Page 16 of Symphony for Lies (Tangled Truths #2)

Spencer’s gaze swept across the schoolyard. The moment he saw me, he ran up to me, scanning my body as if to check for injuries. “Amelia! Are you alright?”

“I-we’re fine.”

He exhaled a breath of relief.Even in the dim schoolyard lights, I could see the shadows under his eyes, which were darker than they were earlier in the day.

“You’ve had a long shift,” I muttered.

A small, tired smile flickered across his lips.“I was actually about to head home. But I caught the call on my radio, and since it was on my way, I decided to check in.” His eyes shifted to Zane and the kids, assessing them quickly before focusing back on me.

“I’m the one who called,” Zane interjected with a hint of irritation.His critical, calculating focus drifted to Spencer’s hand resting on my arm.

“Bag?” Spencer repeated, frowning slightly.

“I told him to call the police,” I added quickly, sensing the sudden tension.

The two other officers joined us. The taller one, a dark-haired man with sharp features, studied me briefly before his expression lit up with recognition. “Amelia? ”

“Ali!”

I barely recognized him at first. He usually had a beard, but he was clean-shaven, making him look at least ten years younger.

“It’s been a while.” He grinned. “But I’ve heard your name a lot lately.”

His eyes flicked between me and Spencer pointedly, and I frowned in confusion.Spencer immediately dropped his hand from my arm, making Ali smirk.

“My wife, Layla, won’t stop talking about you.”

I could guess why Layla mentioned me, but it wasn’t an appropriate time to discuss that.

“Wait. Isn’t she the one who gave you her number?” the other officer chimed in, amused.

Recognition clicked.He was one of the guys watching Spencer at the café.

I glanced back at Zane, who stood silent but watchful.“Can we please focus on the bag?” I inquired, cutting through the conversation.At once, professionalism returned.

“I’ll stay with the kids,” the officer volunteered.

I led Spencer and Ali to the bag, explaining everything as we walked: what happened, how we found it, and that only two people touched it.

Spencer pulled on a pair of gloves and crouched down, carefully unzipping the bag.

Ali took one look inside and immediately covered his mouth.

Zane’s usual amused arrogance was gone. His jaw was clenched tight, fists curled at his sides. It was too much even for him.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

“What the fuck...” Ali whispered.

Spencer’s head snapped up, eyes locking onto mine.“The wind chime.”

I nodded with a heavy heart.We were thinking the same thing.

“Get forensics here.”

Ali grabbed his radio, calling it in.

Spencer slipped off the gloves and leaned in close to murmur, “The dog had a collar. The name of the last victim was on it… Her hand was missing, too. He was here.”

My breath caught.

“You work at Paws he just let them explain things in their own words.

And then it was my turn.

Most of the questions were straightforward. Had I seen anything unusual? Had I noticed anyone watching us?

Nothing unexpected came up untilhe asked, “What’s your relationship with Zane Cole?”

I blinked.

Why did that matter?

With a sigh, I gave the only honest answer I had.

“He’s Simon’s older brother. I tutor Simon. ”

Spencer’s brows lifted slightly. “Just that?”

I nodded. “Yes, we don’t really interact otherwise.”

His lips curved into a smirk. “I see…”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why?”

“Oh, no reason.”

“No, really. What does it matter? Does this have anything to do with the case?”

He shook his head. “Not this case, no. But for my case, it’s relevant.”

That threw me off completely.

Spencer’s gaze drifted toward Zane, who was standing a few feet away, watching us with an expression I couldn’t quite read.

“Mr. Cole gave me a different answer.”

Wait, what?

My lips parted, but the words got stuck somewhere between my ribs and my throat.

What was Zane’s answer? And why did Spencer sound so damn smug about it?

Forcing my voice to work, I asked, “What answer did he give you?”

Spencer’s smirk didn’t fade. “Can’t tell you.”

I rolled my eyes.“Whatever. We have bigger problems right now.”

His shoulders shook slightly with amusement.“Oh, much bigger problems.”

“Why are you grinning like that?”

“No reason.” His expression shifted, his playfulness fading into something more serious. “You checked my message, right?”

Still reeling from the Zane conversation, I hesitated for half a second but nodded.“Yeah. I need more time to decode the message. Something feels off. Like a piece is missing.”

Automatically, his gaze flicked toward the bag. “Maybe the missing piece is in there. ”

The weight of possibility settled deep in my chest.

Spencer gave my shoulder a firm squeeze.“I’ll go through all of it. I’ll handle the paperwork and make sure the school is informed. You just focus on getting home safe.”

I nodded gratefully. “Thank you for trusting me, Spencer.”

His brows lifted slightly. “How could I not?”

A small smile pulled at my lips. “We’ll talk soon.”

I turned, walking toward Zane, Simon, and Jade.

The kids looked exhausted.

Zane was still watching me. But not in the way he usually did. There was something else in his gaze.Something less challenging, something I couldn’t quite place.

When I reached him, he didn’t ask any questions. He just said quietly, “I’ll drive you home.”

It wasn’t a demand. It was almost a question. A request. An invitation.

I let the silence stretch between us for a second. “I just need to grab my stuff. Then we can go.”

The police remained at the scene while Jade, Simon, and I settled into Zane’s car. During the drive, the kids clung to me as if I were their anchor.

Spencer had explained the situation to them gently, in a way that wouldn’t traumatize them further.Still, the fear lingered.Gently, I ran my fingers over Jade’s arm, offering the only comfort I could.

When I glanced at the rearview mirror and caught Zane’s eye, his gaze held steady.

He was checking on me. Almost imperceptibly, he nodded, and I forced a small, tired smile.

The streetlights’ glow illuminated the pavement but cast long shadows that seemed to darken everything. The usually vibrant town, full of gardens and life, felt eerie. A city haunted by something unseen.

When Zane finally stopped the car outside an apartment complex, I got out with Jade and took her to her door.

By some luck, her mother had arrived at the same time.

I explained everything, keeping my words carefully neutral and calm. The woman’s expression shifted from concern to gratitude as she pulled her daughter close. The color slowly returned to Jade’s face. She was safe.

With a small smile, I watched them for a moment as they entered their home before returning to the car. Simon clutched onto my arm the moment I got in.

I thought we were driving to my home, but Zane just went straight to the mansion. I stared at his reflection in the mirror, but he didn’t even acknowledge my obvious confusion. He pulled up right in front of the grand entrance and opened the door for me.

“I’m going home,” I said as I got out.

Zane shook his head. “No, you’re coming with me. Wait here.”

Simon yawned loudly, looking between the two of us before quickly hugging me and heading inside the mansion.

Zane followed his sibling, and I just stood there, debating. I considered just walking away and going home as originally planned. But before I could make up my mind, Zane reappeared.

He led me to his motorcycle.

No way!

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered.

The man just grinned, holding out a helmet.“Oh, I’m dead serious.”

I gave him a long, slow once-over, from his messy, windswept hair down to his black riding gear.

I was going to regret this. No, I already regretted this.

“I think you could use a little fresh air.”

I crossed my arms. “I think I could use a nap.”