You’re Already Late

The hallway felt different now.

It wasn’t the same quiet anymore.

It was heavier. Watching. Waiting.

Ira stood still, phone in her hand, her eyes fixed ahead, but her mind was somewhere else entirely.

Unknown: Turn around.

The message still glowed on her screen.

Her fingers tightened slightly around the phone.

This was stupid.

Completely stupid.

And yet… her instincts weren’t letting it go.

Slowly, carefully, Ira turned.

Her partner stood a few steps away, talking to one of the officers. Calm. Normal. Exactly how he always was.

Nothing unusual.

Nothing threatening.

Nothing… wrong.

And that was the problem.

Too normal.

Her phone buzzed again.

Unknown: See?

Ira’s jaw clenched.

Ira: There’s nothing.

Unknown: Exactly.

Her brows furrowed.

Ira: Stop playing games.

Unknown: I’m not the one playing.

A pause.

Ira looked back at her partner. He laughed at something the officer said, completely unaware.

Or pretending to be.

Her grip tightened.

Ira: If you’re trying to mess with my investigation, you picked the wrong person.

Unknown: If I wanted to mess with you, Detective…

You wouldn’t even know where to start.

She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to stay calm.

Control the situation. Don’t react.

Ira: Then explain.

Three dots appeared.

Paused.

Then disappeared.

Then appeared again.

He was doing that on purpose.

Making her wait.

Making her think.

Unknown: You’re already late.

Her heart skipped.

Ira: Late for what?

No reply.

Her patience snapped.

Ira: Answer me.

Still nothing.

“Everything okay?” her partner’s voice cut in suddenly.

Ira looked up.

He was right in front of her now.

Closer than before.

Watching her.

For a second—just a second—she noticed something off.

Not his expression.

Not his posture.

His timing.

He walked up… exactly when the messages stopped.

Too perfect.

“Ira?” he repeated.

She blinked, snapping out of it.

“Yeah. Just checking something.”

He glanced at her phone briefly. “Work already following you home?”

“Something like that.”

He didn’t push.

Just nodded.

“Report’s almost ready. You should take a look.”

“Send it.”

He gave a small smile. “Always this serious?”

“Always.”

For a moment, everything felt normal again.

Almost.

Her phone buzzed.

She didn’t look immediately.

Didn’t want to give anything away.

But curiosity won.

Slowly, she glanced down.

Unknown: He’s good.

A chill ran through her.

Ira: What does that mean?

Unknown: Better than I expected.

Her heartbeat slowed… then sharpened again.

Ira: You’re watching him?

Unknown: I’m watching you.

That answer didn’t help.

It made it worse.

Ira: Why?

This time, the reply came instantly.

Unknown: Because you don’t see what’s right in front of you.

Ira’s eyes lifted again, landing on her partner.

He was turned away now, flipping through his notes.

Normal.

Still normal.

Too normal.

Ira: Then tell me what I’m missing.

A pause.

Longer than before.

Then

Unknown: Not yet.

Her frustration spiked.

Ira: You don’t get to decide that.

Unknown: I already did.

She almost laughed.

Almost.

Ira: You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?

Unknown: More than you think.

Ira: You’re insane.

Unknown: And yet… I’m the only one helping you.

That hit harder than she expected.

Because it was true.

She hated that it was true.

Ira walked out into the hallway, needing some space, air, distance from both the case and the conversation.

But neither followed her.

The silence was worse.

Her phone buzzed again.

She stopped walking.

Didn’t open it immediately.

Something about this message felt… different.

Heavier.

Like it mattered more.

Slowly, she unlocked her screen.

Unknown: Check the time.

Her brows pulled together.

Ira: Why?

No reply.

Annoyed, she glanced at the clock on the wall.

9:42 PM.

Ira: What about it?

The reply came instantly.

Unknown: Remember it.

Her chest tightened slightly.

Ira: You’re not making any sense.

Three dots appeared.

Stopped.

Appeared again.

Then,

Unknown: You’ll understand soon.

Ira’s patience snapped.

Ira: Stop talking in riddles and just—

Her message froze mid-type.

A sudden loud noise echoed from inside the apartment.

A crash.

Followed by shouting.

Ira spun around instantly.

Her partner’s voice.

Sharp.

Alert.

“Ira!”

Her heart dropped.

The phone slipped slightly in her grip as adrenaline kicked in.

She ran.

Straight back toward the apartment.

Her mind racing—

What just happened?

What did she miss?

What did HE know?

Her phone buzzed again.

But she didn’t stop.

Didn’t check.

Didn’t think.

Not until she reached the door.

Not until she saw the chaos inside.

Not until everything changed.

And only then—

her phone buzzed again.

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