The rain hit the window in relentless waves, its noise a constant presence in the background of Elise Harper's cluttered office. She leaned back in her chair, glancing at the stack of papers piled high on her desk—an assortment of half-formed thoughts, forgotten details, and unfinished interviews. The flickering light above her did little to ease the mounting tension. This wasn't just another case. Something about this story had sunk deep into her bones, something she couldn't explain, but couldn't shake.
Elise had been a journalist for over a decade, and she had seen her fair share of disappearances. Women gone missing, no trace left behind, their lives swallowed by the city. But the case of Mia Rutherford felt different. Mia, the latest name in a chilling pattern, had vanished without a word. The authorities were clueless, and now the Rutherford family, desperate and broken, had turned to Elise for answers.
Ten years. That was the unsettling connection between Mia and the other disappearances. Each woman had disappeared exactly ten years apart, from the same neighborhood—Langford Heights. Elise had spent the last few days diving through old reports, photos, and articles, but nothing explained the eerie symmetry. Why every ten years? Why this place?
Her phone buzzed, dragging her from her thoughts. It was a message from Greg, her editor.
"Elise, the Rutherford family wants to meet. They're desperate. Come first thing tomorrow. We need the story."
Elise sighed and massaged her temples. The weight of the case settled over her like a blanket of dread. She wasn't just writing a story now. She was stepping into something deeper, something that had been buried for years.