Page 38 of Shapeshifter's Vengeance

"She denied everything and now I feel stupid for approaching her in the first place. I thought I could get her to slip up and admit her role in the murders but she was as cool as a cucumber. I didn’t think she would deny it all so easily," I say, frustration evident in my voice. "Claims Rachel is her name and that she has nothing to do with the murders."

Ana leans forward. "What do we do now? She is dangerous and knows we are on to her!"

"We find evidence," I say firmly. "Something that ties her to the crimes. She's been living here for at least a month now, hiding in plain sight. There has to be something."

Mark nods. "We need to dig deeper into her background, her connections."

"Let's focus on her life here," Teresa suggests. "Talk to her colleagues, her neighbors. Someone must have seen something."

"Good idea," I agree. "Linda, you and Teresa take the school. Talk to the staff; see if anyone knows anything unusual about her. Mark, you, and Ana work on her neighbors. I'll coordinate from here and see if I can find any overlooked connections."

Everyone nods, determined. We break, each of us taking on our tasks. I head to my office, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. Cassandra—Rachel— won't get away with this.

We dig through records and interview witnesses. Eventually, the sun sets, and night falls, but we keep working. The team returns one by one, each with pieces of information that we piece together like a mosaic.

Linda speaks first. "The staff at the school says Rachel keeps to herself. Doesn't socialize much, but she's an excellent teacher. No one suspected a thing."

"Her neighbors say she's quiet but friendly," Mark adds. "One mentioned seeing her talking to a strange man a few nights ago, but they didn't get a good look at him."

Ana frowns. "It’s not much, but it’s a start. We need to find out who that man is."

I nod. "We need to keep digging. Something will break. It has to."

As the night wears on, I feel fatigue setting in, but I push through. We sift through records, follow leads, and piece together a picture of Rachel's movements. It’s clear she’s been careful, covering her tracks well.

I finally decided to head home and get some sleep. As I slide into the driver's seat, I notice something odd—a small piece of paper tucked under the windshield wiper. Frowning, I retrieve it and unfold it, revealing neatly typed words that shoot terror through me to my core.

Good to see you are catching up. When I finish with your stupid fiancée, I will be back for you. The games have begun.

My heart races as I read and reread the threatening message. Someone out there knows about Alexei and me, about our findings about Cassandra—or Rachel, as she prefers to be called now. The darkness outside seems to close in, and I feel exposed and vulnerable.

Without hesitation, I start the car and drive straight to Alexei's place. The roads are deserted at this hour, and the occasional streetlight casts eerie shadows on the pavement. My mind races with scenarios—Cassandra's next move, the safety of Alexei, and the looming threat hanging over us.

When I arrive at Alexei's house, I park in front of the familiar gates and rush up to the door. He answers quickly, his expression tightening when he sees the note clutched tightly in my hand.

"Evelyn, what is it?" he asks, concern etched on his features as he takes the note from me.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "Someone left this on my car," I explain, my voice tight. "They know about us falsifying our breakup, Alexei. They're threatening you."

He reads the note carefully, his jaw tightening. After a moment of silence, he sighs heavily. "Now is not the time for caution," he says firmly. "We can't keep hiding while she's out there."

"But if you confront her, she'll deny everything," I argue, the weight of our predicament settling heavily on my shoulders.

"I know," he replies, running a hand through his hair. "But we can't sit back and wait for her to make the next move. We need to act."

I look at him, seeing the determination in his eyes. "What do you want to do?"

He meets my gaze steadily. "I want the house arrest lifted. I need to confront Cassandra myself."

I hesitate, torn between protecting him and knowing that he's right. "Are you sure about this?"

"I am," he says firmly. "I need to face her, Evelyn. And you need to be safe and so does Harmony Grove."

I nod slowly, knowing there's no changing his mind once it's made up. "Okay. I'll talk to the council first thing in the morning."

"Thank you," he says sincerely, pulling me into a brief but tight embrace.

The next morning, I gather the council in my office—Karla, Ana, and a few of the others on the council and my trusted deputies. I explain the situation, showing them the threatening note and emphasizing the urgency of our predicament.

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