Bradley Norman in the Picture

The interior of the taxi felt heavy with silence as Brendon processed the sudden lead given by Lewis. Jacob's older sister, Ivy, might hold the key to the truth. The cab's worn-out leather seats creaked slightly beneath him, a quiet reminder of the long, winding roads he'd traveled in pursuit of justice.

"Driver, please slow down," Brendon called out, leaning forward slightly.

The driver, a wiry man with dark circles under his eyes and fingers fidgeting on the steering wheel, glanced nervously at the rearview mirror. The sight of Brendon's sharp amber eyes and the faint glimmer of his canines seemed to unnerve him.

"Y-Yes, sir," the driver stuttered.

"Lewis, can you tell me Ivy's address?" Brendon texted into his phone.

"Yeah, it's 482 Cloverfield Street, Apartment 4A," Lewis replied, he texted back as quick as possible. "She should be there now."

Brendon turned off the phone and turned back to the driver. "Change of plans. Head to 482 Cloverfield Street."

The driver hesitated. "Sir, that's across town. It'll take a while, and..." He glanced nervously at Brendon's lupine features. "Will there be extra pay?"

Brendon's firm expression softened. "Yeah. Of course."

A thin, relieved smile appeared in the rearview mirror. "Got it, Sheriff. On our way."

The cab weaved through the city streets, crossing from the more developed urban center into the older, quieter neighborhoods. As they approached the apartment complex, Brendon pulled out a few extra notes and handed them to the driver.

"Here. Ten pounds extra," Brendon said.

The driver's eyes widened. As Brendon exited the car, the driver leaned out the window. "Hey! Sheriff! Thanks for the extra!"

Brendon glanced back, his ears flicking slightly. "You pretty much deserve that."

"My name's Ricci Bhui," the driver offered, a genuine warmth in his tone. "Nice to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you, Ricci."

Ricci seemed to contemplate something before speaking again. "Hey, if you ever need info about anyone sketchy around town, you can reach out. I know the streets, and I hear things. Here's my number."

Ricci handed Brendon a crumpled business card with his contact details scribbled in ink. Brendon nodded, tucking the card into his coat pocket. "Thanks, Ricci. I'll keep that in mind."

With a last nod, Brendon watched the cab drive away, its rumble fading into the distance. He turned to face the worn-out apartment complex, its walls stained by time and neglect.

---

Meeting Ivy Williams

Brendon climbed the stairs, each step creaking beneath his weight. The scent of stale cigarettes and damp wood lingered in the hallways. He found Apartment 4A and knocked.

Moments later, the door cracked open, revealing a teenage girl with disheveled auburn hair and tired, puffy eyes. Her gaze flicked over Brendon's features—his fur, his ears, his sharp eyes—and for a second, there was a glimmer of fear before it hardened into indifference.

"Are you Ivy Williams?" Brendon asked, maintaining a gentle yet authoritative tone.

"Yes," Ivy muttered. "What do you want?"

"I'm Sheriff Brendon Wolf. I wanted to ask you a few questions about Jacob." His voice softened. "I know this is difficult, but I'm trying to understand what happened."

Ivy's expression darkened. She took a step back, letting the door open wider. Brendon entered, noticing the sparse furnishings—a worn-out couch, an old television, and family photos on the wall. Most of them featured Ivy and a woman who seemed to be her mother. Only a few included Jacob.

"So, why didn't you or your mother come to the police station after Jacob's death? And where's your mother by the way?" Brendon began, his voice careful.

Ivy's shoulders tensed. Her jaw tightened. "She is currently out of town, I haven't told her yet about Jacob's death. Personally, I don't care anymore," she said sharply. "And besides, we're not... real siblings."

Brendon blinked, caught off guard. "Not real siblings? What do you mean?"

Ivy looked away, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. "Jacob was adopted. My mom took him in when he was six. He was... different, but we tried to make it work."

This revelation settled heavily in the air. Brendon's gaze drifted to a framed photo on the wall—Jacob as a young boy, smiling shyly beside Ivy. There was a distance in that smile, a sense of isolation.

"Is that why you didn't want to help?" Brendon asked quietly. "Because he wasn't your 'real' brother?"

Ivy's composure crumbled. Her voice wavered. "Why do you keep pushing me?" she snapped. "I don't want to think about him! I don't want to remember what happened!" Tears began to stream down her cheeks, her fingers trembling.

Brendon waited, his presence steady. When Ivy's sobs quieted, he spoke softly. "I know this is hard, Ivy. But if you know something that can help us find out who did this to Jacob... don't you think he deserves that? Don't you think you deserve that peace?"

Ivy's breathing steadied, and she wiped her eyes. The hardened exterior seemed to fade, leaving behind a wounded, grieving sister.

"Okay, Sheriff," she whispered. "I think... I think I'm ready."

---

Pieces of the Past

"Can you tell me about Jacob? What he was like?" Brendon asked gently.

Ivy's gaze dropped to her lap. "He was kind. Naive, sometimes. He tried hard to fit in, but... it wasn't always easy."

"Was there anyone he was close to? Any friends or... relationships?"

Ivy hesitated. "Yeah. He was seeing a girl named Sydney. They were happy for a while, but... things got weird when her ex-boyfriend showed up at Ridgecliff Academy."

Brendon's ears perked. "Her ex?"

"Bradley Norman," Ivy replied. "He and Jacob used to be friends when they were kids. But something happened when Bradley came back. Jacob changed. He was... distant, like something was eating away at him."

Brendon's mind raced. The tampered chat logs—Bradley Norman's name had been there. Why would a childhood friend, an ex-boyfriend of Sydney, be involved in this?

"Do you know if they had any arguments or incidents recently?" Brendon asked.

Ivy nodded. "Three days ago. They met in the central park. I don't know what happened, but after that, Jacob wasn't the same. The spark in his smile... it was just gone."

A sense of dread filled Brendon's gut. What had happened at that park? What could have shattered Jacob so deeply?

Ivy suddenly looked embarrassed, her eyes darting away. "I... I know it's silly, but... I kind of liked Jacob. More than just a brother."

Brendon managed a gentle smirk. "There's no shame in that, Ivy. It's human... or, well, natural, to feel that way."

Her cheeks flushed, a faint, bittersweet smile crossing her face. "I was jealous of Sydney. I wanted him to notice me like that. But now... none of it matters."

Brendon stood, his presence calm and reassuring. "Thank you, Ivy. I know this wasn't easy, but you did the right thing."

As he left the apartment, the weight of Ivy's confession settled heavily on his shoulders. Jacob's fragmented past, his strained relationships—everything pointed to Bradley Norman.

And if Bradley was the key to unraveling Jacob's fate, Brendon knew exactly whom to call next.