Chapter 7

Rain lashed against the concrete.

Dan’s gun remained fixed on Lucas.

Lucas stood protectively in front of Saria, refusing to move.

The stranger in the black overcoat watched the scene with amusement.

“Interesting,” he said with a slow smile.

“Perhaps we should let you settle your family dispute first.”

Saria’s heart pounded.

“Enough!”

Her voice echoed through the storm.

“I don’t know who to believe anymore.”

She looked at Dan.

“You say you’re protecting me.”

Then she turned to Lucas.

“You keep telling me there are things I can’t know.”

Finally, she faced the mysterious stranger.

“And somehow all of you know who Adria is.”

No one answered.

The silence spoke louder than words.

The stranger moaned dramatically.

“It seems no one wants to tell you the truth.”

He raised his hand.

His armed men immediately aimed their weapons.

“Then will end this before your memories return.”

Before anyone could react

“Police! Drop your weapons!”

Detective Noah’s voice thundered across the rooftop.

The metal door burst open as armed officers surged onto the roof.

Gunfire exploded once again.

Lucas grabbed Saria.

“Move!”

They ran toward the opposite stairwell while Noah and his officers exchanged fire with the attackers.

Dan followed close behind.

The mysterious stranger calmly stepped backward.

He never fired a single shot.

Instead, he smiled at Saria.

“We’ll meet again, Adria.”

Then he disappeared into the smoke released by one of his men.

By the time the police reached him

He was gone.

Minutes later

An unmarked black SUV sped through the rain-soaked streets.

Detective Noah sat in the driver’s seat.

Saria occupied the back seat, wrapped in a blanket.

Lucas sat beside her.

Dan followed behind in another vehicle with two police officers.

Noah kept glancing at the rearview mirror.

“We can’t take you back to the hospital.”

“They will attack again.”

Then where are we going? Saria asked.

“A safe house.”

“No one outside the investigation knows about it.”

Lucas looked out the window.

“Let’s hope it stays that way.”

An hour later

The SUV stopped before an old stone house hidden deep within a forest.

It looked abandoned.

Tall trees surrounded the property, shielding it from the main road.

Two plainclothes officers stood guard outside.

Noah unlocked the front door.

“You will be safe here.”

Saria stepped inside.

The house was simple but comfortable.

A fireplace burned softly in the living room.

The warmth was a welcome relief after the freezing rain.

One of the officers brought her a cup of tea.

“Try to rest.”

Rest.

The word almost made her laugh.

How could she rest when every answer only led to more questions?

That evening

Saria wandered through the quiet house.

Most of the rooms were empty.

Until she reached a locked study.

She stopped.

For some reason

The door felt familiar.

She gently touched the handle.

Click.

It wasn’t locked after all.

The room smelled of old books.

Dust covered the shelves.

A large wooden desk stood beside the window.

As Saria stepped inside

A strange feeling washed over her.

“I have been here before”

She whispered the words without thinking.

On the desk sat an antique music box.

Its silver surface was engraved with the same crest she had seen on the sapphire necklace.

Her hands trembled.

Slowly…

She opened it.

A delicate melody filled the room.

The instant the music reached her ears another memory crashed into her mind.

A little girl danced happily around the same music box.

“Again, Mommy!”

Adria smiled and wound the key once more.

“You never get tired of this song.”

The little girl laughed.

“Because Daddy gave it to you.”

 Adria laughed softly.

“Yes.”

“He said it would always lead us home.”

Suddenly

The bedroom door burst open.

A man rushed inside.

His face was hidden by the light behind him.

“They have found us!”

 Adria immediately picked up the little girl.

“Take Lily.”

She placed the child into the man’s arms.

“No matter what happens”

“Protect her.”

“I swear it,” the man replied.

 Adria kissed Lily’s forehead one last time.

Then she whispered,

“Mommy will come back for you.”

The memory shattered.

Saria shook backward.

Tears streamed down her face.

“No”

She pressed both hands against her head.

“I left her.”

The music box slipped from her shaking fingers.

It hit the floor with a loud crash.

Lucas rushed into the room.

“Saria!”

He caught her before she collapsed.

“What happened?”

She looked at him through tear-filled eyes.

“I remember promising Lily”

“My little girl”

“I promised I would come back.”

Lucas’s face filled with emotion.

He gently steadied her.

“You remembered that?”

She nodded.

“I left her with someone.”

“But I couldn’t see his face.”

Before Lucas could answer

Detective Noah entered holding a file.

His expression was harsh.

“We have another problem.”

“What now?” Lucas asked.

Noah placed several photographs on the desk.

“They searched the hospital after the explosion.”

Saria looked down.

Every photograph showed the same thing.

Her hospital room.

Destroyed.

The bed where she had been sleeping

Riddled with bullet holes.

“They were not trying to capture you,” Noah said quietly.

“They intended to make sure there was nothing left.”

Saria shivered.

Then Noah placed one final photograph on the table.

It wasn’t from the hospital.

It showed a cemetery.

A freshly cleaned gravestone.

Carved into the stone were six chilling words.

In Loving Memory of Adria.

Below it

Someone had recently placed a bouquet of red roses

Attached to the flowers was a small handwritten card.

It read:

“Dead women should never come back.”