Methodically, Ethan Vance organized the files on his worn desk. Sunlight slanted through the dusty blinds, illuminating motes dancing in the air of his cramped office. His latest assignment felt like many others, a ghost hunt through someone’s past.
He opened a new folder, the name 'Aria Hayes' typed neatly on the tab. A recent photo, pulled from a social media profile, showed a smiling woman with intelligent eyes. She looked harmless.
His client, however, thought otherwise. A substantial upfront payment, delivered through an intermediary, hinted at deep pockets and an even deeper motive.
First, he pulled up public records. Birth certificates, old addresses, school transcripts. Aria Hayes, born in a small town upstate, moved to the city after college. Standard.
Scanning through property deeds and utility bills, a timeline began to form. Her residence history was unremarkable until a specific period.
Around four years ago, a gap appeared. A few months where her official paper trail thinned, almost vanished. No new leases, no updated employment records.
Curiosity pricked at him. Most people left a digital footprint, even a faint one. He cross-referenced local news archives from that period, searching for anything unusual, any small blip.
Nothing. Just a blank space in an otherwise clear record.
He leaned back in his creaking chair, steepling his fingers. The instructions were precise: focus on the time surrounding her child's birth. Leo Hayes, born almost exactly four years ago.
Coincidence? Ethan didn’t believe in them.
Switching tactics, he started digging into past employers. An old cafe where she’d worked part-time during college. A boutique where she was a sales associate.
He found a former colleague from the boutique, a woman named Chloe. Her number was still publicly listed from an old community event. He dialed.
Chloe answered, her voice bright. Ethan introduced himself as a researcher, working on a historical project about local businesses. He mentioned Aria’s name.