Deception by design

Kylie's confusion was palpable as she listened to Alicia. "What do you mean?" she questioned, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "There's so much about that day that you don't know . Why your brother got hit? Why wouldn't your father let you and the rest of your family members see the body? Why my son a suspect? Why my truck was involved?"

Alicia's expression was filled with pity and regret. "There's so much you don't know, Miss Hayes," she admitted.

Kylie was stunned at Alicia's revelations. "You mean, you didn't cause my brother's death…or disappearance?" She couldn't believe it. But then Alicia said something about "disappearance", and Kylie froze.

Kylie was still in shock from all the revelations. "Wait, what do you mean my brother disappeared?" she asked, her voice trembling. The possibility that her brother might still be alive gave her a glimmer of hope.

"I'm sorry, I can't say any more," Alicia apologized, turning away from Kylie's pleading gaze.

"Please, I'm begging you.

"My life depends on this," Kylie pleaded as she dropped to her knees, grasping onto Alicia's clothes. "If you know the truth, why won't you tell me?"

Alicia avoided Kylie's gaze, refusing to answer. "Miss Hayes," she said softly. "I don't know the answers you're looking for."

Kylie slowly rose to her feet.Kylie's mind raced as she tried to make sense of everything. Suddenly, she remembered something. "It was six months after my brother's supposed death, three months after my mom's, when I found something in his room," she said, her voice quavering with emotion. "It was a toy—one that my dad had given him on his fourth birthday. But Riley never really liked toys. He always had this one with him, though. It was weird."

Alicia's gaze was fixed on Kylie, listening intently.

Kylie's voice cracked as she continued. "I'd been avoiding his room out of guilt, but that day, I went in. I found the toy under the bed, and when I kicked it, it hit the wall and repeated what I'd said when I entered the room,it was a recording." Kylie's eyes shone with tears. "I kept turning every part of the toy, trying to hear his voice again. Then I knew nothing about all of this just a girl missing her brother. I turned the head of the toy to the left and that's when I heard it," Kylie said, her voice trembling. "My brother's voice. He said, 'I'm fine, big sis.' I've been looking for answers ever since." She turned to face Alicia. "Please. If you know anything, tell me."

Alicia looked away, her expression pained. "Miss Hayes, I can't tell you any more. I'm sorry."

Kylie couldn't believe Alicia wouldn't tell her more. She was growing desperate. "Maybe it's nothing. Maybe I hurt him and he wanted to comfort me." But Kylie couldn't shake the feeling that there was something Alicia wasn't telling her.

"Maybe," Alicia said quietly.

"Or maybe he knew something we didn't."

Kylie's heart beat faster as she realized

"Kylie, sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie" Alicia urged, trying to persuade Kylie to drop her search.

"There are some things you just don't need to know," Alicia added, her tone firm but sympathetic. "If you're tryna find peace, maybe just let it go."

But Kylie wasn't convinced. "I can't just do that, when it has something to do with my family" she argued, her voice trembling with emotion. "I need to know the truth."

Alicia turned to leave, her voice low but firm. "Listen, girl. I ain't sayin' nothin',but do what you need to do but remember don't get yourself into trouble. This ain't the kinda thing where you want trouble." With that, she slipped out of the warehouse, leaving Kylie standing there alone, her thoughts racing.

Kylie stood in the warehouse, her mind spinning with all that Alicia had said. She knew there was more to this story than she realized, but how could she uncover the truth without putting herself in danger? As she pondered her next move, she heard a sound behind her. Spinning around, she was met with a shadowy figure blocking the entrance to the warehouse.

Kylie's heart jumped to her throat as she stared at the figure. The only thing she could make out in the dimly lit warehouse was the outline of a large man, standing between her and the exit.

"Who's there?" Kylie called out, her voice quivering with fear.

The man didn't respond. Instead, he took a step forward, his footsteps echoing eerily through the warehouse.

Kylie felt like a trapped animal, her eyes darting around, searching for an escape.

In a sudden burst of courage, Kylie lunged forward, hoping to slip past the man and make a break for it. But the man was quick. He grabbed her arm in a powerful grip, pulling her back and pressing her against a row of shelving units.

"Don't move," the man growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Kylie struggled against him, but she was no match for his strength. She felt a cold sweat break out across her skin as fear gripped her.

"Who are you?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

Kylie's question was met with silence. The man's grip remained firm, his grip cold and relentless. She felt a surge of panic rise within her, as she realized how powerless she was against this man.

Just as Kylie was about to resign herself to her fate, she heard a strange noise from the back of the warehouse, like a door opening and closing. It was then that she realized that she and Alicia had not been alone.

A man appeared from the shadows, his presence making the man release his grip on Kylie.

Kylie's eyes darted around the warehouse as she tried to make sense of the situation. The man from the shadows seemed familiar somehow, but she couldn't place where she had seen him before.

"Leave her alone," the man repeated, his voice now tinged with anger.

The man who had grabbed Kylie looked uncertainly between the newcomer and Kylie. "You don't know what you're messing with," he growled, but he seemed hesitant to make a move.

Suddenly, the newcomer struck. He launched himself at the other man, landing a powerful punch to the jaw. The man stumbled backward, catching himself on a stack of crates.

Kylie watched in shock as the newcomer pressed his advantage, delivering a series of swift, well-aimed punches.

"Stay down," the newcomer snarled, his voice thick with warning.

The man who had grabbed Kylie held up his hands in surrender, his eyes darting between his attacker and Kylie.

The newcomer stepped forward, keeping a wary eye on the other man. "Are you okay, Kylie?" he asked, his voice still rough with anger.

Kylie nodded, still shaken from the encounter. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you, André."

André nodded curtly. "I heard you talking with Alicia. I couldn't let anything happen to you."

Kylie's eyes widened. "You were listening?"

André's gaze was steely.

André watched the other man retreat into the shadows, his fists still clenched at his sides. He took a step forward, ready to give chase, but he hesitated, glancing back at Kylie.

"Stay here," he said, his voice firm. "I'll be right back."

Kylie nodded, her thoughts racing. How did André get involved in all of this? And who had sent that man to her? She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story than she knew. André disappeared into the darkness, leaving her alone in the silent warehouse.

Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of everything. André had always been a good friend, but she never would've guessed that he was mixed up in something like this. He had seemed so sure of himself when he confronted the other man, almost as if he knew what he was doing.

Kylie's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of André's footsteps returning.