The precinct was quieter at this hour, the hum of computers and the occasional shuffle of paperwork the only sounds filling the space. Elias Vaughn sat at his desk, half-buried in old files, his sharp eyes scanning faded ink and yellowed photographs with a patience honed over years. Cold cases—each one a life left unresolved, a truth buried beneath time’s indifference.

He barely looked up when Captain Harris entered, but the moment the man stopped beside his desk, Elias knew. A new case. Another ghost demanding to be unearthed.

“You’ve got a new partner,” Harris said, dropping a folder in front of him.

Elias exhaled slowly, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. He’d worked alone for years, and he liked it that way. Less interference, fewer distractions. Yet, before he could protest, Harris continued, “She’s sharp. A transfer. Give her a chance.”

He didn’t argue, just picked up the file, flipping it open. His gaze landed on the name first, then the photograph. Something about her face made his fingers still, an odd familiarity stirring at the edge of his mind. But the thought was fleeting, dismissed as quickly as it came.

Minutes later, footsteps approached. When Elias finally looked up, his new partner stood before him—steady, professional, unreadable. She met his gaze without hesitation, her expression composed, but something flickered in her eyes. Something almost like recognition.

Elias said nothing at first, just studied her, the way he did with every stranger he intended to understand. Then, with a sharp nod, he shut the file and rose to his feet.

“Let’s go,” he said, grabbing his coat.

There was a case waiting for them. And neither of them knew just how deeply it would unravel the past.