The morning dawned clear and crisp as the police cruisers pulled up outside the hotel Cassandra was staying, their flashing lights casting an eerie glow over the quiet street. Lodgers peered from their windows, watching with a mix of curiosity and shock as officers made their way up to her room.
Inside, Cassandra paced back and forth, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. She had a sinking feeling, knowing that things had begun unraveling ever since her encounter with Lisa and Rose. Her instincts told her to leave town, but she'd hesitated, unwilling to abandon her last slivers of control.
A loud knock echoed through her room, shattering the tense silence. Cassandra froze, her heart pounding, as another firm knock followed.
“Ms. Davids, this is the police. Open the door.”
Her fingers
