Chapter 5

At 8:03 a.m., across the city in Lincoln Park, a brass key turned in the apartment lock.

Evan pushed the door open, carrying a brown paper bag of fresh croissants from the bakery around the corner.

"Claire?" he called out, stepping into the entryway. "I'm back. Traffic on the expressway was brutal."

No sound answered him.

The hallway was bare and dead silent.

Her long camel wool coat was missing from the wooden rack by the door.

Evan frowned, setting the bakery bag on the console table.

"Claire?"

He walked down the short corridor into the master bedroom.

The bed…