Red_Roses_and_Black_Dahlias_-_Macy_T

“Ray woke me up, I think—“ She stopped suddenly and gasped.
I looked up only to see her frightened, wide eyes staring back at me like
I’d done something to her. I frowned, confused.
“What's wrong?” There was an urgency in my voice that only matched the
panic in her eyes. I grabbed her elbows, shaking her slightly. “Valentina, use
your words, honey, what’s wrong?”
She swallowed thickly and I noticed tears were brimming in her eyes.
“Are the monsters coming back, Maddox?” Her voice was nothing but a
whisper.
“What? No, baby. Of course not.”
“Then why do you have a picture of them?”
I didn't get it at first. But then it hit me. The pictures on the table. She had
seen them. And she recognized her parent’s killers in them. Oh fuck, this was
huge.
If Sofia was here, she would probably freak out. She might very well kill
me if she knew I let Valentina see our suspects’ pictures. But as of right now,
I knew this was the only way we’d solve this case.
“Valentina? Can you show me where the monsters are?” She seemed
reluctant to even look back at the pictures, “Please, pretty girl. I know you
can do it.”
She pursed her lips, looking so sad and scared and vulnerable, before
nodding lightly.
I followed her little hand with my eyes as she picked up the picture that
seemed to have triggered bad memories in her. My heart was beating fast in
anticipation and eagerness to finally be able to close this case.