Page 2 of Let Her Hide

The training had been good for her, especially to distract herself from the anguish she felt. Marissa's death had thrown a wrench in her gears. The woman literally knew the name of the man who had taken Joslyn, and yet she'd died before Fiona could get it out of her.

Now, she was left chasing a ghost again.

Looking into the man had proven near impossible as well because anyone who Fiona tried to talk to about him in Marissa's life had no idea who he was. It seemed that Marissa had been dating him in total secrecy. And then, had been delivering him victims--like Julia Rowe and like Joslyn.

Determination coursed through her, and she threw another punch at the bag.

"Come on, you bastard," she muttered under her breath as she pictured the man responsible for taking her sister. Every punch and kick she threw was meant for him, but his face remained a mystery. "Show yourself."

Her muscles ached from fatigue, yet she continued to push herself, unwilling to give in. The echo of each impact reverberated through the empty gym, punctuating her resolve. As she delivered one final, powerful kick, she imagined it connecting with the kidnapper's jaw, sending him crashing to the ground.

Fiona stepped back, breathing heavily, and stared at the swaying bag. The adrenaline coursing through her veins sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn't deny that there was a thrill in her newfound physical abilities, but it couldn't fill the emptiness she felt. Not only after Marissa's death but the fact that she was here, training alone, too.

Fiona knew she didn't need Jake for this part. At the same time, she still felt his absence.

But a month ago, after they'd finished their last case, Fiona had expressed wanting to be with him. And even though Jake had been the one to kiss her first all those weeks ago, it was he who had expressed hesitation when Fiona admitted she cared about him.

Then, Jake came to her apartment and told her that he wasn't ready to move forward romantically.

Fiona had felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Of course, she kept it all together; had she ever truly believed she and Jake would end up together? They were so different. Fiona had always been in a lab, while Jake had always been on a sports field. As adults, Fiona remained the quiet entomologist and forensic analyst working in the lab, while Jake was a field agent.

Then again, Fiona had field experience now too, and she was training to become an agent. It was Jake who had pushed her to believe in herself, to believe she could get stronger.

And now, things between them felt awkward and distant.

She hadn't even worked a case with him since their last, and she heard that he'd been assigned a temporary partner--an actual FBI agent, someone who had gone through training already.

As much as it hurt Fiona, maybe it was for the best that she kept her distance from Jake anyway. For now, she had to keep training. She would become an FBI agent. Even without Jake by her side.

***

Fiona's worn-out sneakers slapped against the tile floor as she dragged herself through the dimly lit corridors of the FBI headquarters. Her muscles ached from the grueling workout, and she looked forward to going home and relaxing in the shower.

Just then, footsteps. Fiona turned to see Chief Whittaker coming up another hallway, his large, imposing figure taking up space. Fiona used to find him both intimidating and admirable, but now, she had nothing but a comfortable respect for him.

Chief Whittaker had helped her with everything to do with Marissa. And, aside from Jake, Chief Whittaker had also seen promise in Fiona and had encouraged her to train to become an agent. It was his endorsement that could fast-track her toward getting her gun and badge.

"Ah, Ms. Red," the chief said as he walked up to her. "You're here late."

"Chief Whittaker," Fiona said, straightening her posture. "Just been pushing myself harder in training."

"Ah," Whittaker nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes. A silence spread between them. It had been some time since they'd talked about what happened, but alone in the hallways, Fiona could sense it was on his mind. Then, he said, "Listen, Fiona... about Marissa."

Fiona swallowed hard. "Yes, sir?"

The chief sighed. "I'm just sorry about what happened to her. We were responsible for keeping her, and she managed to take her own life. Now, you're left with no answers, and I can't help but feel personally responsible."

Fiona felt her heart sink at the chief's words. She knew he was right - Marissa had been in their custody, and they should have done more to protect her. But she also knew that blaming themselves wouldn't bring her back.

"It's not your fault," she said, her voice firm. "Marissa was... obviously very troubled by what she'd done to those girls, including my sister. I just wish we could find any indication of who he is."

"I admire your dedication, Ms. Red," Chief Whittaker said. "And I'm glad to see you training. Once we put you through the physical fitness test, we'll have an idea of where you're at in terms of training."

"Thank you, sir," Fiona said. "I need to be strong enough to find out who took my sister."

The chief nodded. "Given your field experience, we might be able to skip the FBI academy with you altogether. When you feel ready, you can take the physical fitness test directly. Our expectations are high, but I have no doubt you'll rise to the challenge."

A sense of pride swelled up in Fiona. It was good to know that others believed in her, aside from Jake. And an endorsement from someone as influential as Chief Whittaker could be huge.

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