The Silent Witness

Chapter 4: Closing In

Detective Sarah Ahmed sat at her desk, staring at a wall covered with photos, notes, and red string connecting them. In the center was a photo of Adam Malik. Around him, lines led to bank records, company names, and a face she had just added that morning: Faisal Khan.

"His alibi doesn't add up," David said, walking in with a folder. "He said he was at a work dinner the night of the murder. But three people at that dinner say he left early — around 3:30 AM. That matches the time of death."

"And the ring?" Sarah asked.

"Still trying to match it. It's custom-made, not sold in stores. Only a jeweller can tell us who ordered it."

Sarah stood and walked to the window. Rain still fell over the city, soft and steady now instead of heavy. Somewhere out there, Layla Hassan was running for her life, and Sarah knew every hour that passed made it more likely they would find her too late.

"There's something else," David said. "Adam Malik transferred a large file to a private email two days before he died. We traced the email. It belongs to his sister, Zainab Malik. She lives in Riverside now."

Sarah's eyes sharpened. "Get me a team. We're going to Riverside. If Adam sent her proof of what he found, that proof could be the only thing that can stop Faisal Khan."

"And Layla?"

"We keep searching for her too. But if Faisal finds her before we do, she becomes a loose end he needs to erase. We have to move fast — for both of them."

As Sarah grabbed her coat, her phone rang. An unknown number. She answered, expecting nothing.

"Detective Ahmed," a calm voice said. "You are asking too many questions about thin

gs that are not your concern."

Sarah froze. "Who is this?"

"A friendly warning. Stop looking into Adam Malik's death. Or the next name on the news will be yours."

The call ended. Sarah stared at the phone, her jaw tight, her fear turning quickly into anger.

"Change of plan," she said to David. "We're not slowing down. We're speeding up."

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