Jake hesitated, still unsure what to make of Dr. McDaniel’s words. He was tempted to press the man further, but something held him back—a feeling that there was more to this story than met the eye. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then nodded his head in agreement.

  “Okay,” he said finally. “I’ll go talk to the girl at the coffee shop.” He glanced at Fiona, who gave him an encouraging nod.

  ***

  Jake pushed open the door of the coffee shop and was greeted by the smell of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods. It was midday and fairly busy, with baristas rushing around behind the counter. With Fiona behind him, Jake made his way to the cash counter, where a young woman with sad eyes tried to force a smile at him.

  “Excuse me, miss,” Jake said, subtly flashing her his FBI badge. Her eyes widened. “I’m looking a girl named Beth.”

  “T-that’s me,” Beth said. “Is this about…?”

  “Mia,” Jake said. “Can we talk somewhere more private?”

  The girl’s face fell with sadness. She nodded slowly and gestured for them to follow her to a nearby table. They all sat down, Jake and Fiona on one side, Beth on the other. She fidgeted with her long, curly hair.

  “I worked here with Mia… we were friends.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke about her late friend, but she forced them back and continued speaking in a soft voice. “I don’t know why I’m even at work today. I guess I just went into autopilot.”

  “I was told you spoke to a coroner earlier, here in the shop,” Jake said. “Is that true?”

  Beth nodded. “Dr. McDaniel? Yeah, he’s a regular… “

  Damn. McDaniel’s story was checking out so far. “And you might have told him something about where Mia was last seen alive?”

  Beth swallowed, her eyes widening. “Should I not have said that? About Grace Street? Oh my god, a cop told me that, I probably should’ve kept my fat mouth shut—”

  “It’s okay, Beth,” Jake cut in. “We just needed to confirm.”

  He couldn’t help but be disappointed. McDaniel had seemed like a good lead, but they had no real reason to think he was involved when his story checked out perfectly. But now that they were here, talking to one of Mia’s friends and coworkers, this seemed as good of a time as any to learn more about her.

  Jake was about to ask a question when Fiona chimed in. “Did you ever see Mia with any strange men? Was she into online dating at all?”

  Jake shot her a look, surprised she’d ask that. The online dating angle was Lauren’s idea, after all, and they’d wanted to focus their attention elsewhere.

  Beth thought for a moment, her face scrunching up in concentration. Then suddenly her eyes lit up.

  “Actually… there was this one guy. He was good-looking. Mia never told me his name but she said they met online and he seemed really interested in her. He actually came in and visited her the other day, but he seemed really nice. He said something about meeting her at a park on a bench next to a lamp post or something.”

  Jake shot Fiona a look. Judging by the urgent expression on her face, she was thinking the same thing.

  A man who asked her to meet in a park…

  She was killed in a park. Or at least, she was found dead in one.

  “Beth,” Jake said, “you are aware Mia was found dead in a park.”

  Beth’s face went pale. “W-well, yes, but—”

  “This is very important information, Beth,” Jake said. He didn’t want to sound frustrated with the girl, but he couldn’t understand why she hadn’t come forward with this information. “You should have told the police immediately.”

  “I’m sorry,” Beth stammered, “it really didn’t occur to me, I was still in shock…”

  “It’s okay, Beth,” Fiona offered. “You told us now. That’s all that matters.”

  “Did you get a good look at him that day?” Jake asked. “The man who came to visit Mia?”

  Beth nodded. “I saw them talking, but I didn’t think much of it. I thought it was just a guy trying to hit on her.”

  “How did he seem?” Fiona asked.

  “Normal,” Beth said, shrugging. “He was wearing a nice suit so he looked a bit out of place here, but he was smiling and laughing with Mia. He looked pretty young, maybe in his mid-twenties.”

  Jake’s mouth became dry with anticipation. This guy could very well be the one they were looking for. “What did he look like?”

  “Tall, pale, blond hair… he was wearing a nice suit and had a fancy watch on his wrist. I remember thinking he looked like a doctor, like a surgeon or something. He looked good in a suit, to be honest. I didn’t get creep vibes.”

  Jake’s mind was racing. The detail about the lamp post seemed significant, and he pictured the crime scene in his head. There had been benches, but had there been a lamp post? Was her body found near one?

  More importantly—who was this man?

  “Can you remember anything else about who he might be?” Jake pressed. “Do you have security footage? Did he buy anything?”

  “No cameras, I’m afraid,” Beth said, “and I don’t think he ever bought anything. He just came in to talk to Mia.”

  Jake nodded. He had enough to go on. “Thank you, Beth,” he said, standing up. “We’ll be in touch if we have any more questions.”

  Beth watched as Jake and Fiona left the store, greeted by the midday sun, reflecting off the streets of Portland. Jake sighed and faced Fiona, who looked up at him apprehensively.

  “We should go back to the crime scene,” Fiona suggested. “Maybe there’s something we missed. I never got to look, so maybe…”

  You’re right,” Jake said. He had to admit, Fiona was doing a great job of helping him with this case, and he trusted her intuition. She’d been right before—surely, she could be right again. “Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Fiona stood in front of the park where Mia Phearson’s body had been found, feeling strangely cold, as though she could feel what happened here in the air. The park was on the outskirts of a neighborhood, far back past a field, but before a forest, so it was remote. The type of park only locals in the area would be familiar with.

  The midday sun was bright, shining down on the eerie quietness of the park. With its yellow barrier tape stretching between trees and bushes, the place seemed desolate and full of emptiness. The only sound was the wind rustling the leaves and an occasional bird call. A sense of sadness and fear hung in the air. A couple of officers remained by the scene, likely only to keep people out.

  Fiona looked up at Jake, who nodded at her. “I think we need to look for that lamp post,” he said. “If the guy really did tell Mia to meet him by a bench with a lamp post, then that could be the exact location he took her from.”

  Fiona scanned the park. She could tell where the body had been found due to the concentration of crime scene tape. There were many benches, but she didn’t spot the one with the lamp post.

  “Let’s keep walking,” she said to Jake.

  They began to walk slowly through the park. Fiona was careful not to step too close to any of the crime scene tape, or touch anything that could have potential evidence on it.

  As they walked through the park, Fiona noticed a large stone fountain off in the distance.

  They began to walk around the perimeter of the park, looking for anything that might be out of the ordinary. Suddenly, Fiona noticed a lamp post standing by itself in some tall grass on one side of the park. She pointed it out to Jake, and they made their way toward it.

  As they got closer, Fiona could see that there were two benches next to it, and she immediately knew this was where Mia had gone missing from. She felt a chill run down her spine as she thought about what must have happened here that night.

  Jake’s face looked solemn as he also realized what they had found. He walked up to one of the benches before turning back to Fiona with an intense look in his eyes.

  “We weren’t checking this part of the park, because she was found so far from it.” He took a breath. “I better get forensics down here.”

  ***

  A gust of wind blew in, and Fiona hugged herself, watching from afar as the forensics team scoured the park for evidence. Jake was briefing them on where to look and what to look for as they systematically moved around the park, searching for any sign of what could have happened to Mia.

  The team worked together seamlessly, checking bushes, lifting up stones, and picking through the grass. The wind had picked up now, rustling the tall grasses surrounding them and adding an extra layer of eeriness to the scene. Fiona watched as one of the officers bent down and carefully collected something from the ground near where Mia had been found. As he stood up and put it into a baggie for further analysis, she felt a chill run down her spine once again.

  She shivered and looked away as Jake walked over to her. “We might be able to get some answers soon,” he said softly, his voice full of hope but also fear at what those answers might bring.

  Fiona nodded solemnly before turning back toward the crime scene one last time before they left. She knew that this case was far from over, but she also felt like maybe—just maybe—they were getting closer to finding out who had taken Mia’s life away from her so cruelly on that fateful night.

  The forensics team moved quickly and efficiently, each one doing their part to make sure nothing was left unnoticed. They were so precise, so thorough in their work—it was amazing to watch from a distance. Fiona was always the one in the lab, not in the field, but she knew she would be able to do this job efficiently as well, as she was familiar with all the tools and techniques required.

  Fiona took a couple of steps closer, feeling compelled to get a better look at what they were doing. As she got closer, she noticed that one of the team members had set up some sort of UV light near the lamp post, and was carefully examining it for any traces of blood or other evidence that may have been left behind. One man, wearing heavy gloves and equipment so as not to taint any potential DNA, picked up something from near the bench.

  “I think we have a hair sample here,” he said.

  “Good,” Jake called out. “We’ll run that through the lab. The guy we’re looking for is allegedly a blond, so keep an eye out for that. It hasn’t rained, people, so keep your eyes peeled—we could find something.”

  Fiona had to admit, the way Jake could take charge of a situation was admirable—and a very attractive trait. She just hoped she could prove herself to be as useful. It was difficult, considering this case had no insects and she was most useful as an entomologist, but she was trying not to let that discourage her too much.

  She thought about what Beth had said; that the man at the shop had seemed like a doctor or surgeon or something…

  Fiona was sure her initial theory was still right. That they were looking for someone along those lines. However, she had been picturing the wrong type of person. She had imagined a creep… a night stalker…

  But maybe that wasn’t the case at all.

  If what Beth said was true, then they could be looking for someone charismatic and handsome. Someone capable of luring young women out into dark places, where he could then quickly assault them, which would explain the lack of physical injury. If the girls were at ease, he could have perhaps been able to subdue them in a way that didn’t show any marks.

  But how was he choosing and finding these victims?

  Fiona swallowed, her mouth dry as the realization set in. Beth had said Mia had met the man online.

  Lauren was almost certainly right.

  He was using online dating apps to find victims.

  He had probably lied about who he was and created an attractive profile, a persona that could easily draw in young women. He would then lure them out with the promise of a good time—only to have his real intentions revealed too late.

  Fiona shuddered at the thought, feeling sick to her stomach. It was so depraved, so cruel and yet so easy for him to get away with it over and over again.

  Fiona shuddered, thinking of all the other unsuspecting women out there who could be potential targets. The thought was both terrifying and infuriating at the same time. But they had to find him before he hurt anyone else.

  She looked up at Jake as he surveyed the scene. “Jake, I…”

  He looked down at her, his brows pinched. “What is it, Red?”

  “It’s just—I think Lauren was probably right,” she said. “About the catfish theory.”

  Jake nodded, his jaw tight and tense. “I was thinking the same thing. Beth said Mia met the guy online. And all the other girls were on dating apps.”

  Fiona swallowed hard. “If they were all online dating, that means the killer could be someone they’ve been talking to. Someone they thought they could trust. Someone who seemed innocent enough that they wouldn’t have been suspicious of him. It would fit Beth’s description; sometimes people are distracted by a person’s looks…”

  Jake nodded, his eyes widening. “You’re right. That’s exactly what we have to look for.” He looked around the area one more time before turning back to Fiona. “We better go see what Lauren found out.”

  Fiona nodded in agreement. She hoped Lauren would have something to work with.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Jake hesitated before his hotel room. He and Fiona had just checked her room, where Lauren was last working, but Lauren wasn’t there. Jake could only assume she’d gone back to the room they were sharing together, and he had a feeling she was going to be pissed off at him.

  He shot a glance at Fiona, who was standing behind him, waiting to follow him in. But he felt like this was something he needed to deal with on his own first.

  “Give me a sec, Red,” he told her. “I need to talk to Lauren alone.”

  Fiona’s face dropped, but she nodded. He watched as she went back into her room, closing the door behind her. With a breath, Jake faced his hotel room door, then tapped the keycard to get in.

  And there was Lauren, sitting at the table, working away at her laptop. She barely looked up when Jake came in.

  “Hey,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. He figured it was best to just cut to the chase here. Without another word, he slid in front of Lauren at the seat. “Listen, Fiona and I discovered a few things, and we think you’re right.”

  Lauren sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. “Oh, really? Now you think I’m right? What changed?”

  “I never thought you were wrong, Lauren, I just thought we should look elsewhere too.” He couldn’t help his annoyance; he was trying to work with her here, and she was still being hostile. Lauren just lifted an eyebrow. Jake knew he wouldn’t win here, but against his better judgment, he went on. “Look, I’m sorry if you feel like I blew you off, but that wasn’t the point. We still got valuable information, so why does it matter?”

  Lauren clicked her tongue and turned back to her laptop. “What was the information, Jake?”

  He sighed. At least they could try to focus on work. “Mia’s coworker said a guy came in to see her before she died. Blond guy, good-looking, she said twenties but he could be in his thirties for all we know. It’s hard to tell sometimes. You come across anyone like that in your search?”

  “Probably,” Lauren said, “but that’s way too vague.”

  Jake clenched his jaw. “I know it is. But we’re gonna have to look through every single name and photo. It’d help if you could narrow it down.”

  “I’m doing the best I can,” Lauren said, her tone sharp and harsh. “The only people I can be sure are single are the ones registered at the dating sites. The rest, I’m not so sure about. And it’s not like any of those sites are heavily monitored, so who knows how many people are just using fake names.”

  Jake’s brows furrowed. “They really should be monitoring these things more heavily. Catfishing is becoming more and more of a problem.”

  Lauren shrugged. “People lie about who they are all the time, Jake. Especially on the internet, knowing there’s no real way to be held accountable for who you are or what you say.”

  Jake’s mouth was dry, his mind whirling. The internet was a big place, and finding the right person online was hard enough, but there was so much information, and it was all so easy to manipulate and fabricate.

  Jake tried to think of what to do next. Lauren was giving him the cold shoulder, and he couldn’t help but think that everything was going to shit fast. He was frustrated that they still had no concrete leads. Lauren being mad at him didn’t help at all.

  At least one of these things, he could try to make right for the time being.

  “Lauren,” he said, and she looked up at him. “Are you seriously still pissed off at me?”

  She scoffed. “Just let it go, Jake. You clearly trust Fiona’s gut more than mine. It is what it is.”

  At that moment, it became clear to him. This wasn’t just about the case. Or even Lauren believing they should all be focusing on her lead.

  This was about Jake “choosing” Fiona over her.

  This was jealousy.

  “Lauren, none of it was personal,” Jake said. “I wasn’t trying to put Fiona over you.”

  Lauren gave him a look that was both indignant and hurt. “I know you weren’t, Jake, but it still felt like you were choosing her over me.”

  Jake sighed. He could tell this wasn’t going to be easy. “Look, Lauren, I don’t know what else to say except that I’m sorry. It was never about picking one person over the other; it was about working together as a team and trying our best to find out who killed Mia and the other women.”

  He looked at her expectantly, hoping she’d accept his apology, but instead she just crossed her arms and glared at him. The silence between them stretched on until finally Jake spoke again.

 

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