Page 17 of Let Her Live

Jake wanted to argue, but he knew that they needed to prioritize getting Patrick back to the station. He dragged Patrick to his feet, and they made their way back to the car, with Patrick in handcuffs in the back seat.

CHAPTER NINE

He'd had to travel to find his next sacrifice. Not just anyone would do—he needed someone who deserved to be punished, who'd committed the ultimate sin, who'd tarnished the gentle balance of nature and betrayed the gods.

As he passed through the underbrush, his feet sloshing through the swamp below, he caught sight of the man who had done it—the man who had senselessly murdered that innocent creature. He had upset the gods, and he was sure that was why the gods had sent him in this direction. He hadn't known whom he'd find, but now that the man was in front of him, it was clear that this was where he was meant to be.

The man was tall and muscular, his sinewy arms covered in tattoos that seemed to writhe and dance in the flickering light of the nearby fire. His face was twisted into a sneer, his eyes gleaming with malice as he scanned the area around him, undoubtedly on the lookout for any potential threats.

He whistled a familiar tune, seemingly unaware of the danger lurking behind him. But the hunter knew better; he could feel the man's guilt oozing off him in waves, and he could sense the gods' anger stirring within him.

The hunter took a deep breath to try to steady his nerves. He knew what he had to do, but it wasn't going to be easy. This man was larger than the last had been; he would put up more of a fight, but this was the gods' way of testing him. He was sure of it.

He sank deeper beneath the grass at the sound of rustling footsteps.

A confusing scene bloomed before him—the man he was hunting stood up and waved with a sudden smile on his face as though he weren't evil at all. A little girl ran up to him and jumped into his arms. Then a woman came up, waving, holding a bag of marshmallows.It looked almost like a normal family gathering in front of a tent and a fire for a moment. But it couldn't be. No, because the hunter knew what this man had done.

But he'd missed his chance. With the man's family around, there wouldn't be a chance to slip in and make the sacrifice. It wouldn't work. He'd have to study this man, learn his moves, and discover when he was most likely to let his guard down and be alone.

The hunter retreated back into the shadows, his eyes trained on the unsuspecting family. He had to bide his time; he couldn't risk being caught. Not only would it ruin his opportunity to appease the gods, but it would also put his own life in danger. The man was dangerous; he could sense it. He had to be careful.

The hunter retreated; his mind raced as he thought of his next move. He knew he couldn't let this man go unpunished, no matter how difficult it might be to achieve his goal. As he settled on a nearby rock to observe the man and his family, he began to plan his next move. It wouldn't be easy, but nothing the gods had thrown at him ever was. He had to remember why he was here; to fulfill the divine purpose given to him.

Strangely, he couldn't remember exactly when his purpose had been given to him, but he was sure it had been there all along. He just hadn't woken up yet, but now, he was fully awake.

The gods asked him to do their bidding, and so he would do it.

As he sat on the rock, watching the man through the blades of grass, he felt a sense of divine justice surge through him. He had been chosen to do this, hand-picked by the divine gods themselves—only him. He tried to remember what it had been like before he'd been chosen, but he was drawing a blank. Hazy images of a life before made their way through his mind, but it all seemed so insignificant now that he'd been connected to the universe.

He watched as the man tucked his daughter into a sleeping bag with gentle care, planting a kiss on her forehead. It was a tender moment, one that could have almost made the hunter forget why he was there. But then the man turned around and looked right at him. The hunter's heart skipped a beat. Had he been seen?

The man's eyes flickered over the grass, scanning for any hint of movement. The hunter held his breath, willing himself to be still. But then the man simply shook his head and turned back to the fire, dismissing the idea of anyone watching him.

The hunter let out a sigh of relief and slunk back into the shadows. He couldn't let himself be seen again. He had to be more careful. He had to wait for the perfect moment to strike.

This man didn't know it, but soon, he would pay for what he'd done.

CHAPTER TEN

Fiona's cheek was still throbbing from where Patrick had struck her as she sat in the interrogation room, Jake at her side and the man who'd assaulted her across from them.

Patrick was indignant. He showed no remorse, but Fiona didn't expect him to. Still, she wasn't used to being hit in the face with such force from a man, and she had to admit, it threw her off. It reminded her that the training she'd been doing with Jake was very subdued and controlled. Jake wasn't going to strike her, and she knew that, but at the same time, she felt like he had been too gentle with her.

She needed to try harder, to train harder, so the next time she was confronted with a situation like that, it wouldn't catch her off-guard.

If Fiona was to become a real FBI agent—to earn a gun and a badge—then she needed to be tough, like Lauren was. Like Jake was.

That started now, as she tried to keep her emotions in check as she stared down Patrick.

"You're in a lot of trouble, Mr. Yates," Jake said.

"You were the ones trespassing on my property," Patrick shot back, a grimace on his face. "You can't just walk into a man's home like that!"

"The door was unlocked," Jake reasoned. "We were looking for you, and the door opened. We were only checking inside to see if you were there."

"How was I supposed to know that?" Patrick uttered through his teeth. "All I saw were two strangers, two thieves, and I had the right to defend myself in my own property." He glanced at Fiona, and she kept her posture strong. "I didn't mean to hit the woman," he said, looking back at Jake. "It was an accident, but you can't blame me for standing my ground."

"We identified ourselves as FBI," Jake said, "and you wouldn't listen."

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