Yvonne waved to Monica, started the car, and slowly pulled out of the driveway, disappearing into the night.


    She drove at a steady, unhurried pace.


    Bet sat silently in the passenger seat, his demeanor cool and distant. As streetlights flickered through the window, his handsome profile was cast in shifting shadows.


    The car finally stopped in front of Cherry Apartments.


    Outside vehicles weren''t allowed inside theplex, so Yvonne had to park by the curb.


    "We''re here. Have a good night, Mr. Thompson," Yvonne said, turning to him after putting the car in park.


    Bet looked back at her but made no move to get out.


    "Mr. Thompson...?" Yvonne''s voice wasced with confusion.


    "Aren''t you going to share the tea? Or did you want it all for yourself?" Bet asked suddenly.


    Yvonne stared at him nkly.


    Realization dawned, and she quickly turned, grabbed the tea bags from the back seat, and shoved them all toward him.


    Bet took only one bag, cing the rest back on the seat.


    "This is enough. If I take it all, Mrs. Jones will think I''m bullying you," he said. Holding the tea in one hand, he opened the door and got out with the other.


    Yvonne watched from the driver''s seat as his figure vanished from sight before starting the car and driving away.


    By the time she returned to her downtown apartment, it was already nine o''clock.


    After removing her makeup, showering, and putting on a face mask, she finallyy down in bed.


    She slept fitfully that night. It wasn''t exactly insomnia, but she was jolted awake twice for no apparent reason.


    Yvonne didn''t have work the next day and had nned to sleep in, but she was roused early in the morning by the urgent ringing of her phone.


    She rubbed her eyes, sat up, and reached for the phone on her nightstand.


    As soon as she answered, Sandra''s frantic voice came through.


    "Something''s happened to Hans! His parents just called me, begging


    for


    p. The tracked their location to the


    help.


    outskirts of the city, and I''m driving there now."


    "You''re going alone? What if it''s a


    trap? Send me the address, I''m


    my way Yvonne said, throwing off the covers and jumping out of bed.


    She quickly pulled on some clothes, grabbed her car keys, and rushed out the door.


    Sandra sent the address to her phone, and Yvonne sped toward the city''s edge.


    Both Yvonne and Sandra arrived at the hiding ce around the same time.


    It was a dpidated, noisy basement, shrouded in dim light.


    Hans'' parents, their faces ashen, were huddled in a tiny room, less than a hundred square feet, furnished with nothing but a simple table and a bed.


    Hansy motionless on the bed.


    "What''s wrong with Hans? Is he unconscious? Why isn''t he at a hospital?" Sandra rushed to


    bedside, het hand reaching out,


    worriedly to touch the boy.


    What she felt was a cold, stiff body.


    Only then did Sandra notice that Hans'' face waspletely drained of color. He wasn''t breathing.


    "Ah!" Sandra let out a piercing scream.


    Yvonne quickly reached out to steady her.


    Her time as a police officer had given Yvonne stronger nerves than Sandra. She walked to the bed and looked down at Hans.


    The boy''s skin was a pale, bluish-white, and his body was rigid. He had clearly been dead for some time.


    Yvonne''s expression turned grim, her gaze hardening as she turned to Hans'' parents. “What..... what exactly happened here?!"


    With her hair disheveled, Tracy could only cover her mouth and sob.


    Howard looked just as wretched, his clothes torn in ces, but he managed to retain someposure and tearfully recounted the events.