Page 28 of Silent Trail

"I know it's horrible," she said. "I've seen my fair share of murder victims over the years, but this one…this one is particularly bad. The killer is vicious, heartless. Are you going to be okay, Sheila?"

Sheila disentangled herself from Finn's embrace and wiped her eyes, feeling a mixture of gratitude and discomfort toward her sister. She took a deep breath, willing herself to focus on the task at hand.

"I—I'll be fine," she stammered, her voice wavering slightly. "What do we know about the victim?"

"Her name was Ami Nasir," Natalie began, her voice steady despite the grim scene around them. "She was a sophomore here at Clearview, majoring in nutrition. A star athlete on the basketball team. Well-liked by her peers, at least as far as we can tell."

Sheila listened intently, trying to piece together any possible connections that could lead them to the killer. As they stood there, an elderly woman slowly approached them, her white hair neatly pinned back and her eyes clouded with concern. She wore a simple, long dress that appeared to have been worn countless times, yet still maintained an air of elegance.

"Excuse me," she said softly, drawing their attention. "I'm Mrs. Fairbanks, the history teacher here at Clearview. We're all just devastated by Ami's death. She was always such a good student, polite and respectful in class. She never caused any problems."

The woman paused, biting her lip as if hesitant to continue. "Of course, there were rumors about her being hard on some of the other basketball players in practice, but I always thought they were just that—rumors. Do you have any idea who could've done this?"

Natalie offered Mrs. Fairbanks a sympathetic smile. "Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, ma'am. We're doing everything we can to find the person responsible. If you wouldn't mind, Officer Daniels over there would be more than happy to take your statement and any additional information you might have."

Nodding gratefully, Mrs. Fairbanks shuffled over to the young police officer standing nearby. He greeted her warmly, offering a comforting hand on her shoulder as she began to recount her memories of Ami to him.

As Sheila watched Mrs. Fairbanks walk away, her mind churned with possibilities. The dimly lit hallway cast shadows on the faces of everyone present, making their expressions hard to read. The scent of antiseptic and the metallic tang of blood filled her nostrils, a sickening reminder of the gruesome scene before her.

"Hey," Finn said, studying her with concern in his eyes. "You sure you're alright?"

Sheila forced a smile and nodded, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah, I'm just thinking about what Mrs. Fairbanks said...about Ami being hard on other students."

Natalie frowned thoughtfully. "What are you getting at?"

"Maybe someone killed her out of jealousy," Sheila said. "Ami was a star athlete, after all. And if the rumors are true..." She paused. "Maybe she pushed someone too far."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Sheila's eyes ached as they darted across the dimly lit table, which was strewn with school files on the three victims. Desperate to find that single thread linking all three crimes, she furrowed her brow, the weight of her exhaustion settling in like a heavy fog. The fluorescent lights above buzzed softly, casting an eerie glow over the late-night scene. What am I missing? she thought desperately.

The cafeteria at Clearview University was deserted, save for Sheila, Natalie, and Finn. Long shadows stretched across the empty space. The table was strewn with the remnants of their takeout food: greasy cartons and crumpled napkins scattered haphazardly around the school files. The scent of stale coffee mingled with the faint aroma of cleaning supplies.

Sheila rubbed her tired eyes, the strain of staring at the files for hours taking its toll. She glanced over at Natalie and Finn, both of them hunched over their respective documents with furrowed brows. The dimly lit cafeteria felt more like a temporary bunker than a place where students normally gathered to eat and socialize. The only sounds were the distant hum of the air conditioning unit and the faint, rhythmic tapping of a leaky faucet.

"Are you sure these are all the files?" she asked Finn.

Finn lifted his gaze from the papers, dark bags underlining his eyes. "Yes, I spoke with the presidents of all three colleges. They know how important this is."

Sheila drummed her fingers on the table, the frustration welling inside her. "What if there were incidents where the victims bullied someone, but they weren't recorded?"

Natalie considered the suggestion, her eyes narrowing in thought. "That's possible, but how would we find out about those incidents? It's not like bullies keep a record of their actions."

"Maybe we could talk to the victims' friends and families," Finn said, rolling his shoulders to ease tension. "Find out if anyone was harboring resentment toward them."

Natalie shook her head, her expression grim. "That'll take too long. The killer has struck twice within twenty-four hours. We don't have time to waste."

As silence descended upon the group once more, Sheila's mind raced with possibilities, each one running into frustrating dead-ends. They needed answers, but the clues remained elusive. She clenched her fists beneath the table, the ache in her knuckles mirroring the growing desperation she felt. Time was slipping away, and with it, any hope of preventing another senseless death.

Feeling the weight of time bearing down on them, she pulled out her phone to check the hour. The glowing screen read ten o'clock, the numbers taunting her with their unwavering march forward.

An unread message from her father caught her eye: How's Natalie? Does she seem normal to you?

That was strange. Did Dad know something about Natalie that Sheila didn't?

Swallowing hard, she looked up at Natalie and Finn, their focus still locked on the investigation.

"Hey, I...I need a breather," she said. "I'm going to walk around, clear my head. I'll be back shortly."

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