Page 29 of Let Her Hide

Jake nodded, his mind racing with the possibilities. A black sedan, a man covered in bees, and a field that seemed to stretch on forever. It was all too strange, too surreal to be a coincidence. He shared a knowing look with Fiona, who had already begun jotting down notes in her tiny notebook.

"It's definitely possible," Jake said, his voice measured. "Did the car stop or do anything unusual? Can you remember the make, model, condition, anything like that?”

The runner shook his head. "No, it just drove by. But it was going pretty slow like the driver was looking for something. I couldn't really tell the make or condition, I just saw it was a black sedan. Not super new, but not old and wrecked either."

Jake nodded again. "Thank you for your help."

He exchanged a glance with Fiona, who had been silently taking notes the entire time. He could see the gears turning in her mind, the same way they always did when she was piecing together a puzzle.

As they walked away from the witness, Jake couldn't shake the image of that black car. It felt like a phantom. But without a license plate or any other identifying details, the car was nothing more than a shadow, impossible to track down and even harder to pin to the crime. It was just as likely that the car had nothing to do with this, but he still made a mental note to follow up with it later.

"Keep that car in mind," he murmured to Fiona, feeling a chill run down his spine, despite the sun finally breaking through the haze. "Something tells me it's important."

"Agreed," she replied, her voice low and serious. "But we'll have to find more concrete evidence before we can do anything about it."

As they left the witness behind, Jake couldn't help but glance back at the dreary field, an unsettling feeling taking hold of him. Fiona's voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to the present.

"Jake, I've been thinking," she said, her brow furrowed in concentration. "We've looked into insect collectors, but what if he isn't as public with his collection as the people we've talked to so far?"

Jake nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. We need to cast a wider net. First, I want to know more about this victim."

They headed toward Jake's car and got in. Once inside the vehicle, Jake pulled out his laptop and began looking up information about Gary Fogel. Sixty-eight years old, single, lived alone. A retired mechanic. The only family left was a daughter named Tilly. As Jake studied the screen, he felt a tightening in his chest. Another life snuffed out, leaving a void that could never truly be filled.

"He had a daughter," Jake told Fiona, who sat in the passenger seat, biting her thumb. "That's his only family left."

Fiona nodded, still lost in thought. "We need to talk to her. Maybe she can help link Gary to Craig or Carrie."

Jake agreed, his mind racing with questions. He started the car and pulled away from the field, heading toward Tilly's address.

***

The sun was a bright golden orb, starting to reach its peak in the sky as Jake parked outside of Tilly's home. The houses in the neighborhood were neat and trimmed; the grass was lush and green. Despite the serene atmosphere, a strange sense of unease hung in the air. Jake could feel an undercurrent of dread, as though something dark and sinister was lurking just beneath the peaceful surface. He took a deep breath and turned to Fiona, who offered him a reassuring nod. He could only smile sadly. Jake felt guilty for his confession the other night--he shouldn't have told Fiona he still had feelings for her. He knew what it would do--only confuse her more, and that was the one thing he had set out to avoid doing. Hurting her.

He turned to the house, then got out of the car, Fiona close behind.

As they walked up the pathway to Tilly's front door, Jake studied the house. It was a two-story colonial with neat hedges and a freshly mowed lawn. It looked like the kind of place where families thrived, where children grew up safe and loved.

Jake couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as he thought about Gary Fogel, who had lived alone in his old age. He knocked on the door, and after a few seconds, a woman in her late thirties opened the door. She had the same striking blue eyes as her father and the same set to her jaw, but she looked nothing like him otherwise. Her long blonde hair was pulled back in a messy knot, and she wore a pair of jeans and a simple white t-shirt.

"Ms. Fogel?" Jake asked.

The woman looked at him, her expression wary. "Yes? Who are you?"

Jake flashed his FBI badge. "I'm Agent Jake Tucker, and this is my partner, Fiona Red. We're here to talk to you about your father, Gary Fogel."

Her expression hardened. "My father? What about him?"

Jake exchanged a look with Fiona. It seemed Tilly did not know the news.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Fogel," Fiona said softly. "But your father was found deceased this morning."

Tilly's eyes widened in shock. She stepped back a few paces, her face suddenly drained of all color. "My... father is dead?" she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.

Jake nodded slowly and waited for Tilly to process the news. She seemed to take it in silence, her gaze distant and unfocused. After a few moments, she finally spoke again.

"Well... I haven't seen my father in ten years," she said quietly, speaking more to herself than anyone else. "But still... this is unexpected." Tilly's expression barely changed as she took in the news. "Please, come in," she said quietly, stepping aside to let them enter.

As they walked into the living room, Jake noted the family photos on the walls, the cozy furniture, and the toys scattered around the room. It was clear that Tilly had built a life for herself, despite her father not being in the picture, and he wondered what had happened between them. She gestured for them to sit on the plush couch while she settled into an armchair.

---