CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY - TWO - FALSE LEADS AND TWISTS

Anna debated how much to reveal. "Just following up on some... concerns," she said vaguely. "If you do notice anything out of the ordinary, no matter how small, could you let me know?" "Of course," Mia agreed, though she looked puzzled. "Is everything okay, Anna?" Anna forced a smile. "Everything's fine. Just being thorough." As she left the kitchen, Anna's mind was whirling. If the staff wasn't noticing anything unusual, how was the thief operating so seamlessly? She spent the morning reviewing the camera footage again, this time with Jake's help. They pored over every frame, looking for any clue they might have missed. "There!" Anna exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "Did you see that?" Jake leaned in, squinting at the tablet. "I'm not sure... wait, yeah! That shadow, it moved way too fast to be normal." Anna nodded, excitement building. "Exactly. And look here," she swiped to another clip, "same thing, different area. Whatever this is, it's not human... or at least, not entir