."

She paused.

"But there was no sign of Daniel."

A chill ran through his body.

The room suddenly felt smaller.

"Did Daniel know my mother well?"

Sarah laughed again.

This time, there was sadness in her voice.

"Better than anyone."

Michael looked down at the floor.

Everything Nina had told him suddenly felt even more important.

Daniel understood Alicia.

Daniel had been her closest friend.

Daniel disappeared one day after she did.

That couldn't be a coincidence.

Or could it?

"Why did you ask about Alicia?" Michael said.

The question hung between them.

Sarah didn't answer immediately.

When she finally spoke, her voice was much more cautious.

"The last time I spoke to Daniel..."

"...he told me something."

Michael waited.

"He told me that if anything ever happened to him..."

"...I should remember one name."

Michael's stomach tightened.

"What name?"

Silence.

Then—

"Alicia Bennett."

Neither of them spoke.

The words echoed inside Michael's mind.

Alicia Bennett.

His mother.

The woman everyone was searching for.

The woman who had disappeared.

And now...

The woman connected to another disappearance.

"Sarah..."

He stopped.

There were too many questions.

Too many possibilities.

Only one finally came out.

"What exactly did he tell you about her?"

Sarah hesitated.

"He didn't explain."

Michael waited.

"He only said that if anything happened to him..."

"...Alicia would be important."

Michael closed his eyes for a moment.

Nothing made sense anymore.

Then Sarah spoke again.

"There's something else."

Michael opened his eyes.

"What?"

Another pause.

"You're not the first person who called."

A cold feeling settled in his stomach.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean someone else was asking me questions before you."

His heart began beating faster.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

The answer came immediately.

"He never gave me his name."

Michael tightened his grip on the phone.

"What did he want?"

Sarah carefully chose her next words.

"He wasn't asking about Daniel."

Michael felt his stomach twist.

"He was asking about Alicia."

The room fell completely silent.

Because in that moment, Michael realized something.

He wasn't the only person looking for his mother.

And whoever that man was...

He had started looking for her much earlier.