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Lucy arrives on the outskirts of the West Yorkshire town of Glasbury and finds 12 Acacia Road. She got out of the car and pressed the intercom on the security door. The security door opened automatically, and Lucy drove the car onto the wide private driveway. Lucy had not yet made up her mind whether to take the case, but the offer was irresistible. The front door opened, revealing the well-kept face of a blond woman in her forties. From the white short-sleeved top and dark blue sports trousers she was wearing, Lucy judged that Mrs. Grace had just come out of the gym. "I'm Stella." Mrs. Grace smiled and held out her hand.

Lucy lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling of the Cambridge hotel room, wondering whether she should go to town and find someone to entertain herself. She had just returned from visiting a client in Chicago, where she was on a mission to attend a technology symposium, but fatigue took over. Lucy got out of bed and turned on the TV, which was showing the evening news. The male announcer was reporting on a crash on the M5 highway, and a blurry video appeared on the screen: the flashing blue lights of the police car, the V-shaped trailer, and the crumpled car squeezed by the roadblock. At this time, a creepy and strange thing happened. She heard the wailing voice of a high-pitched man on the evening news. This man was undoubtedly in great pain.