I was on a date, and he was so sweet. When the bill came, the waitress looked at him and said, “Sir, your card was declined.” He turned pale. I smiled and paid. As we left, the waitress grabbed my arm and whispered…..

funds.’

There were two words…

RUN NOW

Clara folded the receipt, slid it into her wallet, and walked out the door, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Elias spotted her and stopped pacing, lowering his phone. He offered that same soft, pale smile that had once seemed sweet, but now, in the cold light of the street, it felt razor-sharp. He patted his pocket, checking something other than a wallet.

Maya’s frantic scrawl was right. The archivist was a ghost, all right, and he was taking her