The office was quiet except for the low hum of the surveillance monitors. It was close to midnight, and most of the staff had gone home hours ago, but Alex was still there, his sleeves rolled up, his tie discarded on the desk beside his untouched cup of coffee. His jaw was tight as he leaned closer to the screen in front of him. The footage from the park played back in muted tones, it was grainy but clear enough to make his pulse slow and heavy.
There was Lynn, sitting on a bench, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She looked peaceful, almost too peaceful, like she was trying to remember what normal felt like. Two of his men stood at a distance, scanning the area, always on alert.
Then, just a few seconds into the video, Alex noticed it, there was movement behind the line of trees near the playground. A figure blurred by distance, half-hidden in the shadows. whoever it was stood there for a few seconds, just watching. Watching Lynn.
Alex's hand clenched into a fist.
