Detective Marlow Reed had become both ally and anchor. His meticulous mind could see through the chaos of the murders, the manipulated evidence, and even the shadows that Elara could not trust. Yet, he too became a mirror reflecting her own doubt: every question he asked, every analysis he offered, seemed to tease out not only the truth but also her fractured psyche.
Elara met him in the dim light of her apartment, papers and evidence spread across the table like fragments of a puzzle. "We need to map it all," Reed said, his voice calm but intense. "Every incident, every blackout, every manipulated clue. If we understand the pattern, we can anticipate the next move."
Raven surged within her, guiding her hands to arrange the notes, highlighting patterns Reed might have missed, leaving subtle protective markers while concealing the vulnerabilities Mira could exploit. Mira whispered from the corners, twisting Elara's perception of Reed's intentions, planting seeds of doubt: He cannot protect you. He is too late.
Hours passed. The storm outside intensified, rain hammering the windows, lightning illuminating the scattered evidence. Shadows crept across the walls, stretching unnaturally, alive with fragments of her fractured mind. Each scene, each recollection, each clue felt like a test, a trial, a challenge to her sanity.
Finally, Reed leaned back, exhaustion etched on his face. "I see it now," he said quietly. "The murders, the framing, the blackouts… someone is manipulating Raven through you. They know your mind. They know your patterns."
Elara's stomach tightened. And that means Mira.
"Yes," she whispered, voice shaking. "And they're preparing the next step."