Chapter One

The soft jazz music was playing gingerly in the background while the wind went on howling outside, carrying with it the heavy drops of rain, which hit the glass window with a barely audible sound. The local cozy diner, Othello, was wrapped in the warmth of its orange light, which was  reflected on dozens of book covers, neatly  placed on thick wooden shelves. The diner was quiet and empty but for three people. The first of them is Marcus Baker, a man in his forties with salt and pepper hair, blue eyes, and a well-built body, who is also the owner of the diner and currently the only one working the night shift. The second person is Emily Olsen, a frequent to the diner mainly because she owns the antique shop across the street. She had her short black hair pulled in a ponytail, and her wide green eyes were further enhanced by the thick black mascara she used. The third person was a man, a stranger to the previous two, clad in a black coat and a matching hat. His eyes were focused on the heavy rain drops as they cascaded down the glass window.

Marcus took confident steps towards Emily while skilfully holding her cup of coffee in hand, the second so far. "I'm not used to seeing you this late around here" he noted with a friendly smile then placed the cup of coffee on the table. 

"I think I just didn't want to stay home" she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "It just didn't feel right." her tone thickened with the loneliness she felt, something that Marcus caught on. Emily has been alone for the longest of time, never has she complained, but tonight after she closed up the shop and went home, she felt the house unwelcoming. The quietness she enjoyed became intolerable and suddenly she felt extremely lonely. So she drove herself back to 'Othello', the place that has become one of her favorite places since she moved to the small town of Oddville, Washington. 

Marcus only nodded, "I know these days way too well." They exchanged another polite smile and he went back to the counter. Marcus and Emily formed a tentative friendship over the course of the past six months since she moved to the town. They would talk when she came for coffee; the first time was when he asked her if she was new to the town, and indeed she had been. Their conversation drifted to how life is different in Chicago and how he used to live there a few years ago. It was a mundane talk, but it was an opener to their developing friendship. 

It was a few minutes after 10.00 pm when the man in the black coat shifted ever so slightly in his seat with his face only half turned in Emily's way. She was sipping her coffee unaware; it was a minute or maybe slightly more before he had turned away, back to staring at the transparent glass of the window. The creaking noise of the door was heard loudly, and Marcus peaked from where he stood at the counter to see who the newest visitor was for that shift that didn't seem to end.

A man with light brown hair and forest green eyes entered. He was wearing a grey coat, but the second he entered he took it off shrugging away the rain. After he had hanged the coat, Marcus walked to him with a surprised, but radiant smile, "Liam Corrigan" both men hugged with loud pats on the back.

"The one and only" Liam said pulling away with a smile and a tilt of his head.  "How are you Marcus, it's been a while"

Marcus chuckles and nodded his head, "a while indeed. I think a year, maybe even more"

Liam patted Marcus shoulder, "I think you're right, and because it has been a year I really need that wicked cup of coffee of yours"

Emily watched the whole scene unfold in front of her. Liam Corrigan was not one of her favorite people. She still remembered him from when she was thirteen; the couple of years she had lived here before moving with her mother, Liam Corrigan had made her life a living hell. It had been over ten years since she last saw him, but she didn't dislike him any less. She couldn't help but note how handsome he had become, more so than how used to be. She turned her head away from the two guys, part of her was worried that Liam would recognize her but then the other part convinced her that he wouldn't even remember. Do bullies remember the girls they turned their life to hell? She questioned and the answer came clear to her, 'Definitely not!'

"Olsen? Emily Olsen, is that you?" Liam took careful steps to her table, his voice cheerful indicating some long lost friendship Emily wasn't aware existed. When he made sure it was her, he rushed her way, "Oh God, it is you indeed. You grew up so much" His enthusiastic tone was overbearing to her ears at that moment, and she couldn't understand why was there such a change of attitude, and how he remembered her after all these years.

"Liam" She greeted with a forced smile. Against all her hopes and prayers she saw him grab a chair on her table and sitting down. She grimaced at the awkwardness, which seemed to be only felt by her.

"How do you guys know each other?" Marcus asked placing a cup of cappuccino in front of Liam, looking utterly confused at their interaction.

"Emily used to live here. I think she stayed for three or four years with her grandmother, and we went to the same school" Liam explained with his joyous attitude and sparkling smile. "We weren't absolutely friends but it's all in the past now" he turned to Emily with a challenging look, "Right Emily?"

Emily raised an eyebrow at him and a frown was placed on her face, perhaps a younger version of her would have let it go, be a pushover like she had always been, but she wouldn't let herself fall into that anymore. Liam took a sip from his cappuccino while looking at Emily from under his lashes with a knowing smile, which made her sigh, "Okay Liam, what you want? We weren't friends, we aren't now, and we are not going to be. So, what is it?"

"I have been out of town for over a year. When did you come back?" he asked completely ignoring her previous question. She glanced up ready to retort when her eyes fell on the man in black. Their eyes met and she saw the foggy green of his, and for a reason she couldn't understand she couldn't take her eyes of him, something was holding her back from turning away. Liam, however, took the silence as a sign to go on talking. "The family business in New York needed me, so I have been there mainly for the past year. I got married and got divorced. She was a good woman but there was too much nagging, for every single thing can you imagine? We stayed together for two years but they felt like a life time"

The sound of a loud thud was heard, but it was coming from the door. Marcus entered from the back of the diner with frantic terror drawn all over his face, "I need help…her…she needs help" His words interrupted Liam's tale and Emily stood up straight away shouting questions such as: what happened? What's going on? And who is she?" Liam was following her every move, and so when Marcus ran through the back of the diner once more Emily followed without a second thought dashing after him. They were both led by Marcus to the back alley where there in the rain laid a body of a young woman with the streetlight reflecting on her red hair.