Sophia's time in detention was up, and the case was still stuck, so she was free for now.
Robert hung back in the shadows, watching her leave the police station. She walked with purpose, her back straight, but she looked so thin and fragile in the cold wind.
Robert knew better than to judge by appearances. He turned to the person next to him and said, "Get two officers to tail her."
'If this really is a serial killer case, who's next?' he wondered.
The twin torture case from 16 years ago had more than just Tony involved.
Back in his office, Robert pulled out the old case files.
Sixteen years ago, Ella ran into Tony and Kurt with their girlfriend, and they beat and tortured her brutally.
They avoided hitting her head, so she was conscious through the whole ordeal.
Her body was covered in bite marks, burns, and scalds, even in her most private areas. She lost the baby she was carrying because of their violence.
In the end, it was 8-year-old Sophia who found her. Even though Ella was rushed to the hospital, she didn't make it.
Three months after the incident, Tony's lawyer argued that Ella didn't die immediately from the torture but from complications two days later. This changed their charge from intentional homicide to intentional injury.
Their parents also produced a birth certificate from some hospital, claiming they were a year younger than their documented age, just 15.
So, they only got three years in a juvenile detention center.
But three months later, they were back home, living happily with their parents.
Only Lyra got punished. She got two years in prison for being an adult at the time of the crime.
After reading the files, Robert sighed. If it really was Sophia, it would be such a shame.
She worked so hard to become a doctor, with a bright future ahead.
No one wanted to see her go from a doctor to a murderer, ending up in prison.
The night was freezing. Sophia got on the last bus. There were only a few people on board, all heading home with smiles. Even the driver had a smile on his face.
But Sophia was expressionless. The lights outside were bright, but none came from her home. Because she had no home, just herself.
All her happiness ended that winter night 16 years ago. When Sophia finally lay in bed, she smiled like a child. "Mom, he's finally dead."
She looked at her hands in the dim light, both clean, no dirt or blood. "Dad, I kept my promise."
After a long time, a faint sigh echoed in the dark. "But I am really suffering."
After a while, the piercing ring of a phone shattered the silence, startling Sophia awake. She looked at the screen; it was another virtual number.