Fourty Three

Cassandra entered the CCTV room at the police station with determined steps. Her eyes scanned the small room filled with monitor screens, each displaying footage from various angles around the building. A young staff member in a neat uniform sat at the main console, typing away busily.

“I need your help,” Cassandra said, her voice low but firm. The man turned around, looking slightly startled by her direct request.

“Of course, Ms. Cassandra. What can I do for you?” he asked, sliding his chair closer to the console.

“I want to review the CCTV footage from the parking lot on the night Alexander was found. Check between seven and ten o’clock,” she said, folding her arms across her chest. Her eyes stayed fixed on the screens, as though she was already envisioning the clues she was seeking.

The staff member nodded and began typing, opening the folder for the footage from the specified date. Cassandra stood behind him, her eyes glued to the screen. Footage from various cameras in the parking lot started playing, showing cars coming and going and a few officers patrolling.

After about ten minutes of playback, something caught Cassandra’s attention. “Stop,” she said abruptly. The man paused the footage and rewound it a few seconds before enlarging the main screen.

In the corner of the frame, a man with part of his body obscured by shadows was seen walking quickly toward a black car parked at the edge of the lot. The camera had only captured half of his body, making it difficult to identify his face. However, one detail immediately stood out to Cassandra.

“Zoom in on that car,” she instructed. The staff member magnified the image, though the resolution was limited. A silver rose logo on the lower part of the car door instantly caught Cassandra’s attention. The sight made her blood run cold.

She vividly remembered the same car, or at least one with a similar logo, from the night her parents were killed. The memory hit her like a tidal wave. The car with the silver rose was the only lead she had years ago, but she had never been able to track down its owner.

“Ms. Cassandra, do you recognize something?” the staff member asked, breaking Cassandra’s train of thought.

Cassandra took a deep breath and nodded slowly. “Save this footage and mark it. I want to review it again later,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

The man nodded and tagged the footage before Cassandra turned and left the room. However, she paused for a moment just outside the door. An uneasy feeling engulfed her. That logo was undeniable proof that the car was connected to the past incident, but how could she confirm its connection to Antonio?

Cassandra re-entered the CCTV room with renewed determination. “Bring up the footage again and focus closer on that logo,” she said. The man nodded and reopened the saved file. Cassandra scrutinized the screen, ensuring she didn’t miss any detail. There was no doubt—the logo matched the one she had seen at the scene of her parents’ accident.

Her hands trembled as she pointed at the screen. “Give me a copy of this footage. I need it for further investigation,” she said, her voice attempting to stay firm.

“Of course, Ms. Cassandra,” the man replied as he copied the footage onto a drive.

After receiving the drive, Cassandra left the room with her thoughts spinning. The logo wasn’t just a coincidence. She was convinced there was a connection between the car and Antonio, but she wasn’t sure how to face the reality of it.

Inner Struggle

In her car, Cassandra pulled out her phone. She opened her contact list and found Antonio’s name. Her thumb hovered over the call button. She wanted answers. She wanted to know what his connection was to the car, why it was at the scene, and whether he knew anything about her parents’ deaths.

But each time she was about to press the button, doubt overwhelmed her. If Antonio was truly involved, he could be more dangerous than she had ever imagined. And if he wasn’t involved, how could she explain her suspicions without destroying everything?

After several minutes of battling with her thoughts, Cassandra let out a long sigh and shut off her phone’s screen. She decided not to call Antonio tonight. She needed more evidence before confronting him.

Leaning her head against the steering wheel, Cassandra closed her eyes for a moment. Exhaustion and frustration consumed her. She knew that whatever happened, the truth had to come out, even if it meant facing the most painful reality.

The following morning, Cassandra decided to delve deeper into her investigation. With the CCTV footage drive in hand, she returned to the police station and requested access to the vehicle database. She sat at a computer connected to the system, entering the details of the car she had seen in the footage. The silver rose logo was her starting point.

After several searches, a result appeared on the screen. The car was registered to a company named “Silver Bloom Enterprises.” The company had a reputation for exclusivity, catering only to elite clients. Cassandra jotted down the company’s name and address, feeling she had taken a significant step forward in her investigation.

However, something about the name bothered her. She felt she had heard it before but couldn’t recall where. As she pondered, her phone vibrated on the desk. Martinez was calling again.

“Cassandra, there’s new information about Alexander’s case. You need to come to the office immediately,” he said briefly, his tone serious.

“All right, I’ll be there shortly,” Cassandra replied as she closed her laptop.

On her way to the police station, Cassandra’s thoughts kept spinning. Silver Bloom Enterprises might hold the key to uncovering the link between the car, her parents’ deaths, and the attack on Alexander. But she also knew that every step forward would either further implicate Antonio or clear him of suspicion.

Upon arriving at the office, Cassandra went straight to the meeting room where Martinez was waiting. She handed over her findings and explained the connections between the car logo, the company, and the CCTV footage.

“This is a major lead,” Martinez said as he reviewed Cassandra’s notes. “But are you certain this is related to Alexander?”

Cassandra hesitated before answering. “I’m not sure yet. But there are too many coincidences here, Martinez. We need to dig deeper.”

Martinez nodded. “All right. I’ll arrange for a warrant to access more data on this company. You stay focused on what you’re working on. If Antonio is involved, we need concrete evidence.”

Hearing Antonio’s name made Cassandra’s heart race. She nodded slowly, trying to conceal the emotional turmoil within her. After the meeting ended, she returned to her desk and stared at her phone’s contact list once more. Antonio’s name was still there, as if daring her to make the call.

With one deep breath, she decided to postpone the confrontation. For now, her priority was the truth, even if it meant keeping what she had found hidden from those closest to her. She knew time would reveal the answers, and when it did, she had to be ready to face it all.