Officer Collins peered inside. The sight of frozen meat and chicken wings seemed to ease the tension in his brow. He slowly closed the freezer and turned to me with a half-smile. “No need to stock up so much. Fresh food is healthier, you know.”
I let out a nervous laugh. "My salary doesn’t stretch far, so I save where I can.”
Officer Collins chuckled lightly before his face turned serious again. "He probably called his lover before he ran off. It’s likely that your husband left with his mistress.”
The tension in my chest eased, allowing me a brief moment of relief.
However, Officer Collins’s gaze hardened again. "Of course, we can’t rule out foul play, either. It’s strange that there’s been no trace of him.”
My heart raced again and I feigned disbelief. "Homicide? That’s impossible! He didn’t have enemies. Who would want to harm him?”
Officer Collins’s lips curled into a knowing smile. "Well, if anything unusual comes up, be sure to notify us or call 911 right away.”
After a pause, he spoke, "We may have to come back again. I trust you’ll cooperate with the investigation, right?”
I nodded quickly. “Of course. Thank you for your service, Officer Collins.”
After the officers left, I pressed my ear to the door, listening intently to the fading sound of their footsteps. Only when I was sure they were gone, I grabbed a stool and rushed to the window to peer outside, careful not to make a sound.
Through a narrow slit, I watched them leave. But, as Officer Collins neared the building entrance, he suddenly stopped. His eyes turned toward my window like a hawk spotting its prey.
I gasped and ducked down, my heart pounding in my chest.
I waited, counting the seconds. When I finally dared to look again, the officers were turning the corner, their figures disappearing from view.
I stepped off the stool, my legs shaking beneath me.
My gaze drifted toward the old freezer in the corner. Thoughts races through my mind, but I stood there, unable to move, lost in the stillness of the room.
