I felt a wave of panic. If they ran DNA tests, they’d figure it out quickly.
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Thu, Mar 13
Mom! Don’t do it. Don’t run the DNA! Drop this case! Please!
But my pleas fell on deaf ears. She couldn’t hear me.
Mom worked tirelessly in the autopsy room for hours. She had arrived early, and it was already dark again when she stepped out.
“Dr. Hartman, you’ve worked so hard,” one of the officers said.
Mom nodded slightly, about to head home when she saw Rachel waiting anxiously near
the station entrance.
“Vanessa, Elijah’s been missing for more than a day now! I talked to his friends–they haven’t seen him! I even checked all the gaming cafés near the school, but he was
nowhere. What do we do?”
Mom’s face tightened with annoyance. “This is just one of his tricks to get me to let him apply to the academy! It’s not going to work. As long as he stays out of trouble and follows the law, that’s good enough. He’s not cut out to be a cop!”
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears. “Forget his applications! His safety is the priority right now! I just heard there’s been a big case–a boy was dismembered. Aren’t you even worried it could be Elijah?”
Mom’s frustration erupted. “Stop speculating about open cases that haven’t been made
public! Elijah is eighteen. He’s old enough to take care of himself. If something happens to
him, it’s his fault for being careless and wondering where he shouldn’t!”
Rachel froze. “I’m not trying to dig for information. I’m just… scared for him.”
Mom’s gaze hardened. “If he can’t manage basic risk assessment, he has no business applying to the academy. He might as well go get a job at some office instead.”
“Vanessa Sterling–Hartman! Do you hear yourself? Elijah lost his father when he was just a kid. He’s already been through enough! Instead of breaking him down, you should be building him up. What kind of person are you?”
22:18 Thu, Mar 13 AG
Rachel’s voice cracked as she yelled, tears streaming down her face. “You better pray that poor boy, in this case,e isn’t Elijah. Because if it is, you’ll never forgive yourself!”
Her words sent a jolt of fear through me. Does she know?
But the look on Rachel’s face wasn’t one of certainty. She was bluffing to provoke Mom.
And it worked.
Mom’s face went pale, her voice defensive. “Impossible! I would know if it was my son! That boy is not Elijah!”
Rachel clenched her fists. “If it is Elijah, you’re not getting those remains. You don’t care about him anyway. He belongs to the Hartman family!”
Mom shot back, “Take him! Do you think I care? I’ve had enough of that dead weight
anyway!”
Rachel shook with anger. “You’re unbelievable, Vanessa! Elijah is a great kid; all he’s ever gotten from you is cruelty. You’re heartless! I can’t even look at your
I floated above them, unsure how to feel.
Rachel had always been there for me, especially after Dad’s death. Mom only cared for my basic needs, but Rachel filled in the gaps.
She gave me my first razor and my first pair of boxers. When I wanted to apply to the academy, Rachel secretly paid for my tutoring sessions. From school supplies to gadgets, she covered it all.
To Rachel, I was practically her son.
As she stormed out of the station, I followed, hovering close. She pulled out her phone, hands trembling, and began typing a message.
Curious, I leaned in to see.
Elijah, things are dangerous out there. No matter how upset you are with your mom, you must come home. And if you can’t face her come to me I’ll pay for your college. Forget
22:18 Thu, Mar 13 A
your mom–my door is always open. Please be safe.
Tears welled up as I read her words.
Rachel lost her brother, my dad, that night in the rain. Yet, she never let bitterness take root. She gave all her love to me instead.
I’m sorry, Aunt Rachel. I’m afraid I’ll only let you down.
I followed her for a while, but the further we got from the police station, the weaker I felt. My body–what was left of it–kept me tethered there.
When I returned, I found Mom slumped in a chair, staring blankly ahead.
One of the young officers approached her cautiously. “Dr. Hartman, you’ve been working nonstop for twenty hours. Please, get some rest.”
Mom shook her head. “No. I can’t let this case go. I’ll rest here briefly, then go over the
remains again.”
The officer hesitated but nodded. “Alright.”
I watched Mom’s exhausted body waver, torn between her dedication and limits.
“The DNA results are in!”
The announcement electrified the station. Even I felt a surge of unease.
Mom, who had spent the last two nights at the station, rushed to the records room.
“Did the database find a match? Who’s the victim?”
“They’re running the comparison now. Give it a moment,” an officer replied.
Everyone crowded around the screen, watching the progress bar creep forward.
75%… 88%… 95%… 100%.
Every breath in the room was held as they waited for the result.
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