Emily's car pulled up to a modest, unassuming house in a calm, slow-paced neighborhood, Emily's pulse quickened as the vehicle came to a halt. The air felt heavy, thick with anticipation. She stepped out, she could feel the soft crunch of gravel beneath her heels grounding her as she approached the door.
Emily was lost in her thoughts, replaying the reasons why she was here, reasons that now weighed heavier than she could have imagined.
Vasquez opened the door before she could knock, his sharp eyes instantly assessing her like they always had, as if they could see right through to the secrets she carried or the worries clogging her mind.
Vasquez was older mow, his once dark hair now streaked with silver, but he still carried the air of someone who had seen more than most could bottle u
