~~~~~~~~~Iv's POV~~~~~~~~~

It wasn't much information, but I didn't expect any more. I already knew Ryan and Cynthia never had the best relationship, mostly because of their childhood, but it was better nothing.

Not long after, I was able to reunite with Lola and Noah down at the first floor of the building, nodding for them to join me outside, where we met up with Victor, who was the first to ask. "So, what'd you find out?"

"Unfortunately nothing regarding Cynthia, but I had already expected that. However, he says he saw Lidia out in the woods on her own. He looked away for a second and she had disappeared."

Lola raised an eyebrow. "That's all we have?"

"Not that I don't trust your judgement, but what if he's the culprit himself? He could just be lying to cover his tracks." Noah gave a shrug.

I crossed my arms. "The same can be said for all the people we've interviewed so far, the same could be said from me to each of you, and you to me."

The three of them shared glances, realizing I had a point, so I continued. "We have trust, and bad as he seems to be, I do trust Ryan to an extent. I know he wants nothing more than for Cynthia and Aiden to be alive and safe, same goes for all of us."

Victor let out a sigh. "I guess we're heading to the woods again tomorrow. It won't be easy to search for it in the dark."

"Agreed, we'll leave around eleven in morning. Sound good?"

They all nodded in agreement, and we all got in the car, Victor taking us home one by one.

I didn't suspect the surprise that waited for me.

Managing to climb back into my room through my window and quickly changing into my pjs, taking off my makeup, and making my hair look a little messy before leaving my room. It wasn't rare for to take two hour baths, plus drying my super long hair for another hour, so I didn't expect anyone to find it weird that I was stuck in my room for so long.

My eyes grew a little as I saw my parents and Alyse talking to someone else who was standing by the door, eyes soon meeting mind.

My cousin, Ashley Anderson, was now staring back at me, soon giving me a smile. Ashley lived in Florida with her dad, so I would usually only see her once a year, or once every two years. We didn't get along that well, so neither of us bothered to contact the other through social media.

It was strange to see her here when it wasn't summer, so I turned to my mom, confused. "Uh..?"

"Oh, Iv!" Mom walked over to be beside me. "Ashley's gonna be staying with us for a little while, is that okay?"

"I guess so, but why the sudden visit?"

"I've been wanted to come here ever since I heard Aiden went missing, but with all the security that the town has placed for entering and leaving town has been really strict.."

"What about your dad? Why's he not here with you?"

"You know how he is. I tried to convince him to join, but he kept refusing."

"Aren't you worried you may be a victim?"

"Obviously." She gently pet Alyse's head, who smiled in return. "But you guys are family too, I was really worried.. When I heard Aiden was gone, I couldn't stop crying for weeks.."

I remembered the first few weeks that Aiden went missing for me, I barely cried because I wanted to help everyone else, but I was in a deep pain.. I still am..

"Thanks for visiting, Ash.."

"Of course.." She walked over to me, gently taking my hands in hers. "I know we've never really seen things eye to eye, but.. Aiden's my family too, that's why I came here.."

Ashley did have a better relationship with Aiden and Alyse than she did with me, not to mention she had her own problems with our uncle. My dad and him were never in the best of terms, so whenever they'd visit, they barely spoke, and was mostly just Ashley trying her best.

Soon enough, I let out a small sigh. "Well, I'm glad you're doing okay, Ash.."

"Feeling's mutual.." She pulled away, turning to my parents. "Thanks for letting me stay again, I know it's not really the happiest time for you all.."

"It's alright, amor.. We're just glad to have more family around in such dark times.."

"I'll go ahead and put my bags in the guest room." With that, she grabbed her bags and headed upstairs.

Just meant I had another person to worry for..

I noticed Alyse glance at me, then at the stairs before walking over, and I followed behind as she walked upstairs and to my room, looking the door once we were both inside. "Did you find anything?"

"Not much, but we're going out tomorrow to search for any clues on Lidia. Ryan mentioned he saw her in the woods by herself the night she went missing."

"Didn't you say that her bedroom window was open that night? And that house has a protection spell, right?"

"I see I'm not the only big brain here." I gently patted her head, to which she smiled. "We had already theorized that she left her house on her own free will, and Ryan's alibi proves so. If he were the suspect, he wouldn't have said anything at all, a crime in the woods with no witnesses is easy to hide."

"So you've confirmed Ryan's out of the suspect list?"

"For now, yeah."

"Any other suspects?"

"Not really, we've mainly been focusing on all the witnesses first, once we investigate all of them, I'm sure we'll have more theories."

She stared at me for a short while, as if scanning my thoughts. "... you already have a theory about all this though, don't you?"

I stayed silent, she had always known how to read people. "I... well..."

"It's not a decent sounding one, huh..?"

Biting my lip, I looked down at the list of victims, going to the first one. "I just.. don't want that to be the case, but.."

"... but..?"

"... I'm thinking that maybe one of the victims themselves is the culprit, and they faked being kidnapped to cover their tracks.." I gripped my phone a bit, feeling a chill go down my spine. "And I may have a thought of who that might be.."

Thanks for reading!!! 'Till next time!!!

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