Jake and Emily paced around their living room as they waited for the video call with Lily to begin. Jake had managed to track Lily down; she was living in the same apartment complex as their Aunt Margaret Ellis. Jake had called Aunt Margaret, who confirmed she knew Lily and even revealed that Lily had been dating their cousin, Ryan Ellis, at the time.

The video call connected, and Lily's face appeared on the screen. She looked older and more tired than Emily had imagined, but her blue eyes were still as striking as ever.

"Hi, Lily," Jake said, his voice firm but polite. "Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. We're trying to understand more about Cole Matthews and his past. Can you tell us why you left him?"

Lily sighed, her expression growing somber. "Of course. Before me, Cole was involved with another cheerleader-Jessica Taylor. She was also blonde with blue eyes. She rejected him, and then she went missing about a month later. I didn't think much of it at the time. I thought it was just a coincidence."

Emily leaned closer to the screen. "What was it like when you were with him?"

Lily's eyes dropped to her lap, her fingers fidgeting. "He was possessive and a bit strange. There were moments when I felt genuinely scared. One time on Halloween, he put a knife to my throat and said he was just playing around. Sometimes, he'd shock me-really hard. It wasn't just playful; it was terrifying. And then there were the drawings. I found them in his room-drawings of dead female bodies, all blonde with blue eyes. I told my parents, but the police didn't take it seriously. They didn't even investigate. We had no proof, so I had to leave."

Jake and Emily exchanged worried glances.

"That sounds horrifying," Jake said. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. It makes sense now why Cole is on our radar. We need to dig deeper and connect the dots between his past and the recent disappearances."

Lily nodded, looking relieved to share her story. "I just hope you find out the truth before anyone else gets hurt. Cole is dangerous, and he shouldn't be underestimated."

Emily's heart raced as she processed the new information. "Thank you for sharing this, Lily. We'll make sure your story helps us find out what's really going on."

As the video call ended, Jake and Emily sat in silence, absorbing the gravity of Lily's revelations. They now had a clearer picture of Cole's dangerous tendencies and a disturbing connection between him and the missing cheerleaders.

Jake's phone buzzed, and he checked it quickly. "I've got a few contacts who might be able to help us look further into Cole's activities. We need to stay one step ahead and make sure we're prepared for whatever comes next."

Emily nodded, her resolve hardening. "We will. Let's make sure no one else falls victim to him."