The police station wasn’t far from the bus stop, but the walk there felt heavier than usual, like each step was dragging something invisible behind me. I hadn’t planned on visiting Aaron—not today, not anytime soon—but something about being back home had stirred something inside me. Maybe it was seeing Drew’s name etched into the cold stone of his grave, or the weight of Mom’s memory settling in my chest. Either way, I was here, standing outside the brick building with my hands stuffed deep into my jacket pockets, staring at the doors like they might swallow me whole.
The officer at the front desk didn’t ask questions when I told him I was here to see my brother. He just nodded, scribbled something down on a clipboard, and motioned for me to follow him. The fluorescent lights buzzed faint
