Page 18 of Let Her Live

Fiona watched as the tension in the room grew thicker, like a storm cloud gathering before a downpour. Patrick was clearly defensive, refusing to take any responsibility for his actions. Fiona couldn't help but think that he was hiding something. But what could it be?

She leaned forward, her eyes locked on Patrick's. "Mr. Yates, can you tell us why you acted so aggressively towards us? Is there something you're hiding?"

Patrick's face darkened, and Fiona could tell she'd struck a nerve. "I don't have to say anything to you. You're the ones who barged into my home, and now you're trying to accuse me of something?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "I don't have to answer to you."

"Actually, you do," Jake said, his voice taking on a steely edge."Right now, you're the prime suspect in a murder investigation."

Patrick's scowl deepened. "Murder? The hell you talking about? I didn't murder anyone!"

"Are you sure about that?" Jake said. He opened up a file and tossed a photo on the table. On it was a picture of Derek Stevenson. Patrick looked at the photo, then shrugged at it.

"I don't know that guy," he said. "Never seen him in my life."

"Are you sure?" Jake asked. "Because we can place you at the Celtic Knot on the night he was last seen alive."

"Celtic Knot?" Patrick scowled. "I haven't been there in weeks. This ain't making any sense."

Fiona watched as Patrick's face twisted with anger and frustration. She knew he was lying, but she couldn't quite figure out why. There was more to this man than met the eye, and she was determined to find out what it was.

"Mr. Yates," she said softly, breaking the tense silence in the room. "You don't have to be afraid to tell us the truth. We're not here to hurt you. We just want to find out what happened to Derek Stevenson."

Patrick's eyes flickered over to her, and she saw a glimmer of something in them. Fear, maybe? Or was it something else?

"I don't know anything about Derek Stevenson," he said, his voice low and even. "I swear to you."

Fiona leaned back in her chair, studying Patrick carefully. She wasn't sure what to make of him; on the one hand, he clearly had a rough demeanor, and he seemed very capable of lying through his teeth. At the same time, he seemed genuinely confused about who Derek was. Fiona hadn't been face-to-face with enough killers to speak from experience, but she knew that the most skilled sociopaths could hide their intentions, tricking even the most seasoned detective.

But was Patrick Yates one of those people?

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about," Patrick said. "Last time I went to the Celtic Knot, my lady stood me up. I never went back."

Fiona stiffened. She remembered the owner of the bar saying that had been Patrick's story to the waitress, that he'd been stood up.

"I met up with her as soon as I left the restaurant," Patrick said. "Been with her every night since. That's why I'm sticking around his garbage down, for her."

"Every night?" Jake asked skeptically.

"Every single night," said Patrick. "That night, we were fighting real bad, so that was why she stood me up. Had to go chase her. Been attached at the hip since, but we're fighting again tonight—that's when I left her trailer and found you creeps in my van."

Fiona felt a pang of empathy for the woman who was in a relationship with Patrick Yates. She wondered what it must be like for her, living with someone so volatile and unpredictable. She wondered if she was safe with him.

"Can you tell us the name of your lady friend?" Fiona asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Patrick hesitated for a moment, and Fiona could tell that he was weighing his options. Finally, he let out a sigh. "Her name is Karen. Karen Sweeney."

Fiona made a mental note of the name. She wondered if Karen knew anything about Derek Stevenson's murder or if she was just a pawn in Patrick's game.Or maybe they were all wrong about Patrick, and Karen could corroborate his innocence. Fiona had to admit, it would be convenient for him to have been with her every night, but then again, she was sure that if Fiona gave Mark the option, he'd be with her every night too...

Some relationships were fast and intense, it seemed.

"How did you meet Karen?" Jake asked, clearly skeptical of the relationship as well. "And how long have you been seeing each other?"

"I met her while she was visiting the campground," Patrick said. "I wasn't planning on staying here long, gotta get on the road, you know, but she had me wanting to tie down here quick. So I've been sticking around, seeing how the relationship plays out."

Fiona observed Patrick's body language. He seemed to be telling the truth, but she couldn't shake off her feeling that there was more to this story than he was sharing.

"We'll need to talk to Karen," Jake said. "If you truly know nothing about Derek Stevenson's murder, then we'll need to know exactly what you've been up to every night for the past several weeks."

Patrick's face contorted into a scowl. "You think I'm lying? You think I had something to do with that guy's death?"

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