Chapter Nineteen – Detective Shaw

The woman in the photo was unmistakable.

Allie Thorn. Former psychiatric case worker. Reported missing for seven weeks—presumed abducted.

Except she wasn't missing.

She was active. Mobile. Leaving fingerprints on places long after they were supposed to be clean.

The motel manager confirmed she checked in under an alias: Marla King.

"Stayed two nights," he said. "Paid in cash. Real polite, but… strange."

"Strange how?"

"She never spoke. Just smiled like she knew everything."

Shaw filed the interview.

His gut twisted.

Every instinct screamed this wasn't a split-personality case anymore.

This was something worse.