Chapter Three: She Takes My Night Shift

“I” approached and spoke. There was no audio, but He dropped immediately to his knees. The recording skipped. Nineteen seconds later he lay on the concrete, and “I” looked directly at the camera. That face smiled. “Where were you between 12:50 and 1:10?” Detective Zhou Lan asked. “Home.” “Can anyone confirm that?” “No.” “Is this you?” I studied the frozen image. The left corner of her mouth sat slightly higher, an expression my face never made under stress. “She looks like me. She isn't me.” Zhou Lan did not laugh. She sealed the coat and cuff link, then inspected the smart lock. Someone had entered the correct code at 12:46. The door camera had conveniently gone offline for five minutes. “Who knows the code?”