Page 60 of The Rookie's Second Chance

But all this was just the calm before the storm. If I didn't piece this puzzle together soon, someone would be in the crosshairs again. And God help me, I didn't know who it would be.

The chair was uncomfortable, a constant reminder that I wasn't here to relax. I kept replaying the voicemails, the fear in Lexi's voice, the worry in Mandy's, the steadiness in Luke's. It was a fucked-up symphony that I was sick of hearing.

My eyelids grew heavy with the effort of the past forty-eight hours. But sleep was a luxury I couldn't afford, not when every passing moment was a chance for this faceless threat to step out of the shadows.

So I sat there, in the dim light of dawn creeping through the curtains, a silent guardian against the danger I knew was still lurking out there. My hand rested near my gun, a cold comfort against the uncertainty.

And as Mandy slept, I let the quiet rage build inside me, a promise to the darkness that I would tear it apart to keep them safe. My friends, my sister, my town. They were counting on me, and I wouldn't let them down. Not now, not ever.

Mandy's eyes fluttered open as the first light of day filtered through the blinds, and I pushed up from the chair, muscles stiff from the long night. "Morning," I said, a bit more gruffly than intended.

She offered me a weak smile, the shadows of last night's fear still visible in the corners of her eyes. "Did you stay all night?"

"Promised, didn't I?" I replied, scratching at the stubble on my chin. "You hungry?"

She nodded, and I headed to the kitchen to rustle up something that passed for breakfast. Eggs, bread, and a couple of slices of ham found their way onto the skillet. The sizzle and pop of the food cooking was a welcome distraction from the knot of tension sitting heavy in my stomach.

We sat at the kitchen table, the meal between us acting as a temporary buffer against the outside world. I watched Mandy poke at her eggs before looking up. "You okay?"

She hesitated, then said, "You know, with everything going on... I'm not sure anymore."

I wanted to reassure her, tell her everything would be fine, but the words would've been as empty as the coffee pot I now set about refilling. Instead, I asked, "Mandy, do you know a guy named Jude?"

Her fork clattered to the plate, and she went pale. "Jude? Why?"

I leaned back, arms crossed. "Just came up in the investigation."

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Yeah, I know him. He... he dated Lexi in college. Charming at first glance but a real piece of work underneath. I had to help Lexi get rid of him."

The news hit like a punch to the gut. "Why the hell didn't Lexi tell me about him?"

Mandy shrugged. "She was probably scared. Ashamed, even. You know how she is, tries to handle things on her own."

That sounded like Lexi, alright, always playing the lone wolf. "Do you think he could be the stalker?"

Mandy's gaze dropped. "I don't know, Jake, but... he made Lexi afraid. Really afraid."

I stretched and swung my arms in circles, the need to move, to do something with this information, itching under my skin. "I gotta get to the station."

Mandy reached out, her hand brushing mine. "Be careful, Jake."

I nodded, the case settling on me once again. "Always am."

Stepping out into the crisp morning air, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were getting closer to something dark.

The drive to the station was a blur, my thoughts consumed with the task ahead. Lexi's fear, Mandy's concern, the tight feeling in my chest—it was all part of the storm that was brewing.

I walked into the station, the buzz of the morning shift already humming through the air. I was back in my element, back where I could make a difference. And I'd start with Jude.

Kayla was hunched over her desk, squinting at the computer screen like it held the secrets of the universe. Even from a distance, I could tell she'd been here for hours, digging, searching.

"Kayla," I called out, a little louder than necessary over the din of ringing phones and chattering officers. She looked up, and for a moment, her eyes were unreadable pools of midnight.

"Can we talk? Privately?" I asked, the previous night heavy on my tongue.

She studied me, then nodded, her movements measured as she rose from the chair. We found an empty interrogation room, the silence a relief from the noise outside.

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "About last night, I was an ass. I'm sorry."

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