As Officer Morales followed Jimena into the dimly lit entryway, a faint musty smell hung in the air. The house was eerily still, as if time had stopped within its walls. Shadows clung to the corners, and the sparse light that trickled in through the drawn curtains did little to dispel the darkness.
“Stay close to me, Jimena,” Morales whispered, his senses on high alert. The little girl nodded, her eyes wide with both fear and determination.
