What begins as a routine review of a twenty-year-old murder spirals into an international chase for truth—and survival. One detective, one dead scientist, and secrets meant to stay buried.
Opening Paragraph:
Detective Claire Rivas had seen her share of dead ends. Cold cases were her specialty—not because she loved unsolvable puzzles, but because she hated loose ends. The file she opened that rainy Monday morning was yellowed at the edges and smelled faintly of mildew and resignation. Dr. Eugene Roth, an atomic scientist once celebrated in classified corridors, was found shot execution-style in his D.C. townhouse two decades earlier. No leads, no suspects, no fingerprints. Just a trail of erased files and a missing laptop. As Claire sifted through the case, something didn’t sit right. Roth’s research had been on non-proliferation—what possible motive could there be for silencing a peacemaker? A decrypted email hidden deep in an archived drive revealed a name she’d never heard but instantly knew spelled danger. Within forty-eight hours, Claire would find herself on a transatlantic flight, her badge tucked in her boot, and a burner phone buzzing with warnings. What she was chasing wasn’t justice anymore—it was survival.
Questions to Dive Deeper:
- What moral compromises should a detective make when national security is at stake?
- How do personal motivations and past traumas shape Claire’s pursuit of justice?
- Could Dr. Roth’s murder have been prevented, or was he always expendable in the eyes of power?