Page 45 of Let Her Hide

"Officer, it's Tucker," Jake said. "I need you to get into Luke's house and search every corner of it. We think he's taken someone."

"Sir, we're inside now--there's nobody here..."

"We're at Rebecca Sinclair's house," Jake interrupted, "and there are signs of a struggle. We need you to find Luke Harris and bring him in for questioning. We believe he's the killer."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and then the officer's voice came back. "Understood, sir. We'll keep looking and call with any updates."

Jake hung up, his heart pounding in his chest. He turned back to Fiona, his eyes scanning her face. "We're going to find her, Red. We'll make sure she's safe."

Fiona nodded, her eyes reflecting her fear. "We have to find her quickly. I don't know how much time she has."

"Dammit," Jake cursed under his breath. Sweat beaded on his brow, and his pulse raced with a mix of frustration and fear. He knew that they couldn't afford to waste any more time. If Rebecca was still alive, she wouldn't be for long.

"Let's go back to the car," he said, his voice tight. "I'll see if I can find anything useful on Luke Harris." Fiona nodded, her eyes filled with determination as she followed him outside.

In the car, Jake's fingers flew over the keys of his laptop, pulling up the FBI database. He quickly located Luke's file and began scrolling through the information. His brows furrowed as he read the details of Luke's past: he had been adopted by a woman named Greta Stoll, who had died over a decade ago...

From an apparent wasp attack.

Jake's heart pounded. If they hadn't been sure Luke was the killer before, they were now.

"Look at this," Jake said, his voice trembling with urgency. "Luke's stepmother died... from a wasp attack."

Fiona let out a small gasp. "Do you think that was his first victim?"

"Most likely," Jake said. "She left a property in Luke's name when she died. It's out on the outskirts of town, an old farm."

"That must be where he's taking the victims, right?" Fiona said.

"That's what I'm thinking," Jake replied. "We need to get there as soon as possible."

With that, he put the car into drive and sped towards the outskirts of town. The night air rushed past them, and the occasional streetlight illuminated the dashboard with an unsettling glow. He held his breath, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

They were almost at the killer.

This time, he could taste it.

***

The old farm loomed before them, a desolate relic of the past, its weathered boards creaking in the nighttime wind. The building stood starkly against the night sky. There was no light, no sound, but the feeling of something sinister resided within its walls. Jake couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. He glanced at Fiona, her face set with determination as she surveyed the scene.

"We have to be careful. He could be anywhere," Fiona whispered, her eyes darting around the property. "But we have to keep moving. We can't let him get away with this again."

Jake nodded, his grip on his gun tightening. They slowly made their way towards the old farmhouse, their footsteps crunching on the overgrown grass. They approached the door cautiously, and Jake pushed it open, gun drawn.

The interior of the farmhouse was dark and foreboding, with a musty smell of rotting wood. The wooden floors creaked under their feet, and cobwebs hung from the rafters. Jake moved through the shadows, Fiona following closely behind him. They finally arrived at a large steel door, its surface rusted with age. Jake placed his hand on the door handle, his heart racing with anticipation.

"Ready?" he asked, glancing at Fiona. She nodded, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of fear and determination.

As the door creaked open, they were met with nothing more than an old, empty house.

Disappointment washed over Jake as he scanned the room. The featureless walls and empty space gave no indication that Rebecca or Luke had ever been there. He turned to Fiona, who was looking around the room with a furrowed brow.

"Dammit," Jake muttered. "Where the hell could they be?"

Fiona shook her head, her expression unreadable. "I don't know. We should keep searching the house, but I'm not sure what we'll find."

They kept searching the house, making their way toward an old, dusty kitchen. That was when Jake heard something--like a buzzing sound.

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