Victor_graves

Synopsis

Detective Elias Mercer, known as ‘Mercy’ for his angelic demeanor, hides a mind as sharp as a blade and a heart as cold as the cases he solves. A former journalist framed and cast out, he now walks the thin line between justice and obsession, unraveling the city’s darkest secrets one case at a time.

When Adrian Holt, a man seemingly swallowed by the shadows, vanishes without a trace, Elias is dragged into a mystery far deeper than he anticipated. His only lead? Evelyn Drake—a woman who speaks in riddles and keeps secrets like currency. As Elias peels back the layers of deception, a familiar name resurfaces from his past: Nathaniel Voss, a phantom figure lurking behind countless crimes, always just out of reach.

With each step forward, the case tightens around him, drawing him into a web of corruption, fear, and a truth far more sinister than murder. The deeper Elias digs, the more he realizes—some ghosts aren’t meant to be found, and some truths are buried for a reason.

But Elias Mercer doesn’t believe in walking away.

And this time, the darkness is watching back.

Elias mercer: mercy in the shadows

Elias Mercer approached the corner booth, his steps measured, his expression unreadable. Evelyn Drake watched him over the rim of her glass, her dark red lips curling into an amused smile. She was the kind of woman who carried secrets like perfume—subtle yet lingering, leaving an impression long after she was gone.

He slid into the seat across from her. "You've been watching me."

She tilted her head, considering him. "And you've been watching me watch you. I suppose that makes us even."

Elias smirked. "I don't like games."

"That's a shame." She took a slow sip of her drink. "Because this city? It's nothing but games. You just have to know how to play."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Tell me about Adrian Holt."

Evelyn let the silence stretch between them before setting her glass down with a soft clink. "Holt was... careful. Too careful. He came here often, but he never got drunk, never let himself be vulnerable. He was always looking over his shoulder, like a man waiting for something—or someone."

"Waiting for what?" Elias pressed.

"That's the thing, Detective. I don't think he even knew." She traced the rim of her glass with one slender finger. "But the night he disappeared? He was different. He was nervous. More than usual. He kept checking the time, kept glancing at the door. Then, just before midnight, he got up—like he saw something. Or someone. And then he was gone."

Elias frowned. "You didn't see him leave?"

"No. But I saw the look on his face before he vanished." Her voice dropped lower, just above a whisper. "It was fear. Pure, unfiltered fear."

The words settled over them like a heavy fog. Elias had seen fear before—on victims, on criminals, on men who knew they were about to die. But the kind of fear that made a man disappear into thin air? That was something else entirely.

He studied Evelyn for a moment. "You're not telling me everything."

She met his gaze, unflinching. "Maybe not. But I've told you enough to make you curious. And curiosity? That's the only thing more dangerous than fear."

Elias exhaled through his nose, pushing back from the table. "I'll be in touch."

Evelyn's lips curled into that knowing smirk again. "I'm counting on it, Detective."

As Elias stepped out of the bar, the night air hit him like a slap. The city's hum was quieter now, the fog thickening around streetlights like ghosts lingering in the dark. He had more questions than answers, but one thing was clear—whatever Adrian Holt had been afraid of, it had finally caught up to him.

And Elias had a feeling he was next on its list.

Whispers in the Dark