Page 46 of The Rookie's Second Chance

But the most telling piece was a picture of a handwritten note I found buried at the bottom of the pile deep in his online posts on Tumblr. In it, Ethan spoke about 'regrets' and 'secrets too heavy to carry.' It was vague, but the desperation in the scrawl was clear. This note, more than anything, made me wonder what Ethan had gotten himself into and what he knew about the darkness that seemed to shroud The Vault and everything connected to it.

My keystrokes echoed in the dim room, a ticking clock reminding me of the precious minutes slipping away. Kayla was fighting for her life, and the bastard responsible was still out there, lurking in the shadows. My anger fueled my determination. I would make him pay for Kayla and for everything he'd put us through.

I logged into the account Kayla had been using to trace Ethan's posts. My heart raced as I sent a direct message, not holding back on the words.

"I know what you did to Kayla. You hurt her, and you're gonna pay, you son of a bitch. You're lucky I'm a cop, or I'd show you a world of hurt."

Seconds felt like hours as I watched the screen, my fury simmering beneath the surface. Then, a notification popped up. Ethan was online.

His response came in, swift and panicked, a chink in his armor. "I didn't do anything. I'm not even in Silver Creek. I was trying to throw you off. You don't get it — The Vault's former members are watching. Powerful people. They'll do whatever it takes to keep their secrets hidden."

"The Vault? What secrets are you talking about?" I typed, my fingers clenched, demanding answers.

Ethan's reply was a terse one. "I can't talk about them online. It's not safe. Not with... the incident."

My blood ran cold. What the hell did he mean by "the incident"? Questions buzzed in my head, but I couldn't let him slip away now, not when we were finally close to the truth.

The station phone rang, and I snatched it up without a second thought. It had to be Ethan, and he was going to talk. He had to.

"Hello," I said, my voice hard and unwavering.

The voice on the other end was unmistakably Ethan's. "You want answers? We can't talk here. It's not safe. I'll come to Silver Creek, and we can discuss everything face to face."

A lump formed in my throat. "Fine, but if I get even a whiff of you doing something to anyone in my town—"

Ethan chuckled, a sinister edge to it. “Understood… officer."

I hung up, my mind racing with dread and anticipation. Ethan was coming to Silver Creek. I had no idea what would happen when he arrived, but one thing was clear — we were closer to the truth than ever before.

The hospital room was too damn quiet, the beeping of the heart monitor filling the space like some cruel metronome counting down. As I approached Kayla's bedside, seeing her lying there, so fucking vulnerable, hit me like a punch to the gut. This wasn't the Kayla I knew, the one who could take down a perp twice her size without breaking a sweat.

"I talked to Ethan," I murmured to her, unsure if she could hear me. "He's coming to town. I'm gonna meet with him tomorrow."

Her face was peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos that landed her here. I wanted to press my lips to her forehead, to somehow transfer strength to her, but the damn bandages made me opt for a gentle kiss on the cheek instead.

"You just hang in there, Kayla. We've got a bastard to catch, and I need you with me."

Back at my place, Mandy was sprawled on the couch, her attention glued to the TV until she noticed me.

"You're home early," she commented, that look of concern etched deep into her features.

I grunted in response, tossing my keys onto the counter. "Been a long day," I said, it all settling on my shoulders.

"Is there anything I can do?" Mandy's voice was soft, almost hesitant.

I was tired, every part of me screaming for a break from the chaos. "Just need to crash. Not think for a while."

She offered up a distraction. "It's still early. Movie? Pizza? My treat?"

I hesitated, keenly aware of the lines I didn't want to cross. Mandy was great, but the last thing I needed was more complications. But shit, I was so damn tired of being alone with my thoughts. With Luke and Lexi tucked away, and Kayla... I couldn't face the night solo.

I sank into the armchair, feeling the day's adrenaline crash leaving me bone tired. "Sure," I finally said. Mandy’s small smile was a slice of normalcy, something I desperately craved.

She got up, her movements easy as she grabbed a beer for me. The cold bottle felt good in my hand, a temporary balm.

"Thanks," I muttered, tilting the bottle back and feeling the bitter liquid slide down my throat.

The movie started, some action flick that would normally have me all in, but the images just blurred together. My mind was on tomorrow, on Ethan, on the information he claimed to have. On Kayla, lying in that hospital bed.

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