Page 24 of Symphony for Lies

The yellow caution tape. The officers. The flashing lights. My stomach turned violently, and I quickly looked away.

The moment I stepped into the clinic, I was immediately swarmed by Angela, Jenny, Rita, and Robert.

“Amelia, what did you see?”

“Was it terrible?”

“God, you poor thing! I would’ve fainted on the spot!”

Their voices blurred together. I couldn’t talk about it. I didn’t want to.

“It was… horrifying.” That was all I could manage.

I walked away without another word and went straight to the locker room. I just wanted to work. To forget.

I changed my uniform, clipped on my name tag, and breathed deeply. I knew the job, the routine, and the flow of the day. But before I could even start, Linda called me into her office.

She was sitting on the edge of her desk, arms crossed.Her dark raven-black hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, and her usually warm amber eyes were dulled with exhaustion. Even her tan skin had a yellowish hue.

For a long moment, she said nothing. “Amelia, are you sure you’re in the right state to work today? I saw the news—”

“There was a cat next to the body,” I interrupted.My fingers felt clammy, and my heart pounded in my chest. “It looked exactly like Mr. Franklyn’s cat.”

A heavy silence filled the room.

Linda slowly dragged a hand down her face. “What?”

I swallowed hard. “I know it sounds unbelievable—”

“It’s beyond unbelievable.” Her sharp gaze pinned me in place. “But I know you, Amelia. You have a photographic memory. If you say it was the same cat, I believe you.”

Her trust meant a lot. But at that moment, it felt like a burden.

“I’ll get in touch with the police,” she stated, her voice firm. “Our interview was delayed again. This time because of the murder, but now we need confirmation.”

I nodded hesitantly and stood up to leave.

“One more thing.” Linda studied me for a long time.

“Call Mr. Franklyn.”

My stomach twisted.

“He has a right to know.”

I clenched my jaw. “Understood.”

I walked to the reception desk as a heavy weight settled in my gut.

The clinic had already opened, and my coworkers, Rita and Robert, were manning the front.

Robert was busy with a client while Rita flipped through some paperwork.

“Can you pull up Mr. Franklyn’s information? I need his phone number.”

Rita’s sun-kissed complexion was flawless, as always, and her makeup perfectly highlighted her big gray eyes. She flashed me a playful grin. “For you? Anything.”

I gave her a tired smile.