A Detail That Changed Everything
I paused, running my fingers slowly across the newly exposed area.
That’s when I noticed it.
The surface beneath the wood didn’t feel like part of the tree at all.
It was smoother. Cooler. Deliberate.
Officer Trent leaned in closer, eyes narrowing. “That’s not natural,” he said.
Elena lowered her camera, suddenly serious. “Are you saying someone put something in there?”
I didn’t answer right away.
Because the thought had just crossed my mind — and it changed everything.