Part 2The Fake Ambulance Took My Fiancé

That night, back at the hotel, I had just finished reporting to headquarters and was settling in for the night when my phone vibrated. The group chat again.

It was Carol Perkins, the same downstairs owner. This time, she posted a video.

It was recorded from her balcony, and you could clearly hear a man and a woman laughing. The wind distortion made the audio scratchy, but the words were horrifyingly clear.

The man’s voice, a low chuckle: “Got you. Call me Daddy.”

Then the woman’s cooing, theatrical voice: “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy…”

What followed was a sharp, drawn-out shriek, then a series of breathless, unmistakable sounds. The video cut off abruptly with the sound of Carol screaming an obscenity.

The group chat exploded.

[CarolPerkins]: Still going to tell me no one is home? What’s this, then? A ghost?

[Mr.Singh]: Kids these days are wild.

[BrodieJ]: I've heard this for days! It’s driving me nuts! So obsessed with being a "Daddy"? Go adopt ten kids from a foster home!

[Mrs.Kim]: Call the police. Say someone’s running an illegal business up there. Let the cops teach them a lesson.

Defeated, I posted my live location to the group, adding: “I promise, I am still out of town. I’m having a friend check the unit immediately.”

That seemed to calm the other owners, but Carol was still furious. “If I find out who you are, I’m putting this on YouTube. I’ll make you famous.”

I called my best friend, Kira Ashford. “Kira, can you do me a favor? Can you check my apartment? See if Holden is there.”

Kira sounded winded, probably out on one of her late-night runs. “Sure, I’ll head over now. What is this, a post-mortem check? Worried Holden’s cheating?”

I didn't know how to answer. I couldn't say it aloud.

Kira paused, then laughed. “Relax. I’ll keep an eye on him. Don’t worry.”

Half an hour later, Kira called back. “Holden’s definitely not there. But, Tracy, does your downstairs neighbor have a screw loose? When I was leaving, she was practically glued to your front door, trying to look through the peephole. She scared the hell out of me.”

She scoffed. “She even muttered something at me—called me some kind of cheap tramp. Honestly, people are insane. Watch out for her, Tracy. She’s unhinged.”

After Kira hung up, I realized I’d forgotten to ask her to check the camera plug.