Chapter 0048
Billâs POV
As I head back to my car, my mind replays the scene in Serenaâs shop over and over.
I donât usually open up like this, but the truth is, I still love my ex wife, and Iâll do whatever it takes to win her back. Calvin doesnât stand a chance. Itâs clear to me that Serena still has feelings for me, I could see it in her eyes. â
My phone breaks the silence, and I see Sarahâs name flashing on the screen. I hesitate for a moment before answering.
âBill, Iâve got news from your lawyer. The suspect told the court he met with a woman who paid him to hurt Serena,â Sarah tells me.
At last, this investigation is moving forward. âDid he say who the woman was?â
âNo,â she replies, âhe said the woman was wearing sunglasses and a facemask. But he mentioned they met in an old warehouse.â
I grip the steering wheel tighter, my interest piqued. âWhere?â I ask, ready to note down the details.
âThe suspect didnât mention it specifically. But the private detective we hired thinks it might be the old warehouse on the outskirts of town,â Sarah explains.
âI see,â I reply. âCan you text me the address? Iâm going over there now.â
âOh no,â Sarah cautions. âThe detective mentioned itâs too risky right now. There might be drug dealings happening at that place right now.â
âSarah, if word gets out that the suspect has confessed, the mastermind might clean up any evidence,â I argue. âThis could be our
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Chapter 0048
only chance to find out who it is.â
Sarah sighs on the other line. âFine. But donât say I didnât warn you. Be careful out there, boss.â
I end the call and wait for Sarahâs text. As soon as I got the address, I hit the gas, speeding towards the location.
As I drive towards the warehouse, the streets become darker and more deserted. The closer I get, the more the atmosphere thickens with an uneasy tension. Streetlights flicker intermittently, casting long shadows. that seem to move on their own. The area feels abandoned, a noâmanâs land forgotten by the city.
I notice people moving slowly along the sidewalk, their actions sluggish and eerie, like zombies from a movie. Some wander with no real purpose, while others stand still, their heads tilted back, staring at the sky, clearly under the influence of heroin.
When I get to the warehouse, itâs deserted and has an eerie feel to it. This place is just as dangerous as Sarah warned. I move quietly, taking each step with caution.
The warehouse is pitch black when I get inside. I pull out my phone and turn on the flashlight to see. The place is huge and quiet, making even small noises echo and feel spooky.
While Iâm moving carefully, trying to avoid junk and old boxes, I suddenly hear what sounds like footsteps somewhere in the building. My heart jumps, and I quickly hide behind an old, rusted machine, holding my breath and listening hard.
After a tense moment, I realize the noise isnât footsteps but just rats running across the floor. I let out a sigh, feeling a mix of relief and disgust. Gross, but I canât let that stop me.
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Chapter 0048
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I remind myself that Iâm here for a reason, despite the unnerving atmosphere. The light from my phone isnât great, but itâs all I have. I focus on the goal of finding something that could be key to the investigation, letting that drive me forward, even as shadows and noises play tricks on my mind.
Then, as I sweep the light across the room, something sparkles beneath an old box. At first, I think itâs just my imagination playing tricks on me in the dim light. But I lean down, push the box aside, and there it is not a trick of the light, but a real sapphire earring. I pick it up, turning it over in my hand, the gem catching the light and glittering even in the gloomy surroundings.
I think Iâve seen this earring before. Doris often wore something just like it, both at work and the last family dinner with Serena. To be sure, I look closer and, sure enough, I find âD.E.Tâ engraved on it.
âDoris Elizabeth Tipton,â I whisper, shining the light on the sapphire earring. âIâve got you now. Youâll pay for what youâve done.â