C15 Chapter 15

Emily burst through the door, her face etched with worry as she took in the tense atmosphere. "Jules, baby, are you okay?" she asked, rushing to her niece's side. Jules was pale, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. She nodded, trying to speak, but her voice was barely a whisper. "Mom... Drake... Mom, he's dead," she said, bursting into tears.

Emily's eyes widened as she spotted the police officers in the corner. She consoled Jules, holding her close. "Jules, baby, it's okay, it's okay." Jules took a shaky breath, and Emily listened, her face growing grimmer by the minute.

"I got a message from a strange number with a picture of Drake attached to it..." Jules explained everything that happened to Emily.

"They're not the only ones," Emily repeated, her voice low and angry. "Who is doing this? What do they want?"

The police officer, a tall, serious-looking man, stepped forward. "We'll do everything we can to find out, Mrs. Norman. We're checking the messages sent to Jules, and we'll review the security footage around campus."

Emily nodded, her mind racing. "What about Drake's family? Have they been notified?"

The officer nodded. "We're working on getting them informed, yes."

Jules suddenly spoke up, her voice a little stronger. "Mom, I think I'm scared. What if they come after me again?"

Emily's expression softened, and she wrapped her arms around Jules. "You're not alone, baby. We're here, and the police are going to catch this person. We'll get through this, okay?"

As Emily held Jules, she felt a surge of anger and determination. Whoever was doing this was going to pay.

As the hours ticked by, the tension was palpable. Jules was getting more and more agitated, her eyes darting around the room. Emily knew she needed to get her out of there, to somewhere safe.

"Officers, can I take my daughter home?" Emily asked pleadingly.

The officer replied, "You can't go home, but we can arrange someone to escort you to a secure location."

Jules nodded, her eyes wide with fear. "Okay, please. I just want to get out of here."

As they prepared to leave, Emily's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, and her eyes widened as she saw the message on the screen.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Jules asked, noticing Emily's expression.

As Emily's eyes locked onto the message, her grip on Jules tightened. "Mom, what's wrong?" Jules asked, her voice laced with fear. Emily's voice barely registered above a whisper. "It's nothing, baby. Just a spam message." But Jules saw the look in her eyes.