"I have searched the main building, but it was a dead end, including all the secret passages."
"The Dorm has no secret rooms either."
"We have searched everywhere."
Officer Chen let out a frustrated sigh as he and the two investigators regrouped in the compound—the empty stretch of cobblestone between the three main buildings of the orphanage.
The rain had finally stopped, leaving the ground slick and dark, puddles glistening under a sky still heavy with clouds.
The sun had yet to reveal itself, making everything look gray and dull.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The air was thick with the sound of dripping water from the eaves and the faint rustle of wet leaves.
Angelia stood with her arms crossed, her face cold as stone, while Acosta glanced toward the gates with a distant frown, as if half-expecting to see the missing children walk back on their own.
