"Sophia, you gotta come with us to the station," Robert said, sounding like a broken record.
Then he turned to Ethan. "Hurry up, we need to get to Starfish Apartments. Tell the officers to head there ASAP and bring Wren back to the station for safety."
Sophia slid into the back seat, Ethan took the wheel, and Robert hopped in the front. The car roared to life and they sped off.
Eighteen minutes later, a cop reported that Wren and her son were safe at a nearby station. No shady characters or weird stuff around.
Robert glanced back at Sophia, who was sitting quietly.
"How'd you know there'd be a murder at Starfish Apartments?" Robert asked.
"Someone lured me there," Sophia said, handing her phone to Robert. "Just like last night when I was led to the pavilion by Willow River."
Ignoring their shocked faces, she played a recording on her phone.
"Happy with what went down at Riverside Apartments? Believe me now? I'm here to help you get revenge. There's another show at 9 PM tonight at the pavilion by Willow River. You'll love it."
Sophia said, "On the night before Tony's death, I got a call too, but since it was the first of its kind, I didn't record it."
The caller had said, "Want revenge? Tomorrow morning at 5:30, go to Riverside Apartments and see."
"And today, I got another call," Sophia said, pulling up another recording. "9 PM, Starfish Apartments..."
In the recording, Sophia cut in, "I don't have time, and I won't go. Stop calling me."
After the recording ended, Sophia continued, "At first, I didn't get it, but the next day, you told me Tony was dead."
She went on, "I was really happy. The bad guy finally got what he deserved."
She added, "But then, one call after another led me to the crime scene, followed by being repeatedly questioned by the police, leaving me under suspicion. I wonder if this person really wants to help me or is just setting me up as a scapegoat?"
The car's interior light was on, casting a soft glow on Sophia's face.
Her expression was calm, but Robert saw a hint of sly satisfaction, a bit of pride.
When they got to the station near Starfish Apartments, Robert turned to Sophia. "Sophia, wait in the car for a bit."
Sophia nodded. Ethan locked the car door, leaving a small gap for air.
After walking a short distance, Ethan asked, "Robert, do you think she made those recordings herself to trick us, or is someone really framing her?"
Robert wanted to know too.
Before entering the station, Robert sensed something was wrong. People were rushing around, some on the phone looking worried.
Robert grabbed someone and flashed his badge. "I'm Chief Robert Davis from another precinct. What's going on?"
"Sir, the woman you asked us to bring in is in trouble."