Robin couldn’t hear me, but I knew he wanted to crack the case fast to prevent any more women from


    getting hurt.


    Maybe it was a cop’s intuition, but right now, it seemed like Robin was the only one who believed


    something had happened to me.


    “You guys have to investigate so many people and so many cases. That must be exhausting. huh?” I


    muttered to myself, probably because I was truly desperate.


    “Robin! Here’s everything on Phoebe. Her phone is pretty banged up, sent it off to tech for recovery.


    Might take a while. Data from Phoebe’s phone will be recovered and exported once it’s fixed.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    “I cringed internally. That meant they could see everything–my browsing history and my diary


    notes.


    Robin had me thoroughly investigated.


    To be honest, I was curious about the type of person I would be in someone else’s


    investigation.


    Robin nced over my file, noting how I had watched my parents die in a car crash at eighteen. The


    first photo in the file was from the ident scene.


    I instinctively shut my eyes, not daring to remember.


    “The Fitzgeralds took Phoebe in. You’d think they had a good rtionship, but the way Dexter talks


    about her, you’d think they were enemies,” a young officer muttered under his breath.


    Robin stayed quiet, studying my file intently.


    I loved peace and was a fan of drawing; they could find all my artwork. They’d find my top grades, my


    campus forum photos, my awards, and my paperwork for studying abroad.


    “If she hadn’t met with foul y, she’d be on a ne heading off to study abroad right about. now.”


    Robin nced at the clock and spoke thoughtfully.


    I paused, a pang of pain hitting my chest. Yeah, if I hadn’t died, I’d be far away from Sea City by


    now.


    “We got something. Jason hit up a bartender at Nocturne Club. Says he remembers Phoebe, hard to


    forget a figure like hers. Mentioned she hooked up with Dexter there about two months ago.” An officer


    rushed over to share what he had found with Robin.


    I covered my ears numbly, but I couldn’t stop myself hearing the invasion of my privacy.


    “That night, the VIP room was packed. Dexter’s entourage left early. Whether Phoebe was willing…


    that’s anyone’s guess.”


    13:15


    “Scumbags,” Robin cursed under his breath. “A bunch of lowlifes!”


    He seemed to believe me deep down.


    I was grateful. I hadn’t expected a stranger, someone I’d only met once, to trust me.


    I could feel Robin’s anger. It seemed that he was empathizing with me.


    I followed him to the police station.


    The investigation order was issued quickly; after all, the serial killings in Sea City had cast a dark


    shadow over the town.


    Soon enough, Dexter and his cronies were hauled in for questioning; even Kyle, bruised and battered,


    was dragged from the hospital by the cops.


    “What’s wrong with you people? Can’t you see I’m the victim here? Why aren’t you going after that


    psycho instead of me?” Kyle was still ranting.


    “The guy has mental issues. He won’t be punished even if he kills you,” Robin warned him coldly, then


    pressed on. “You’re suspected of sexual assault and harassment, so cut the crap.” Kyle was taken


    aback, “What? Who the hell did I sexually assault?”


    “Phoebe!” Robin grabbed Kyle by the cor and hauled him into the interrogation room.


    In Robin’s hands was my diary.


    I had a habit of keeping a diary. Afraid I’d forget how these people hurt me, I was writing down every


    detail.


    “That bitch should look in the mirror. Touching her was doing her a favor,” Kyle blurted out. The guy


    was not the sharpest tool in the shed; he was spoiled by money and thought it could fix anything.


    But Robin wasn’t having any of it, and he marked down Kyle’s admission of guilt toward me on the


    interrogation record.


    Standing behind Robin, I felt a sense of relief. This way, Kyle would get what he deserved.


    “On the night of the 13th, you guys forced Phoebe to lure the killer: that true?” Robin’s voice was icy as


    he interrogated.


    J “We were just trying our luck,” Kyle replied nonchntly, as if they had just y a fun game. But they


    didn’t know their game had cost me my life.


    My eyes were red with anger. Kyle’s indifference enraged me.


    I screamed at Kyle, tried to grab a chair to swing at him, but my hands grasped at nothing. I could only


    watch him swagger.


    “Do you realize your ignorance and stupidity could have killed Phoebe?” Robin’s grip on the pen


    tightened; he was angry.


    “No way, that killer wouldn’t give her a second nce!” Kyle scoffed.


    “On the 13th, 14th, and 15th, you made Phoebe bait the killer three days in a row. She went. missing


    on the night of the 15th. You didn’t report it right away and even dyed the


    . investigation!” Robin mmed his hand on the table. He was furious enough to hit Kyle.


    But as a cop, he just held back.


    “Nope…” Kyle finally caught on. “We only went the first two nights and gave up when the killer didn’t


    bite. We didn’t send her on the 15th. Don’t pin that on me.”


    I smirked bitterly.


    So, they didn’t know I’d been tricked into going to Tangle Lane by Melody on the 15th.


    Did Dexter not know either?