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As they walked back to their car, Kyla couldn't help but glance back at her sister's house. She wondered what other secrets it held and what horrors had taken place within its walls. She shivered, feeling like she had stepped into a nightmare.
Chapter24
Iwalked back into the police station, my heart pounding against my chest. I had gone back to the scene, talked to possible witnesses, and watched as the forensic techs did their job securing evidence. The investigation had taken a toll on me; the adrenaline rush from the crime scene had worn off, and my body was now paying the price. I dragged my feet toward the office, and I was looking forward to just sitting down and taking a break. When I walked in, I saw Matt standing by the coffee machine. He looked up, and his face lit up when he saw me. I could tell he had been worried about me, and seeing me safe and sound seemed to have lifted a weight off his shoulders.
He smiled as he saw me, and I returned the gesture, feeling my heart swell with love for him.
I felt my body slowly relax as Matt's arm enveloped me. I could feel the warmth radiating from him, and it suddenly felt like nothing else mattered in the world. All I wanted to do was be here with him and just forget about the world around us.
Forget that the world had lost a great woman, and three children had lost their mother. It felt shattering.
He gently asked me how things had looked at the storage facility, and I took a deep breath before spilling out all the details. He listened intently, never judging or interrupting me, and simply providing kind words and reassuring hugs whenever I needed them.
When I finished telling him everything, he looked at me with such understanding that it made my heart swell with emotion. We stood together silently for a few minutes before he finally pulled away and smiled warmly at me.
He handed me a steaming cup of coffee. "How are you feeling?"
I smiled gratefully at him. "I'm okay," I replied, sipping the coffee. It was exactly what I needed to perk me up. "Thanks for the coffee."
He nodded in understanding before asking me how the family had taken the news about Rachel's body being found.
I exhaled heavily as I thought back on it all. "As expected," I said sadly. "It never gets any easier, does it?"
"Probably not. John Baker didn’t take it well, either. He cried helplessly. It was hard to watch, even though it felt slightly exaggerated.”
He squeezed my hand sympathetically before pulling me into another hug. We held each other in silence for a few moments until his phone began to ring loudly, breaking us apart abruptly. He apologized profusely for having to take the call but promised that we'd continue talking later if that was okay with me. Of course, it was more than okay—it was exactly what my heart needed right then and there, so I nodded in agreement while he walked away with the phone pressed against his ear. He came back shortly after, putting the phone back in his pocket.
“There’s a witness who says she saw Rachel’s car on the side of the road as early as eight-twenty-five. But the doors weren’t open, and it looked like someone was sitting inside it—two people.”
“Rachel and her killer,” I said. “Right before she died, probably.”
“It’s a pretty crowded road there. There must have been others who saw them and saw the killer take the body out of the car?”
I nodded, then said: “Ifshe was murdered in the car. Yeah, we might want to talk to more drivers who regularly pass that area.”
As I took a sip of my coffee, I felt his eyes on me. I looked up at him and smiled, feeling warmth in my chest.
He leaned in for a kiss, his soft lips pressing against mine. I felt the familiar warmth spread through my body, and a tingle ran down my spine. But our moment was interrupted by Chief Annie's voice echoing from her office, calling out to us.
"Okay, lovebirds, time for work."
We pulled away from each other, trying to conceal the blush on our faces.
Matt and I separated, and I took a seat at my desk. As I sat down, Chief Annie walked over.
"We've made some progress," she said with a solemn expression on her face. "We've found out who rented the storage unit where the body was found."
My heart skipped a beat, and I leaned in closer to hear what she had to say. "Who is it?" I asked, my mind racing with possibilities.
As she told me the name, I felt my stomach tie in knots as an icy chill swept through my body.
Chapter25
THEN:
Emma sat quietly at the kitchen table, staring at the plate of cold spaghetti in front of her. Her mother had made it the night before and refused to let her have anything else for breakfast. Emma knew better than to argue with her mother, but her stomach was in knots.
Suddenly, her mother's shrill voice cut through the silence. "Emma, what's wrong with you? Why aren't you eating?"
