The Investigation Begins Emily and Ryan sat at their desks, sipping their coffee and reviewing the case files. The morning sunlight streaming through the window highlighted the dust motes dancing in the air, and the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead provided a steady background noise.
"We need to talk to the victim's family," Emily said, her eyes scanning the file. "See if they noticed anything unusual in the days leading up to her death."
Ryan nodded, his eyes locked on the photo of the victim. "I'll set up an interview with the parents. You start canvassing the area, see if anyone saw or heard anything."
Emily nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. She grabbed her jacket and headed out the door, into the crisp morning air.
The streets were bustling with people, and Emily wove through the crowds, her eyes scanning the faces. She stopped at the local coffee shop, where she knew the owner, and asked if anyone had seen anything suspicious.
The owner, a friendly woman named Sarah, shook her head. "No, nothing unusual. Just the usual morning rush."
Emily thanked her and continued on her way, stopping at the nearby shops and asking questions. But no one seemed to have seen or heard anything out of the ordinary.
As she walked back to the precinct, Emily couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something. She quickened her pace, her mind racing with possibilities.
When she arrived back at the precinct, Ryan was waiting for her, a look of concern on his face.
"What's wrong?" Emily asked, her heart skipping a beat.
"It's the victim's phone records," Ryan said, his voice low. "There's a number that keeps popping up. A number that's been calling her repeatedly in the days leading up to her death."
Emily's eyes narrowed. "Let me see."
Ryan handed her the file, and Emily's eyes scanned the pages. The number was familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.
And then it hit her. The number was hers.