Yours, Always....

Chapter 11:-A Fading Trail

Emily stepped out of her car, the cool breeze tugging at her hair as she stood at the site of Daniel's accident. It had been weeks since that fateful day, and though the road had returned to its usual calm, the weight of what happened here still lingered in the air. She took slow, careful steps toward the spot where the car had veered off. The skid marks were long gone, and there were no signs of the chaos that had once unfolded. But in her mind, she could picture it — the crash, the confusion, the paramedics rushing to save him. Emily's heart tightened as she stood there, staring down at the empty road. She couldn't let her emotions cloud her purpose. She was here to find clues, to piece together more about Daniel's life before the accident. She needed to understand who this woman was, and why she had disappeared. After spending a while at the accident site, trying to imagine the events, Emily headed to the local police station. She hoped that they still had some details from the accident investigation, something she could use to push forward. The drive was quiet, her thoughts running wild about what she might uncover.
The police station was small and worn down, with a few officers moving about their day. Emily felt out of place as she walked in, but she was determined. She approached the front desk, feeling a knot of nerves forming in her stomach. "Excuse me," Emily said softly, catching the attention of a young officer. "I was hoping to ask about an accident that happened a few weeks ago. A man named Daniel... he lost his memory in the crash." The officer gave her a curious look but nodded. "Let me check the records. It'll take a few minutes." Emily waited in the small, dimly lit lobby, tapping her fingers anxiously on the counter. She tried to keep her mind focused, but the reality of what she was doing kept creeping in. She was chasing the ghost of a woman who had vanished from Daniel's life. Would she even want to be found? The officer returned with a thin file. "Here's what we have. There wasn't much beyond the usual paperwork, but I did find something." He handed her a small slip of paper. "This was found in Daniel's personal effects. It's an old phone number—no name attached. It's possible it belonged to someone close to him." Emily stared at the slip of paper in her hands, her heart racing. "Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Back in her car, Emily stared at the phone number, her hands trembling slightly as she dialed it. She pressed the phone to her ear, her heart pounding as the call connected. But after a few rings, an automated voice came through: "The number you are trying to reach is no longer in service." Emily hung up, sinking back into her seat. The number was a dead end. It felt like the answers she was searching for were just slipping through her fingers, one by one. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the frustration and sadness wash over her.