silenced in the dark : a hunt for a killer begins.

chapter 4

I quickly grabbed my phone and dialed Bella's number. When she answered, I spoke in a hushed voice, revealing my findings.

"Bella, I think I found something. Joy's partner may have something to do with my mother's death," I said, barely able to contain my excitement.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. "Are you sure? You can't just accuse someone without evidence," she said cautiously.

"I know, but I think I need to go to Joy's old address and find out if she knows anything," I replied, determined.

"Okay, but please be careful," Bella warned.

I made my way to Joy's old address, hoping that I could find some answers. However, when I arrived at the house, it was empty. There was no sign that anyone had been there for years.

Feeling discouraged, I decided to knock on the neighbor's doors to see if they knew where Joy and her partner had moved. Eventually, I found a neighbor who remembered them and gave me their new address.

As I walked up to the front door, my heart was racing with anticipation. I hoped that Joy could provide me with some much-needed answers.

When the door opened, the woman standing before me was not Joy. "Can I help you?" she asked, looking puzzled.

"I'm sorry, but I'm looking for Joy Miller. Do you know where she lives?" I inquired.

The woman shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I just moved into this apartment. I have no idea who Joy Miller is."

I thanked her and left, feeling disheartened. I checked the address again, and it was undoubtedly the right one. I decided to try knocking on the other apartment doors, hoping that someone might have known her.

When I got to the last door, I hesitated. I knew that this was probably the last chance for me to find Joy or her partner. I took a deep breath and knocked.

The door swung open, revealing a man who was not Joy's partner. I awkwardly explained my mission and asked if he knew anything about Joy or her partner.

The man looked at me, his eyes narrowed. "Joy and her partner moved out months ago. I'm sorry; I don't know where they went."

I thanked him and left, feeling frustrated. I had hit a dead-end again.

As I drove back home, I realized that I needed to start looking into the other names in my mother's journal. Perhaps they could lead me to some answers.

When I got home, Bella was waiting for me. She looked worried. "What happened? Did you find anything?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No, Joy and her partner had moved out months ago. I'm going to start looking into the other names in my mother's journal."

Bella nodded in agreement. "I think that's a good idea."

I sat down and started to research the other names in the journal. It took a two hours, but I eventually found out that they were all connected to a company.

The more l dug, the more l uncovered. The company had been involved in several mismanaged investments, and the owner had been arrested for embezzlement. I struggled to find more meaning or information why My mother would know their names or even the company. What is the relationship between them and her? I asked myself.

That evening, I went to bed exhausted but determined. I knew that I was onto something, and it was only a matter of time before I uncovered the truth about my mother's death.

The next morning, I woke up to find Bella going up and down in the house. "What's wrong?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

She looked at me, eyes wide with fear. "Someone left a dead rat and a note at our doorstep last night," she said, her voice shaking.

My heart sank. Was someone trying to send me a message? "What does the note say?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Bella handed me the note, which read, "Don't mingle in things you don't understand. You'll get hurt."

I sat there, feeling helpless. The threat was evidence that I was on to something , but it was also a warning that l needed to be cautious.

"I can't let this stop me," I said, my voice firm. "I need to keep pushing forward."

Bella nodded, her expression fierce.

I sat there, planning my next steps. The journey ahead was uncertain, but one thing was for sure: I wouldn't stop until I found answers.

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Later that evening, I decided to take a break from my investigation and go out to town to buy some groceries. I hopped in my car and drove to the nearest supermarket. As I was browsing the aisles, I couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching me.

The unease grew stronger when I received a text message from an unknown number that simply read, "I'm watching you." My heart raced, and I quickly scanned the store, looking for any suspicious individuals, but I couldn't detect anyone out of the ordinary.

I tried to remain calm and continued with my shopping, but the sense of unease continued to unsettle me. Once I had finished my shopping, I hurriedly made my way back to my car and drove away from the store.

As I was driving, I glanced in my rearview mirror and saw a car following me. My heart raced as I tried to think of an explanation for their actions, but I couldn't come up with anything logical.

Suddenly, the car cut me off, forcing me to slam on my brakes. I barely had time to recover before a figure emerged from the vehicle and approached me.

The figure was cloaked in darkness, making it difficult to identify them. "Stay away from Joy Miller; you don't know what you're getting yourself into," the figure said in a menacing tone.

Before I could respond, the figure disappeared back into their car and sped off. My hands were shaking as I tried to comprehend the situation, but one thing was clear: I was in danger, and I had no idea who or what I was dealing with , but that won't stop me for seeking the truth.

I gathered myself together and decided to go to my favorite pub to calm down. As I walked in, I was relieved to see that it was empty apart from a few regulars. I sat at the bar and ordered a drink.

As I sat sipping my drink, trying to calm my nerves, my eyes landed on a couple having a heated discussion at the other end of the bar. It was Joy Miller and her partner.

I felt a rush of adrenaline shoot through my body, and I knew this was my chance to find out the truth. I stayed hidden in the shadows, watching them closely.

Their conversation was filled with tension, and I couldn't make out everything they were saying. However, one thing became clear as the evening wore on: Joy knew more than she was letting on about my mother's death.

As the night wore on, Joy and her partner left the bar. I quickly followed them, keeping a safe distance, but ensuring that I did not lose them.

As they walked into an alleyway, I slowed my pace, allowing them to get further ahead. I hid behind a dumpster, listening to their conversation.

"We need to make sure no one knows about this," Joy's partner muttered.

"I know, but it's getting harder to keep up the charade," Joy replied.

I strained to listen to the rest of their conversation, but they went silent, indicating that they had noticed my presence.

I knew that I had overstayed my welcome and that it was time to leave. As I emerged from behind the dumpster, I came face to face with Joy's partner.

"What are you doing here?" he snarled.

I tried to stutter out an excuse, but the words got caught in my throat. I turned and ran as fast as my legs could carry me, desperate to get away.

As I got further away from the alleyway, I realized that I had left my phone behind. I risked going back to retrieve it, but as I arrived, I saw Joy's partner standing over my phone, his eyes cold and calculating.

I knew that l had to get out of there as quickly as possible, so I ran back to my car and took off, grateful to be alive.

As I drove away, I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. I knew that I had gotten too close and that someone would come after me sooner rather than later.

The events of that evening had left me shaken, but they had also given me a glimpse of the truth. I knew that I was on the right track and I would have to tread carefully, but I was determined to find out what had happened to my mother, no matter the cost.