The Memory Keeper: The Sin In Our Name

Rain's POV

It was late when I finally arrived back at my apartment. The exhaustion from juggling work and hospital visits was beginning to chip away at me, but I couldn't let it show. Khai needed me. I dropped my bag by the door, heading straight to the small pile of mail on the counter.

Most of it was junk—flyers, bills, and a few subscription offers I didn't care about. But then I saw it—a plain, unmarked envelope with no return address. My heart sank as I opened it, my fingers trembling slightly.

Inside was a single photo, faded but unmistakable. It was of the car accident—the one from four years ago that changed my life forever. The wreckage was haunting, and my stomach churned as I relived the pain and confusion of that night.

But it wasn't just the photo. Scrawled on a small piece of paper were chilling words:

I know who killed your parents.

My breath hitched, and the room seemed to tilt for a moment. My parents' deaths were always deemed an accident—a horrible, tragic accident. But this... this was something else. My mind raced as I clutched the note tightly. Who sent this? How did they know? And more importantly, could they be telling the truth?

--

My hands trembled as I stared at the photo, the edges curling slightly from my grip. My heart was pounding so loudly it drowned out any rational thought. The memories of the accident—the screeching tires, the shattering glass, the screams—flooded my mind like a tidal wave. I barely noticed Therese rushing to my side until her voice broke through the haze.

"Rain! What happened?" She dropped to the floor beside me, her hands gripping my shoulders. Her eyes darted to the envelope in my hand, then to the photo. "What's this?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but no sound came out. My chest felt tight, and the world seemed to spin around me. Tears welled in my eyes as I shook my head.

"Rain," Therese said softly, taking the envelope and glancing inside. Her eyes widened as she pulled out the note and read it aloud. 'I know who killed your parents.' She gasped, her gaze snapping back to me. "Who sent this?"

Before I could attempt to respond, Kroft's voice boomed from the hallway.

"What's going on?" he asked, rushing into the living room, his hair disheveled. His eyes quickly darted between Therese, me, and the items she held.

Therese handed him the envelope. "Look at this! Someone sent Rain a picture of her accident and this note!"

Kroft's expression darkened as he took the photo. For a moment, his face was unreadable, but I caught the subtle tension in his jaw. It was almost as if he recognized it.

"What is it, Kroft?" Therese pressed.

Kroft hesitated for the briefest of moments, then folded the photo and note back into the envelope. "I know someone who can help us," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "But let me take care of this."

Therese frowned, her eyes narrowing. "What do you mean, 'take care of this'? We should go to the police!"

"No," Kroft said sharply, surprising both of us. "This isn't something we can trust just anyone with. I'll handle it."

Therese looked at him skeptically but didn't argue further. She turned back to me, concern etched across her face. "Rain, are you okay?"

I managed a small nod, though my hands were still trembling. My thoughts swirled with questions—who sent the photo, what they knew, and why they were contacting me now.