“What do you need her for?” the elderlydy asked.


    Nicole exined, “I’m her coworker.


    She hasn’t shown up at work for a few days, so I came to check on her.


    ”


    “She hasn’t been to work in a few days?” The elderlydy appeared surprised.


    “I haven’t seen her around for a few days either.


    ”


    The elderlydy knew that Melissa worked nights and typically returned homete, while the elderlydy often rose early, so their paths frequently crossed.


    It was unusual for her not to have seen Melissately.


    Nicole suggested, “Madam, do you have a spare key? Maybe we should check if she’s at home.


    What if something has happened to her?”


    The elderlydy responded, “Okay, just a moment.


    I’ll get the key, and we can go in together.


    ”


    Then, she went upstairs to retrieve the key.


    Nicole was eager to enter and look for any possible clues.


    She knew Melissa was Jamie, but Jamie had left no DNA samples behind, and all rted evidence had been destroyed.


    There was no direct way to prove Melissa’s true identity.


    Should Melissa be proven to be Jamie, it would simplify matters significantly.


    Jamie had been quite notorious and reckless during her time with Jarrod.


    Many in Ardlens held grudges against Jamie and were keen to confront her.


    After a few moments, the elderlydy returned with a keychain and unlocked the door of Melissa’s apartment.


    The moment they stepped inside, they were greeted by a pungent odor of trash.


    The floor was littered with discarded takeout containers that hadn’t been disposed of.


    With it being summer, many had developed mold, presenting a disgusting sight.


    Nicole had never encountered such dirt in a living space before.


    The elderlydy eximed in frustration, “Good heavens! She appears so neat outside, yet she lives like this!”


    Nicole covered her nose and went to Melissa’s bedroom.


    The bedroom was in and somewhat cleaner than the rest of the apartment, but still far from tidy.


    Then, something in the room caught Nicole’s eye.


    Finding her own photo in Melissa’s bedroom caught Nicolepletely off guard.


    It was conspicuously ced on the table, marked with curses targeting her.


    This only deepened Nicole’s belief that Melissa was actually Jamie in disguise.


    There was no other exnation for Melissa’s vehement curses if they truly were strangers without past grievances.


    Outside, the elderly woman


    was angrily chanting curses that abruptly ended with a sharp scream.


    “Ah! Blood! Ahhh!”


    Nicole, rmed by the scream, rushed outside and traced it to the bathroom.


    There, she found Melissa, who had been missing for days, lying in a bloodied bathtub.


    The bathtub was gradually filling with water from a dripping faucet, reaching just below Melissa’s lips.


    Had Nicole arrived anyter, Melissa would have been submerged and likely drowned.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    The scene was both shocking and horrifying, yet Nicole managed to stayposed.


    She immediately called for police and an ambnce before assisting the elderly woman outside to calm down.


    With no ce to sit or stand inside, Nicole had the elderly woman sit on the steps, and forfort, she unbuttoned the elderly woman’s shirt before returning inside to check on Jamie, who was still breathing, albeit weakly.


    Nicole sensed something off.


    The circumstances seemed beyond what Jamie could have managed alone.


    Who would have a motive to harm Jamie so severely?