Page 33 of Let Her Run

Jake's face was grim, his eyes locked onto the flier. "I don't know, but we need to look into them again."

Fiona nodded, her mind already working out a plan of action. They needed to act quickly before anyone else fell victim to this killer's twisted game.

***

Raindrops raced down the car window, blurring the world outside as Fiona and Jake settled into their seats. The cool gray clouds set a dull filter over them, and Fiona watched Jake's face as he dialed Anderson's number, biting his bottom lip. Fiona held her breath. Part of her had wondered earlier if Anderson, the owner of Insect Away Home, had been hiding something from them, but now it seemed even more possible.

"Hello, Mr. Anderson, it's Agent Tucker," Jake began, trying to keep his voice steady. "I have a few questions about one of your clients, Roger Gray."

Fiona held her breath, straining to hear the conversation through the speakerphone. She could sense the tension in the air, thick like the clouds overhead.

"Ah, yes, Roger Gray," Anderson replied, his voice smooth but guarded. "He did call our company recently, but he canceled the appointment before we could send someone out. Our employee, Mike, was supposed to visit Gray's home."

"Mike, you say? Not the same person who went to Sharon French's house?" Jake asked, his tone sharp.

"No, Agent Tucker, that was another employee. Is there a problem?"

"Maybe," Jake said tersely, then hung up without another word.

Fiona frowned. "Wait--why did you hang up?"

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his damp hair. "Because I realized we're not gonna get anything out of him on the phone. But he did confirm Roger called them. We need to look deeper into them. I'm gonna get a warrant so we can search their warehouse and computers."

Fiona chewed on her bottom lip, her heart pounding in her chest. Every new piece of information seemed to lead them further away from the truth, and she couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"There's something about them that doesn't sit right with me, and I don't trust Anderson," Jake murmured.

Fiona nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean. And we still haven't figured out the connection between the three victims yet. But even if Glen never called the company, Sharon and Roger did. And the fact that they're Cyphaclide certified..."

The thought made Fiona's stomach lurch. They had initially been looking into Insect Away Home, but did they clear them too early?

Did Roger Gray die because they'd chased down the wrong lead?

Fiona's palms were suddenly sweaty, a sense of panic surging through her. She had done well to keep her anxiety at bay, but something about this flooded her with so much guilt that she felt incompetent.

"Jake, did Roger die because of us? Because we didn't act fast enough on Insect Away Home?"

Jake's eyes landed firmly on hers. "Red... we can't get caught up in questions like that, not in this field. We looked into Alvarez, who we thought was our guy, and he wasn't. It's our job to chase down other leads, and Pest Control Pros could have been the guys too. We had to look into both."

Fiona nodded, her eyes cast downward. He was right. She couldn't let her guilt consume her, not when there was still work to be done. She took a deep breath, her mind racing with possibilities. They needed more evidence, something concrete that could link Insect Away Home to the murders.

"I know, I know. But we need to find something, Jake. Anything that can link them to the murders."

"We will." He held up his phone. "Let me just make some calls. If these guys think they can hide something, they're dead wrong."

Fiona hoped he was right.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Jake drew a breath, prepared for anything. The door to Insect Away Home's office slammed open, the sharp sound echoing through the room as Jake stormed in, his eyes narrowed and jaw set, Fiona following just behind him. The air was thick with the smell of chemical repellents. This time, it seemed Anderson had been expecting him because he stormed out in front of the reception desk.

"Agent Tucker, what is this about?" he asked.

Jake flashed the official warrant, and Anderson's angered expression gave way to fear as his eyes darted between Jake and the warrant.

"Fine," he relented, stepping back and raising his hands in surrender. "Do what you have to do, but you won't find anything connecting us to those murders."

Jake allowed himself a small, grim smile. "We'll see about that."

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