CHAPTER 6

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Cassidy decided she couldn't wait till next week to see her mother. She needed someone to talk to and help clear the thoughts bouncing around in her head. Martha, her mother, was always the one she had gone to with her difficulties. And Martha had always found a solution. Whatever the problem. Cassidy was sure her mother could help organize her thoughts. And she also wanted her mother's opinion on Rose being the killer.

She glanced into her spare room out of habit as she walked by. It was so surreal to see the shelves empty. She couldn't remember the last time they had been so. After Wyatt's pronouncement, Cassidy had started freaking out. Which was a reaction anyone would have felt. To know the stuffed animals she had been receiving were from the victims, had freaked her out immensely.

Wyatt had done his best to calm her down and then informed her that he was taking the animals in for testing. Saying no didn't seem like an option, so Wyatt had bagged and tagged all the stuffed animals and took them with him. He had mentioned coming down to the station today to talk it over but Cassidy wasn't sure she could handle much more at the moment. She needed a break.

In the span of five days, her life had been thrown upside down. And the only constant thing in it was her parents. All the more reason why Cassidy had scheduled this lunch date with her mother. She walked out of the apartment swiftly and hailed a cab once she was on the street.

The drive to her parents' house was one she was accustomed to. After all, it had been her home for the past twelve years. The familiar white picket fences. The dads playing catch with their kids on the lawn. The family outings and Sunday dinners.

When she had first moved in with Martha and Leon, she had been surprised at the interactions between the other parents and their kids. Her actual parents had never treated her like that. There was no white picket fence. No playing catch with her father on the lawn. She and Rose were lucky if they were even let outside to play.

The cab pulled up in front of the house she now called home. It was a regular two storey. The kind any average family would own. There were flowers planted and potted all over the front lawn. They were her mother's latest obsession. The bright colours added to the homey feeling. This house reminded her that there were good people in this world. There were people that loved her.

Cassidy had her keys but she liked ringing the bell. She liked her mother opening the door with a bright, welcoming smile on her face. Her mother didn't disappoint, opening the door with a wide grin.

"Cassidy! It's been so long darling," her mother said, engulfing her in a hug.

Cassidy squeezed her tightly, inhaling the familiar scent of vanilla. Just the familiarity was already calming Cassidy down.

"It's only been about a week mom," she answer chuckling.

"It's been ten days, if we're being precise," her mother pointed out.

Cassidy laughed. Her mother was still getting used to not having Cassidy in the house. She had only moved out over a year ago but she knew her mother still missed her presence at home.

The walked to the kitchen together where most of their important talks always took place.

"How's work darling?"

"Not too bad. I'm trying to convince Lacy to take more orders for decorative cakes," Cassidy answered, taking a seat at the kitchen island. Her mother walked to the stove to check on whatever she was cooking.

"Cakes? Are you sure you have the time?"

"I do. Cakes are what I'm more interested in. The pastries are great but I want to design more."

"I'm sure you and Lacy will work something out," her mother said, supportive as usual.

Martha wasn't young, but you could never tell. Her face was still joyous and wrinkle free. Her hair was free of greys and was dyed blonde at the moment. At a glance, she looked mid-thirties which was far from the fifty-five she actually was.

Martha had been blessed with Seth late in her life. Both her and Leon had given up hope of ever having a child when Martha got pregnant. She had been forty two. They always wanted a family and had already been looking into adoption before Seth was born.

After dealing with new-born Seth for two years, they decided on adopting older kids. They weren't sure they could handle the late nights again. That was when they had adopted Cassidy. And she had been living with them ever since. Her mother and father. It had taken her a while to start calling them that, but they were her parents. They were everything she thoughts parents should be.

"So is something wrong? I feel like there's something troubling you," Martha stated.

Cassidy smiled.

"Can't a daughter want to have lunch with her mother?" she questioned.

"She can. But I know you darling. Something's wrong. What is it?"

There was always no lying to Martha. The woman was like a human lying detector test.

Cassidy shook her head and sighed. It was best she get it over with.

"Five days ago, two detectives showed up at my door," she started.

"You didn't get into any trouble, did you?" her mother interrupted, concern etched on her face.

"No it wasn't anything like that."

Her mother visibly relaxed before motioning for her to continue.

"They asked me down to the station. Said they had confidential things to tell me. I'm not sure I can even tell you this, but I'm going to go out of my mind if I don't talk to someone."

Her mother remained silent, but the worry was clear on her face.

"The detectives were trying of find Rose."

"Rose? Your sister?" Martha asked, the shock clear in her voice.

She knew Cassidy hadn't spoken to Rose in years.

"Yes, my sister. They said they needed to find her. Of course I don't know where she is. And I told them that. The day before yesterday, I visited the station and I saw addresses on the desk of one of the detectives. I snapped a few pictures and visited the people. They knew Rose. As an adult. They said so much nice things about her. About the woman she was today."

"Oh darling. I know how much you miss your sister."

Cassidy simply nodded, trying to calm the tears that had come to her eyes. This was the first time she had allowed herself to feel the sadness of missing her sister. For the past five days all she had been thinking about was finding Rose. She hadn't thought about the fact that her sister was so close that she could soon be reunited with her.

"At first I thought the detectives had come because something had happened to her. But..."

"But what? Why did the detectives come?"

She hesitated. Cassidy wasn't sure what her mother's reaction would be to what she was about to say.

"They suspect Rose is the murderer in a serial killer case."

Her mother sat in stunned silence. Her mouth opened multiple times to speak but nothing came out. Cassidy could understand the reaction.

"That was how I reacted to. I may have laughed as well. I couldn't believe what the detectives were telling me."

"And do you believe them now?" her mother inquired.

Martha's face was deceptively blank. It was as though her mother was waiting to see Cassidy's thoughts before showing her own.

"I don't know what to believe. They keep saying she's a suspect but they don't have definitive evidence that she's responsible. But there's also the fact that she was friends with some of the victims. She was also caught on CCTV.

"I want so hard to believe that it's not Rose. That they definitely have the wrong person. But some part of me...some part of me thinks, I don't know Rose. We've been apart for twelve years. So many things could have happened in that time. She could have changed. I knew I did."

Her mother smiled softly at her.

"You really did change. That shy little girl we adopted is not the one sitting in front of me. Instead it's her beautiful, outgoing personality."

Cassidy smiled. She had changed a lot since her days at the orphanage.

After losing both her parents and Rose, she had been quiet. Afraid to talk to anyone. Afraid other people were like her father. She didn't want to disappoint anyone. Even after being adopted, she had remained recluse for close to a year before she realized her new parents were nothing like her real parents.

Slowly she had broken out of that shell and become the woman she was today. Someone she was proud of.

But what about Rose? She probably had her own battles. Her own challenges to overcome. What kind of woman had she become?

"The police has shared a lot of information with you," her mother pointed out.

"They have. I'm not sure why. I'm sure a lot of what they told me is not for civilian ears but I still heard it."

"They must have a reason for that."

"If they do, they haven't shared it with me as yet."

Her mother pondered for a second before she spoke again.

"The fact that they believe Rose is a suspect doesn't make her guilty. But with all the evidence mounting up against her, it will be difficult to build a proper case for her."

Cassidy's father, Leon, was a lawyer. Martha had helped her husband with enough cases to know this much.

"I know. And that doesn't even cover what they found last night," she mumbled.

Her mother looked at her waiting for her to speak.

"Detective Wyatt drove me home last night. There was a package at my door. He came in and was there when I opened it. It was an octopus. I told you about the packages I've been receiving from the orphanage right?"

Her mother nodded.

"It turns out it's not from the orphanage. The stuffed animals actually belong to victims. Someone had been taking a stuffed animal from every case and has been sending it to me."

"Oh darling."

At her mother's soft, caring tone, the dam inside of Cassidy broke. Her tears rolled down her cheeks slowly but steadily.

"I don't know what to do mum. What if she is the one they're looking for? I don't want to believe that, but there's nothing that's on her side," Cassidy cried.

Her mother rounded the island and embraced her. She patted her back softly, calming her.

"Don't lose faith as yet darling. This could all be some big misunderstanding. Your sister could be innocent and someone could be framing her."

"But why frame her? What does anyone get out of that?"

"I don't know Cass. I don't know."

Cassidy stayed in her mother's embrace, soaking in as much warmth as possible. There wasn't any time to be crying. There also wasn't any time to feel sorry for herself. She had to find Rose. That was the best way to end this case.

Her mother tried to distract her over lunch talking about mundane topics. From her father's new clients to Seth joining the debating team.

"Seth's birthday is soon, isn't it?" Cassidy questioned.

Her mother nodded.

"I should ask him what he wants. He's so picky with his presents."

Martha laughed.

"Toy trucks don't do it anymore. Now all he wants are new things for his computer or some new game," her mother said, shaking her head.

"We do have him a bit spoilt, don't we?" Cassidy said smiling.

Seth was the baby in the family. Without knowing it, they had all spoilt him.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" her mother asked.

"I have a cake order for tomorrow. I might get started on sketching the design. It's not something I've done before so I want to do a test bake tonight."

"Is that your way of avoiding the detectives?" her mother questioned.

Cassidy looked down at the table. It actually was her way. She couldn't speak to them today. She just couldn't.

"I'll speak with them tomorrow. I just need some time."

Her mother smiled.

"It's going to be okay Cass. Don't lose your faith or your belief in your sister."

After lunch, they spent a bit more time chatting before Cassidy thought it was time to leave. She would have liked to see her dad and Seth but both men were going to be home late. She would have to wait for dinner next week.

"Thank you for all your advice today mom."

"It's what I'm her for darling."

Her mother pulled her into another hug, this time squeezing her a bit harder.

"I want you to be extra careful okay," her mother cautioned.

Cassidy's lips tilted slightly.

"Nothing's going to happen to me."

"Still. Just be safe."

Seeing the serious expression on her mother's face, made her agree silently. She would try and be safe.

"I expect you for dinner next week," her mother added.

"Of course. I'm bringing dessert."

Her phone dinged making her look down.

"My cab's here," she told her mother.

They hugged once more.

"I can see myself out, don't worry. I'll call you when I get home," Cassidy promised as she walked out.

Her eyes glanced at the calendar on her way out. Today was the twenty fifth. Two more days to catch the murderer before another family was killed.


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