Gemotions

The flickering candlelight illuminated the cramped, cluttered apartment. Rain hammered against the window, mirroring the tempest within him. He clutched the crumpled notebook, the cover stained with what looked suspiciously like coffee. It was hers, he recognized the messy scrawl instantly. He was a detective, he saw the patterns, he could solve this mystery.

He'd found it tucked inside her favourite book. "See the Taj Mahal." He, a detective, was supposed to protect her. "Learn to code." He felt a searing pang. He'd thought he knew her.

He felt like he was falling. The apartment seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. He felt… exposed. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his trembling hands. A single word echoed in his mind, over and over, “why?”