Chapter 2: The Boy Who Knew Too Much

Adaeze stared at the young man, trying to decide whether he was joking.

"You know who wrote this letter?"

He pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down without waiting for permission.

"My name is Michael."

"Adaeze."

He nodded.

"I know."

She frowned.

"You know my name too?"

"You signed your library register when you came in."

She let out a small laugh.

"For a second, I thought you were stalking me."

Michael smiled faintly.

"If I were, I'd have done a terrible job."

The tension eased.

Adaeze slid the letter across the table.

"So... tell me."

He looked at the envelope for several seconds before speaking.

"I've seen this handwriting before."

"Where?"

"In an old diary."

Adaeze leaned forward.

"What diary?"

"My grandfather's."

Silence settled between them.

"My grandfather was once a lecturer in this university," Michael continued.

"He retired years ago."

"He kept diaries about almost everything that happened on campus."

"And one name appeared repeatedly..."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"Grace."

Adaeze's heartbeat quickened.

"The same Grace?"

"I think so."

"Who was she?"

Michael sighed.

"I don't know everything."

"But according to Grandpa..."

"Grace disappeared."

Adaeze blinked.

"Disappeared?"

"Nobody knew where she went."

"Some people believed she dropped out."

"Others said her family relocated."

"There were even rumours that she died."

Adaeze felt goosebumps spread across her arms.

"And Daniel?"

Michael slowly shook his head.

"Grandpa never wrote much about him."

Adaeze folded the letter carefully.

"I can't stop thinking about this."

Michael smiled.

"Neither could I."

"So..."

"What if we find out what really happened?"

She stared at him.

"You mean investigate?"

"Exactly."

Adaeze laughed.

"Like detectives?"

"Why not?"

She looked at the old envelope again.

Maybe it was curiosity.

Maybe it was destiny.

Whatever it was...

She couldn't walk away.

"I'm in."

Later that afternoon...

They returned the book to the shelf where Adaeze had found it.

As Michael slid it back into place...

Another folded piece of paper fell out.

Both of them froze.

"It can't be..."

Michael bent down.

Unlike the first letter...

This paper contained only one sentence.

Written in red ink.

"If you found the first letter... don't look for me."

Adaeze's face went pale.

"Someone knew another person would find it."

Michael swallowed hard.

"...Or someone is still watching."

Without realizing it...

Someone across the library shelves quietly closed a book and walked away.