Page 39 of In Her Shadow

Earlier that afternoon, the quiet hum of his police radio had announced the impending arrest of Ethan Holbrook.That broadcast had prompted him to choose this vantage point—a strategic post that offered the perfect view of the jail’s exit.

A twisted smile found its way onto his lips.He had always thought that Ethan Holbrook was a blight and a stain on the legacy of Genesius County.And now that unscrupulous phony was tangled in the web of law for crimes, at least some of which he did not commit—the irony was delicious.

Holbrook had actually been his next intended target.Of course being so securely under lock and key meant a change to his plans, but adaptability was something the prided himself on.There was a certain freedom in this unforeseen development.The authorities would be preoccupied, giving him ample room to maneuver and plan his next move without the immediate threat of suspicion.

Holbrook, caged like an animal, would serve as the perfect decoy, an unwitting protagonist in a play orchestrated by a more cunning mind.The newcomer rancher’s incarceration was a convenient veil, behind which he could plot his next step in careful, untraceable patterns.Time was now his ally, gifting him the luxury to choose his next victim with the meticulousness of an artist selecting a canvas.

In his mind’s eye, he pictured the inevitable unraveling of the case against Holbrook, the lack of evidence leading to his release.And what delicious irony it would be when, upon that freedom, the town would reel once more under the weight of another crime, inevitably proving Holbrook’s innocence in the most twisted way.The real predator would remain a ghost, haunting Trentville with a presence as elusive as the whispers of history that propelled his actions.

As he watched, the sheriff and her deputy got into the patrol car and pulled away from the Genesius County Jail.Each movement fed into his sense of control—the marionette master watching the strings pull taut.The patrol car turned a corner and disappeared from sight, but—sure that he already knew how this story would unfold—he had no reason to follow them.

A smile played at the corner of his mouth.It was not merely the thrill of the hunt that drove him, nor the satisfaction of evading capture.No, his mission ran blood-deep, carved into his being like the ancient branding iron used by his forebears.

He pondered the long-gone days, the injustices that had seeped into the soil of Genesius County, nourishing his resolve.Over a century and a half had passed, yet the echoes of those wrongs still clamored for redress within his heart.

Each victim had been chosen with meticulous care, their lives snuffed out in a silent requiem for justice long denied.No doubt crept into his mind—his actions were sacrosanct.With each strike, he believed he had corrected a line in history, blurring the line between vengeance and righteousness.

With each life he claimed, he restored a piece of what had been unjustly taken from his ancestors.In the eyes of the world, he was a phantom, a mere distortion of reality they were yet to understand.But in the annals of his family’s saga, he was the redeemer, the avenger of a lineage wronged, fulfilling a destiny written in the unseen chapters of time.

He started the ignition of his car, the engine’s low hum a whisper against the backdrop of a small town settling into evening.He merged onto the road with no one the wiser, just another traveler cloaked in the anonymity of daily routine.

Turning onto the main road, he blended into the flow of traffic.Soon, the town of Trentville receded behind him, its secrets held tight as ever, even as he plotted to unravel them one life at a time.

***

Jenna’s boots echoed through the marbled halls of Trentville City Hall.Jake was beside her, a comfort and a reinforcement.They paused outside the door to the mayor’s office, collecting themselves.

As they entered, Mayor Claire Simmons rose from her desk with a vigor that belied the somber mood clinging to Jenna and Jake.“Sheriff Graves, Deputy Hawkins,” she greeted them, her smile broad and bright.Her eyes, sharp and calculating, shone with a gleam of triumph.“I’ve just heard about Holbrook’s arrest.This is excellent news!Of course, I’m shocked that it turned out to be him, but perhaps I should have known.He was always at odds with the community—in more ways than anybody realized, as things have turned out.”

Jenna and Jake exchanged a worried glance.The misgivings they had brought in with them seemed at odds with the atmosphere inside the mayor’s domain.The room was awash with golden afternoon light filtering through the blinds.A small pot of coffee sat on a side table, steam curling lazily into the air, carrying with it the rich, comforting scent that suggested long discussions and carefully thought-out-strategies.

“Anyway, you’ve done it!”The mayor continued cheerfully, her words laced with relief and a hint of something more—vindication, perhaps, or the anticipation of political capital to be gained.“I knew you’d catch this killer.We need to inform the press immediately.”

“Mayor Simmons,” Jenna replied firmly, “we appreciate your support, but I’m afraid it’s not that simple.We have reasons to doubt that Holbrook is our killer.”

The mayor’s previously buoyant manner crumbled like dry earth underfoot.Her smile, once radiant with triumph, wilted as confusion furrowed her brow.She stood from her chair, a gesture meant to assert control but only managing to betray her floundering grasp on the situation.

“What do you mean?He’s been arrested, hasn’t he?”Claire Simmons’s voice was laced with frustration.

Jake, ever the steady presence, responded, “Yes, ma’am, but for different charges.We’re looking at conspiracy and bribery related to zoning law manipulation.We’re sure those indictments will stick.But the murders...we’re not convinced he’s responsible.”

The silence in Mayor Simmons’s office was heavy with disbelief.Claire Simmons, the embodiment of control and composure, now seemed diminished in stark contrast to the robust energy that had previously filled the space.

“But...but I thought...How can you be sure?”she stammered.

Jenna moved closer.“We can’t be entirely sure either way,” she admitted.“Which is why we can’t go public yet.”Jenna leaned forward with her hands on the mahogany desk.

“Remember what happened last time we rushed to announce a suspect?”Jenna warned.“The wrong man was arrested for murders at Sablewood Reservoir, and more lives were endangered because of it.”There was a plea hidden within her tone, urging the mayor to grasp the gravity of their caution.

Mayor Simmons’s posture crumbled further, her manicured hands falling limp onto the desk on the clutter of city plans and official documents.The memory of the department’s previous misstep was still bitter.She plopped back down into her chair.

“You’re right, of course,” she admitted.“We can’t make that mistake again.”Her gaze lifted, meeting Jenna’s, and for a moment there was a flicker of something that resembled trust in those hawk-like eyes.

Jenna offered a nod of silent acknowledgment before she and Jake simply turned and left.The click of the door closing behind them severed the connection to the office, thrusting them back into the cool, sterile hallway of City Hall.

No sooner had they stepped outside the building into the oppressive mid-July heat than the shrill chirp of Jenna’s cellphone cut through the haze of the afternoon.Jenna fished the device from her pocket and glanced at the screen—Frank Doyle.With a touch, she placed him on speaker, and his gravelly voice filled the air around them.

“Jenna?Jake?I heard about Holbrook’s arrest,” Frank’s voice rumbled through the speaker, the gravelly timbre familiar and grounding.“I must admit, I’m surprised—and maybe a little skeptical.Never liked the man, but killer?That doesn’t sit right.”

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