CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE – CAGED IN THE SAFE HOUSE

The day after leaving the police station, Ethan had been whisked away for urgent business, leaving Madison, Veronica, and Constance to stew in their anxiety. The morning news blared from the living room television, a constant reminder of the threat looming over them. Madison sat glued to the news, hoping for some update on the investigation. "There's nothing new," Veronica drawled, her voice dripping with boredom as she sauntered into the living room. "Maybe they should just hire better detectives." Madison ignored her, her eyes glued to the screen. "Veronica, can you please be quiet?" she snapped, her nerves already on edge. Veronica scoffed. "Relax, drama queen. It's not like they're going to announce the stalker's name on live TV." "Maybe not," Madison retorted, "but at least they're doing something!" Veronica rolled her eyes, plopping down on the plush sofa with a dramatic sigh. "Oh, the horror of being cooped up in this luxury prison with my favorite sister and stepmom. This