Chapter 4: The Break-In

I called Jake several times, but still got nothing. His phone rang and rang—no text, no callback. Worry started to gnaw at me.

I tried his house. His mom said he’d come home last night, but got a call early in the morning and rushed out, skipping breakfast—strange for Jake. It was almost Christmas. What could be so urgent?

I paced in my living room, glancing at the snow falling outside. Maybe he crashed at a buddy’s, but something felt wrong.

Thinking about it, I headed back to my building. The cold bit through my jacket, but my mind was spinning with questions.

Downstairs, I saw flashing police lights and a crowd outside my apartment building. Blue and red lights bounced off the windows. Neighbors clustered together, murmuring, two cops by the entrance, radios crackling.

I got a bad feeling and hurried over. I ducked under the yellow tape, flashing my ID, scanning the crowd. Mrs. Ramirez from 2B wrung her hands, old Mr. Donovan shook his head. The sense of unease got sharper.

The old man from downstairs shuffled over in his slippers. "Hey Ryan, you’re back. There was a break-in last night. You’d better go check if anything’s missing from your place." He patted my arm, concern in his eyes. My heart pounded in my ears as I sprinted up the stairs, every step echoing with dread. I sprinted for my apartment, one thought screaming in my head—someone knew about the gold, and they weren’t finished with me yet.