Ethan investigated the neighbours while Ivory was still in hospital.
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"So, you've seen nothing?" Ethan sighed when another lady who lived near Ivory shook her head.
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Ethan continued to question the neighbours about the stalker who had somehow managed to break into Ivory's house in broad daylight. But his hope started to fade when everyone denied having seen anything unusual.
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Ethan was about to return when a girl caught his eye. She looked barely out of her teens, and what grabbed Ethan's attention was the way she was looking at him: frustrated and scornful.
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Ethan took a step towards her, but she immediately turned her back to him, not bothering to hide the annoyance on her face.
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"Please wait for a moment", said Ethan.
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"What do you want?" the girl snapped back, her eyes narrowed and arms crossed across her chest.
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"Sorry for the inconvenience. Could you please help me?" asked Ethan.
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The girl raised an eyebrow. "If you want to ask me about the 'mysterious shadow' that appeared and then vanished, then I don't know anything about it", she said, making air quotes.
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Ethan approached slowly, smiling lightly at her attitude despite the situation. "And why do you think that I'm going to ask about that?"
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The girl shrugged casually. "It's obvious. You asked everyone about that; I heard a few conversations."
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"I see. What's your name?" asked Ethan.
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The girl narrowed her eyes again for a moment before answering simply, "Hazel."
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"And why were you looking at me like that, Hazel?" asked Ethan.
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"Like what?" she replied, annoyed.
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"You know what I mean- like you hate me or something", said Ethan.
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Hazel rolled her eyes. "It's because I don't like you", she said bluntly.
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"Why? You don't even know me-"
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Before Ethan could finish his sentence, she interrupted, "Because you're trying to find Mark's killer. He doesn't deserve justice!"
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"Why?" asked Ethan, confused.
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"Because that guy was a complete asshole, and he deserved what happened to him," she said and walked away, not sparing Ethan another look.
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Ethan didn't immediately pursue her, understanding that going after an edgy teenager right after the tense conversation won't help him get any information out of her.
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Instead, he began questioning other neighbours about something entirely different... About Mark's and Ivory's relationship, to get any hint of why Hazel hated Mark so much.
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He questioned almost everyone he could find, but most of their answers aligned closely, stating that they were a sweet couple, which even Ethan used to believe based on their relationship back in college. Ethan himself had seen this dynamic when they were in college together.
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But while he was questioning a middle-aged woman, she let something important slip unconsciously.
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"Heated moments?" Ethan raised an eyebrow.
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"Hm, though Mark was very charming and Ivory was so sweet, I have once or twice caught a glimpse of them arguing at the door", she said, pausing for a moment, thinking deeply. "Mark didn't like Ivory working overtime because it affected his sleep schedule. And he especially hated Ivory banging on the door late night. Once, Mark fell asleep, and Ivory had to bang the door for half an hour straight. Finally, when Mark opened the door, they had a heated argument."
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"Hmm... Did you see it yourself?" asked Ethan.
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"Yeah, I live next to Ivory, and sometimes I'd wake up because of her banging on the door. But apart from that, they were a really nice couple. Besides, Mark always waited for Ivory like a good husband", she replied
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"Mark always waited for her...", Ethan muttered to himself lost in thought when suddenly the looked up at the woman, his eyes slightly widening and mouth slightly parting as he realised something
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"Why did Ivory bang the door? Why not just use her own key?" asked Ethan
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"She told me she lost her key," said the woman
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"Do you know when she lost her key?" asked Ethan almost immediately.
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"I'm sorry. I don't know when exactly she lost her key", said the woman
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"Please try to remember ma'am. Any vague information would help me", said Ethan
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"I think... a month before Mark's death", she said thoughtfully, quickly adding "But I can't say for sure."
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Ethan replayed the conversation in his head when he first met Ivory after Mark's murder. She had told him that she unlocked the door herself while entering the house, which meant she had the key on the day of Mark's murder. So, when did she find the key back?
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"Do you remember the last time they fought over this, or anything you might have witnessed? Anything at all?" asked Ethan, desperation evident in his voice.
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"Umm... I can't say for sure, but I think maybe a week before the incident. I was woken up by Ivory knocking down the door when Mark fell asleep", she said.
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"A week ago...", Ethan muttered to himself. "Thank you for your help, ma'am", he said to the lady before walking back to his car.
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"Ivory lost the key a month before Mark's death... and she didn't get it back even a week before he died. But somehow, she had it on the day he was killed", Ethan muttered to himself, the thought nagging at him.
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Ethan drove to the hospital to meet Ivory. He entered and enquired about her, but was met by a nurse.
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"I'm sorry, sir. You can't meet Ms Ivory yet", said the nurse.
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"Why? Is she alright?", asked Ethan.
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"Yes, sir. She's not critical, but she's under observation", said the nurse.
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"But it's been nearly four hours now. What's the issue?" asked Ethan, this time more firmly.
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"She underwent a minor surgery, sir", said the nurse.
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"A minor surgery shouldn't take this long. Was she injured?" asked Ethan.
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"No, sir. I don't think she was badly injured, but her heartbeat was fading. Surgery has been completed, but the doctor said she shouldn't meet anyone right away, or it may trigger trauma", said the nurse.
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"Can you give me the exact reports?" asked Ethan.
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"I'm sorry, sir, I can't. You can ask Dr. Natalie later", said the nurse, her voice shaking slightly under Ethan's gaze.
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"Why later? I want to meet her now", said Ethan, narrowing his eyes.
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"She's very tired after the surgery. Besides, she was really worried. You can meet her in a few hours", said the nurse.
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"Fine then, I'll come back later," Ethan said, and he turned to walk away, but paused, looking back, "You said she didn't have any injuries or wounds, right?"
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"Y-yes, sir", said the nurse.
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"No cuts or wounds? Nothing at all?" Ethan asked, his voice sharp.
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"I don't know all the details", the nurse replied, swallowing hard. "She was unconscious when they brought her here."
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Ethan turned to face the nurse again, looking directly into her eyes.
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"But you said she wasn't injured. Did you see her yourself?" asked Ethan.
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The nurse shifted uncomfortably, clutching her hands together.
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"Yes, sir, I did see her. But she was taken to the operating room immediately, which is why I don't know the details."
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Ethan nodded slowly, a deep frown etched on his face. He turned and walked away, the unspoken questions still hanging in the air.
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Ethan drove back to Ivory's house, but he didn't go in. Instead, he stayed in his car, pulling out a suitcase that was always kept there. As a detective, he had a whole month of experience, skills, and gear ready for whatever came his way.
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Ethan made a call to a number he had stored, requesting a check on Ivory's phone locations for the whole month before the murder. He began to see patterns, knowing that he didn't need hourly data, just the overall picture would suffice for now.
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Under normal circumstances, this task would have taken days. But over the past five years, Ethan had built a solid network of contacts, and he knew exactly who to call.
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Within a few hours, he had the data he requested, but it wasn't very helpful. It simply replayed the same story everyone had told: Ivory went to the office and came back late, just as she had said. Nothing seemed unusual. Everything was, in a word, perfect. Too perfect.
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Meanwhile, the police continued their own investigation. They questioned Mark's colleagues, and others who worked in the theatre and Ivory's colleagues as well, to determine if any of them had connections to the stalker.
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Ethan used his influence and authority to gain the trust of the police force, and made them share their investigation data with him. They respected his intellect and past accomplishments. And Ethan was hired by Ivory herself which also made it look like some sort of obligation. Besides, the pressure was growing, and the police, desperate to solve the case, were eager to find the solution quickly.
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The police shared their investigation reports with Ethan. No one seemed suspicious, as everyone had proof of their whereabouts, their activities, and who they had contacted.
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The police had also checked who had been contacted by both Mark's and Ivory's colleagues in the last two days and if there was anything suspicious about that but that didn't help either.
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Nothing seemed out of place, apart from one small detail. Mark's colleagues were more familiar with Ivory because she often visited him at the theatre. In contrast, Ivory's own colleagues didn't have much information about her personal life, they said that she was mostly quiet and didn't talk much.
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Neither the police nor Ethan found anything disturbing at either of the workplaces. No one who knew Mark or Ivory had left their office that morning. The locations of all their colleagues were confirmed by their coworkers and the essential attendance data kept by the office. This meant that none of them could be the stalker, because the stalker had appeared that same morning while they were all still at work.
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It was too dark by the time Ethan visited the hospital again. This time, he was able to meet Ivory, and a police officer accompanied him.
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"Hey... are you feeling better now?" Ethan asked gently.
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"Yeah, I feel much better now", Ivory replied, smiling slightly. Her voice was still a little hoarse.
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Ethan sat beside her. "Ivory, can you tell me what happened today?"
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Ivory nodded. "I was about to leave for the hospital when I spotted him in my front yard. I was too scared to think, so I ran back, dropping all my things while frantically trying to call you. In my panic, I didn't realize I'd left the door open. The last thing I saw was him closing the distance between us, and the next moment, everything went black. I can't even say for sure if he was walking towards me way too slowly or if my mind just played a trick on me."
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"Hmm... did you see his face?" Ethan asked.
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Ivory shook her head. "His face was covered; even his head was covered."
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"I understand. Get some rest and let me know if you need anything", Ethan said softly. "I'll go see the doctor", he said, heading toward Dr. Natalie's office. The police officer followed behind him.
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In Dr. Natalie's Office :
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"What exactly happened to her?" Ethan asked. The officer stood behind him, jotting down every detail.
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"Her heart stopped for a while, and she was lucky to be brought in just in time. She also underwent a minor surgery", the doctor said.
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"You said it was a minor surgery, but it took more than nine hours?" Ethan asked, narrowing his eyes.
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"No, the surgery was completed long before that. But given the trauma and shock she was in, it was important for us to keep her under observation. She was not in any condition to meet anyone- especially to answer any questions", the doctor said calmly.
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"Did she have any other injuries, like a cut or a wound?" Ethan asked.
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"No, she didn't have any significant injuries. She likely panicked and passed out, hitting her head in the process. Thankfully, her head wasn't seriously injured", Dr. Natalie said.
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"So, he didn't hurt her. Why, then, did he show up in broad daylight? Wasn't that too big a risk to take?" Ethan thought to himself.
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"Can you discharge Ivory?" asked Ethan.
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"I'm sorry, I can't. She needs to be under observation for at least one or two weeks," Dr. Natalie answered.
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"Why? Wasn't that a minor surgery?" Ethan asked.
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"Yes, it was", she said calmly. "But given the circumstances under which all of this happened, getting back to the same place immediately may trigger memories or trauma. That's why she needs to be under observation. Besides, her heart condition has worsened over time and it's important for her to feel safe in such a sensitive situation", Dr. Natalie said.
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Ethan sighed partially agreeing with her.
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"I understand. I'll visit her tomorrow", said Ethan.
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Natalie nodded and Ethan walked outside along with the officer.
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Outside the hospital :
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"Ethan, do you think there's any chance this 'stalker' isn't real, but just a made-up excuse?" the officer asked.
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Ethan sighed thoughtfully, as if fighting an internal turmoil. "I saw him myself last night, outside Ivory's window. It wasn't a clear face-just a silhouette. It was faint, but I'm sure someone was there. And he just disappeared in a few minutes."
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"He disappeared?" asked the officer confused.
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"Yeah, kindof. When I wasn't looking. He was way too fast, almost like he wasn't human", sighed Ethan.
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"It doesn't really makes sense. If this stalker wanted to hurt her, he has the perfect chance. But he didn't touch her. Not a scratch. Just stood there and vanished?" said the officer.
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"I think he wanted to show us his power and presence by appearing like that in broad daylight. And that certainly shows his confidence and precision to pull off something like without anyone noticing or leaving a trace", said Ethan pausing for a second before continuing, "Or it could be worse... Maybe the stalker knows her. It could be someone from the past who's obsessed with her or maybe someone we're missing yet."
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"So, you're implying that it could be someone we haven't investigated yet?" the officer asked.
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"Yes, there are too many people. Neighbors, many colleagues... hell, even friends we don't know about", Ethan said.
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"Then we cut the list down", the officer replied. "Start with those who live close enough to appear and disappear without anyone noticing."
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Ethan nodded and both went on their respective ways.
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Next day :
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Ethan visited Ivory in the hospital. He sat beside her.
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"Hey, how are you feeling?" Ethan asked softly.
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"Better", replied Ivory, smiling.
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"If you feel something off, you can tell me. I'm here to help you", Ethan said, smiling back at her.
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"I know. Thank you, Ethan", replied Ivory.
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After talking for a few more minutes, they were both at peace when Ethan casually spoke out of nowhere.
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"So, when did you find the key back?"
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: IF YOU LIKE THE STORY SO FAR, PLEASE CONSIDER ADDING IT TO YOUR LIBRARY SO THAT YOU DON'T LOSE IT.🎀❣️ AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, THOUGHTS OR JUST WANT TO CHAT ABOUT THE STORY (OR ANYTHING WRITING-RELATED), YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DROP A MESSAGE. I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. 💓❤️❤️
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and then Add to home screen.