Page 52 of Silver Secrets

“I don’t understand.” Nash scratched at his chin. “If they spent so much time together, how was she not able to identify him? If he touched her, how was there not DNA to collect? Why are there not sketches of this guy up on every news broadcast right now?”

“The only details she was able to give us was a possible height and body type. He wasn’t in the cave with her the entire time. From everything she told us, we know Sierra was shackled to the wall for the majority of the time. When he came into the cave, he was wearing a mask and clothing over his entire body. He was covered, so she could never see any identifying details. He even modified his voice around her, using some sort of electronic sound distorter. With the drugs, Sierra said it was beyond terrifying. She was pretty sure she hallucinated him being there more times than he actually was.”

“It’s very impressive that she survived, but what does this have to do with us, now?” Gage asked.

“That case you came from this morning was the first one you’ve tied back to him since Sierra,” Nash said.

Kimi nodded. “There was one case, about five years ago, that pointed to his resurfacing, but the Bureau was never able to confirm it. We think it may have just been flagged based on a few similar facts in both cases. Unfortunately, we do know that the case from Virginia is the Lover’s Eyes Killer’s doing.”

“How?”

“Aside from the fact that Azalea Johnson had all the same physical features as Sierra, and the fact that her boyfriend was stabbed exactly eight times before his throat was cut on the same night that she disappeared, the killer left a picture of Sierra from her time in the cave on Azalea's body.”

“Shit. Am I wrong in assuming that Sierra now lives in Silver Springs? That’s why you’re wanting to work with us, isn’t it? To protect her from this guy?” Gunner’s eyes narrowed as he asked Agent Liu the same question Gage was dying to know.

“Yes. I helped Sierra relocate here after she physically healed from her injuries. From what you’ve heard, is this something your team would feel comfortable helping out on?”

Gage looked at each one of his buddies. Gunner was the leader of their team now, so he took stock of everyone’s silent answers. A simple nod from Gage sealed the deal. The team cared deeply for the community and would do what they could to keep this person safe.

“We’re in,” was the only answer Gunner gave.

“Sierra’s location has only been known to me and the other FBI Agent assigned to her case. He retired two years ago. The fact that I am about to share this information is a very big deal, one that I ask you approach with the utmost respect for confidentiality.” Kimi pulled her phone out of her pocket and started typing away on it. “I’ve just sent along the case file. I apologize for only having your contact information, Gunner. I’ll be sure to get the rest of the team's info before I leave today so that communication is cleaner that way.”

“It’s no problem.” He looked down at his phone for a minute before his eyes met Gage’s. “Track, I just shot you the email. Can you put the information on the wall?”

“Affirmative.” Gage opened his laptop and brought up the email. The file was hundreds of pages long. He scrolled through, his eyes bouncing over the details of everything Agent Liu had already gone over with them. Then, he moved to a page with Sierra’s picture.

His heart stopped as he stared at a face that he knew. The face of someone he cared about. The face of the woman he was falling in love with. “What the fuck is this? Some sort of joke? What does this have to do with Sloane?”

The room went silent. Gage didn’t even look down at his keyboard as he broadcast the picture onto the wall in front of them. Staring back into the room was a picture of Sloane, with strawberry blonde hair and an incredibly vibrant smile, standing outside what looked like some lecture hall at a college.

“Sierra Park, the woman in that picture, changed her identity to Sloane Donovan when she relocated to Silver Springs.”

“Her eyes are brown…” he whispered.

“Gage–”

“You’re saying what he did… this animal you’re hunting… he did that to her? He did those things to Sloane? To my Sloane?”

Gage’s stomach twisted painfully as his fingers scrolled, his eyes locked on the pictures in the file. Pictures of Sloane’s injuries. Pictures of her naked. Gage slammed the laptop closed and looked around the room. His friend’s all had their eyes locked on him, but he could barely see them through the rage filled haze in his own eyes.

“You and Sloane… I’m so sorry. I realized her office is next door, but I didn’t know if you’d ever interacted before.”

“Interacted before?!” Gage was about to lose his fucking mind.

“Track—” Nash’s hand clamped down on his shoulder. He pulled back, shaking off his friend.

“He took her? He kept her in a fucking cave?! HE TORTURED HER FOR TWENTY-TWO DAYS!” Gage stood, setting the glass in his hand down before it shattered under the pressure of his grasp. “And you’re telling me, my fucking girlfriend is at her house, all by herself, while you think this guy is coming after her again?”

Gunner looked at his phone. “Shit. Lily’s worried. Sloane hasn’t made it back to the office yet.”

“I’m so sorry. There is no reason to believe he has any idea where Sloane is now. I’m here out of an abundance of caution.”

“Fuck this. None of you look at that file until I come back with her.” Gage pulled his keys from his pocket and stormed out of the meeting room. He had almost made it to reception when Mae popped out from the kitchen. They bumped right into each other, her hot coffee flying out of her hand, the mug shattering on the floor.

“God, Gage. Where’s the fire?”

“Sorry. You okay?”

---