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Matt's touch was gentle but firm, and I felt myself relaxing under his ministrations. I closed my eyes and let out a contented sigh.
As he worked his way down my back, his hands drifted lower, tracing delicate patterns along my skin. I shivered as he reached my lower back, his fingers brushing against my curves. I had lost a lot of weight this past year and was pretty content with my body as it was right now, even though I was still bigger than I used to be.
"Matt," I murmured, turning over to face him.
He grinned down at me, his eyes glinting with mischief. "What's wrong, baby?"
"Nothing's wrong," I said, my voice low and sultry. "I just want you to make me forget about everything else."
He leaned down to kiss me again, his lips soft and warm against mine. Then he began to trail kisses down my neck, his hands roaming over my body. He moaned in my ear, and it almost sounded like a song.
As Matt's hands started to trail down my body, I suddenly sat up, gasping for air. The song that Janet had been humming earlier suddenly came back to me, and I knew what it meant. How had I missed it?
"Matt, stop," I said, pushing him away. "I have to go. I have to solve this case."
"What? What's going on?" Matt asked, confused and concerned.
"I know what the song means, and I know who our killer is," I said, grabbing my clothes and rushing out of the room.
I quickly got dressed and headed out to my car, my heart racing with excitement and fear. I knew I was close to solving the case, but I also knew that the killer was dangerous, and I had to act fast. Matt complained but came running out behind me, still putting his shirt back on.
"Where are we going?" he panted as we got into the police cruiser.
"Kyla Johnson's house.
"Kyla? Rachel's sister? Why?" he asked as I accelerated out of our neighborhood and into the night.
"Because she’s done it before. I read it in her file; she was accused of murdering before, but then someone else was convicted for it."
Chapter59
Kyla stood on the porch of her house, her suitcase lying beside her. The darkness of the night enveloped her like a shroud, and a chill crept up her spine. The night air was still and heavy; the darkness seemed to be alive with a strange energy that made her shiver as it brushed against her skin. She could feel the weight of the world pressing down on her shoulders, and she couldn't shake the feeling that everything was about to fall apart.
"M-mom?" she called out, her voice trembling. "What are you doing here?"
Her mother emerged from the darkness, her brow creased with worry. Her shoulders were tight with tension, and her mouth was set in a thin line as she spoke. "You were about to make a mistake," she said, her words heavy with apprehension. "I couldn't let you do it."
Kyla's eyes filled with tears, and she could feel her heart rate go up rapidly. "B-but…."
Her mom stepped closer to her, her voice brittle and shaking. Kyla's face reddened, and her eyes focused on the floor. She couldn't force herself to make eye contact with her mom. A lump formed in her throat, and she felt like the room was spinning.
Her mother advanced slowly toward her, disappointment written all over her features. “No buts. You were going to leave, weren’t you? Just take off like I meant nothing to you and leave your life behind—leave me behind even though you knew what that would do to me—how it would make me feel. Like I hadn’t even been enough for you.”
Kyla hung her head, feeling the weight of her mother's words crawl through her body. She couldn't deny it—she had been about to leave—leave everything behind and start anew. It seemed like the only option, the only path she could take to escape the pain.
But now, with her mother standing before her, Kyla felt a different kind of pain—the pain of guilt and shame. She had never meant to hurt her mother. She had never meant to make it seem like she didn't matter.
"I'm sorry," Kyla whispered, the words barely audible.
"You don't have to apologize," her mother said, reaching out to take Kyla's hand. "I understand the pain you're going through. But running away isn't the answer. You have to face your problems head-on, no matter how difficult it may be."
Kyla nodded, tears streaming down her face. She knew her mother was right. She shouldn't run away.
Her mother wrapped her arms around her, holding her close. "I'm here for you, always," she whispered in her ear. "We'll get through this together."
Kyla felt a sense of relief wash over her. She wasn't alone. She had her mother by her side, and she knew that with her support, she could face anything.
Taking a deep breath, Kyla wiped away her tears and picked up her suitcase. "Thank you, Mom," she said, looking up at her with a smile.
