The next morning, Elena went somewhere she hadn't visited in years.
The town archives.
The small stone building sat behind the church, quiet and nearly forgotten. Dust covered the wooden shelves, and the air smelled of old paper and time.
If Isabella Carter had really lived in Seravalle, there would be records.
There had to be.
Elena scanned through old residency files from the late 1980s.
Names.
Dates.
Addresses.
Moretti.
Bellini.
Ricci.
But no Carter.
Her heartbeat quickened.
That didn't make sense.
She moved to another shelf — police records. Missing persons. Property disputes.
Her fingers paused.
Missing Person Report – 1987
Filed by: Matteo Moretti.
Her grandfather.
Elena's throat went dry as she read the name listed under the report.
Isabella Carter.
Reported missing after an argument near the vineyards.
Witness statements: none.
Case status: Unresolved.
Elena stepped back as if the paper had burned her.
Daniel had said his grandmother returned home heartbroken.
But according to this—
She never left.
She disappeared.
The archive door creaked behind her.
Elena turned sharply.
Daniel stood there, watching her.
"You found it, didn't you?" he asked quietly.
Her pulse pounded in her ears.
"She was reported missing," Elena whispered. "By my grandfather."
Daniel's expression didn't show surprise.
Only confirmation.
"I know," he said.
The silence between them felt heavier now.
"You knew?" she demanded.
He stepped closer, voice low.
"I didn't come to Seravalle to visit, Elena."
His eyes held something darker than curiosity.
"I came to find out what really happened to her."
And suddenly, the town didn't feel quiet anymore.
It felt like it was hiding something.