She paused for a moment, heart pounding in her chest as she thought about what was waiting for her on the other side of this window. She had no idea who or what might be out there--but anything would be better than staying here in this prison-like room.

  With one final deep breath and a prayer that whatever lay ahead of her would be better than what was behind her, Josie pushed off with all her strength and tumbled out through the window into freedom. She found herself in a field of some kind, and it was hot and sunny--disorienting, but Josie didn't have time to think. She had to run.

  She sprinted as fast as her legs would carry her, feeling the grass and dirt beneath her feet and the sun on her face as she sprinted into a forest. She thought of all the things she wished she had done differently, but most of all she was thankful for this moment--for this chance to be alive and running.

  She was halfway across the field when she heard a loud howl behind her. The kidnapper had noticed she was gone and was coming after her. She ran faster than she ever had before, feeling the sun on her face and the wind in her hair as she moved forward with one goal--to get away from him. Josie didn't stop--she kept running until the sound of his voice faded away into nothingness. She was deep into the woods now, but she could see it was a sparse forest that would end soon. She didn't know where she was, but she knew if she kept going, she'd reach somebody who could help her.

  And then, as if it were a mirage in the desert, Josie saw it--a house with its own little yard. A person was out in the front, mowing the lawn.

  The sun was shining brightly, and there were kids playing basketball in their driveways and people mowing their lawns.

  She felt a sense of relief as she realized that someone else was here. Someone who could help her. But before she could take another step forward to ask for help, Josie collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion.

  "Oh my God, are you okay?" she heard someone yell, but she didn't know who.

  Josie could only manage to whisper a prayer to herself before darkness engulfed her vision and she slipped away into unconsciousness.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Fiona paced outside of the interrogation room, biting her lip, anxious to know what was going on inside. She peered through the double-sided glass to see Jake and Lauren on one end of the table, and Lee Jordan on the other--looking sweaty and nervous.

  They hadn't found anything else in his basement that would point to him being the killer, other than the booklice infestation. Fiona had a bad feeling that wasn't enough. The FBI requested to search the basement of Lee's workplace as well, and last Fiona heard, nothing had come up.

  Her heart sank as she considered that maybe she was wrong about Lee. Maybe they all were. He had seemed so likely, and he did try to run... but where were the bodies? If Fiona was wrong about this entire lead, then she knew it would reflect poorly on her. She was sure of it. She’d be known as the girl who had wasted the FBI’s time and led them down a wrong path.

  Fiona's anxieties grew as the silence in the room continued. She wanted to believe that they were just trying to get Lee to confess, but after a while even that seemed unlikely. The more time that passed without a result, the more she thought this was all for nothing. What if her hunch had been wrong? What if the killer was still out there, and it wasn't him?

  Fiona felt her stomach turning with worry and frustration. She had put so much faith in this lead, and now it seemed like it was all for naught. It was such a long shot from the start, she knew - but she still hoped that maybe somewhere along the way something would come through for them. But here they were, standing outside of an interrogation room with nothing to show for their efforts other than booklice.

  A loud sound from inside the interrogation room startled her out of her thoughts, and she saw Lee's face contort in anger. He slammed his hands on the table, his voice echoing through the room. Fiona saw Jake and Lauren exchange a look, before Lauren nodded at Jake to continue questioning him.

  Fiona frowned and crossed her arms as they continued their conversation. What was it that they had found? She could only guess. She sighed heavily and ran her hands through her hair in frustration--maybe she had been wrong about this whole thing after all.

  Suddenly, the door to the interrogation room opened. Fiona looked up to see Jake and Lauren emerge, their faces tired. They'd been in there for well over an hour, and the whole time, Fiona had been anxiously waiting.

  "Well?" she prompted.

  Jake sighed. "It's not him. At least, we have no reason to really accuse him."

  Fiona's heart plummeted. She had felt so sure...

  "But... he ran," she said. "Why?"

  "He claims he just had a panic attack," Lauren explained, crossing her arms over her blazer, blonde hair tied back tight. "He's definitely guilty of his previous assault charges, and we think he might have committed another recently, but avoided getting caught. That was what he thought we were there for."

  "So, we're gonna put some other guys on to deal with him and get him to confess to that assault, but as for us," Jake said, "we're at a dead end."

  The words hit Fiona like a ton of bricks. She had been so sure that he was the killer, and now she felt guilty for leading them all in the wrong direction. In all likelihood, they had wasted precious time while the real killer was out there, unfound. It was her responsibility to make sure they got this right, and yet she had failed--and now more lives could be in danger because of it.

  She looked down at her shoes, feeling disappointed in herself. "I'm sorry, I thought for sure..."

  Jake's brows pinched. "What are you sorry for? I was the one who found Lee Jordan."

  "But it was my lead on the booklice," Fiona said.

  "And it could still be right," Jake reminded her. "Lee is the wrong guy, but we could still be looking for a man with a dank basement who keeps a lot of books. It was a good find, Fiona."

  Fiona thought on it for a moment, Jake's rational words washing away her insecurities. He was right--she couldn't let this deter her from her find.

  "Yes, it's still a good lead," even Lauren added in.

  Fiona gave them both a smile. "Thank you. Both of you. I just… I don’t want to let you down.”

  “You haven’t done that.” Jake gave her a warm smile in response and clapped his hands together. "Now, let's go get some lunch. I'm starving."

  Fiona smiled and nodded eagerly. After the long morning they had, she was more than ready for a break.

  ***

  It felt strange for Fiona to be here, having an early lunch on an outdoor patio with two FBI agents. They'd walked up the street to Café Aroma, a little French café not far from HQ. The warm sun shone down on the streets of Portland, a sign that summer really was on its way. Fiona liked spring well-enough, though; the way the flowers bloomed, how clean the air was.

  Jake and Lauren sat across from her, working on their soups while she poked at a buttery croissant.

  "So, any ideas where to go from here?" Jake asked Lauren. They'd been here for a while now, and although they tried to include her in conversation, Fiona still felt like a third wheel. Especially now that she knew Jake and Lauren had an on-again, off-again relationship.

  "No idea," Lauren said, taking a spoonful of tomato soup. "I guess we're back to the drawing board. We should keep looking for guys with criminal records based on Fiona's lead."

  "We could look into other bookstores, too," Jake suggested.

  Fiona watched them talk, the sun shining down on their faces. She thought of her father, how he had always been so proud of her interest in criminal justice--and now she was here with two FBI agents discussing a real-life case. She knew she was a lab rat, but she had to admit, getting out on the field today with Jake and Lauren had been both scary and exhilarating.

  Fiona smiled, grateful for their faith in her. Maybe she did still have something to offer after all.

  As Jake and Lauren discussed their plan further, Fiona looked around her. People strolled by on the sidewalk in front of the café while a few birds perched on the tables outside, looking for any crumbs they could find. It was peaceful here, even with the hustle and bustle of downtown Portland nearby.

  The sun shone down upon them, radiating warmth and hope that they would be able to find the killer soon before it was too late. She glanced at Jake and Lauren, deep in conversation about their next move.

  "I guess that's all we can really do for now," Jake concluded to Lauren, then took a bite out of his sandwich. All of a sudden, his brown eyes fell on Fiona. "So, Fiona Red, what made you want to become a forensic analyst for the FBI?"

  Fiona's face grew hot. She had never been very good at talking about herself. "Well, my parents own and run a funeral home," she explained, "so I've never been a stranger to death. I was always very interested in science, but as I got older, I became interested in criminology as well. I thought, if I can use science to help save lives, why shouldn't I? And death is already not very scary to me, considering my upbringing, so I felt I could handle it well."

  Jake and Lauren both nodded, taking it in.

  "And the bug angle?" Lauren asked, lifting one of her thin, arched brows. "Where did that come from?"

  Fiona felt her cheeks get hot yet again. "Well... I've always just liked bugs. I find them so fascinating. Their ability to survive under the most extreme conditions and how they go about their everyday lives, so small yet so powerful--I find it captivating. So, when I heard about entomology, I knew that was what I wanted to do."

  Fiona spoke with more confidence than she thought she had. She looked up at Jake and Lauren and saw their eyes widened in surprise. It felt good to finally be able to explain why she chose this path for her career.

  "That's great," Jake said after a moment. "You have a real passion for this work. I mean, it’s totally weird, but it’s helping us right now.”

  Fiona laughed. She had always hated being called weird or strange for her interest in bugs, but the way Jake said it was lighthearted and harmless. It was good to have humor sometimes, she reminded herself. And the truth was, she knew she was weird. Always had been.

  She smiled fondly at the memories of collecting beetles and dragonflies with her father, adding to her jar of specimens every chance she got. She remembered how proud he had been when she told him she wanted to become an entomologist. It had been his encouragement that made her pursue this field so passionately.

  "It's like my father always said," Fiona concluded as Jake reached over and grabbed another napkin from the dispenser on the table. "Sometimes all you need is a little courage and faith in yourself—and you can do anything."

  "That's a very positive outlook," Jake noted.

  Lauren was quiet, and Fiona hoped she didn't say something wrong. There was more of her history she wasn't sharing, but now wasn't the time. It had, of course, been her sister's disappearance that had mostly prompted her to become interested in criminology. Something like that can change a person's life, and it certainly did in Fiona's case.

  "What about both of you?" Fiona asked. "How did you end up here?"

  "Well--" Jake was about to answer when his phone started vibrating on the table. He frowned at the screen. "It's the chief."

  "Answer it," Lauren said.

  Jake put the phone to his ear. "This is Agent Tucker... yes, hi, Chief..." Jake's face went pale.

  Fiona's heart sank. What if it was another body? Another victim?

  But then Jake said: "She's... alive?"

  Fiona exchanged a perplexed look with Lauren. Who was alive?

  "I understand, sir," Jake said. "We'll be right there."

  With that, Jake hung up the phone. Silence filled the patio as Jake set his phone down and looked at both Fiona and Lauren with steely eyes.

  "A woman escaped from a kidnapper," Jake said. "She's alive. And it might be our guy."

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  Jake's heart pounded as he hurried down the hospital hallway with Lauren at his side, heading straight for the room the victim was staying in. Apparently, Josie Gregory had been kidnapped from her job the night before and had woken up in a basement of some kind, tied up. She'd managed to escape, but something in her testimony stood out to the FBI.

  Apparently, the room she had been kept in had intense humming sounds--like a bunch of refrigerators. Or freezers. That was when the police had informed the FBI, and the chief had called Jake right away.

  Now he was here, so close to the answers. Maybe Josie saw the man's face. Maybe she remembered where he lived. This could end up being the biggest clue of them all.

  The hallway seemed to stretch out forever, but eventually they reached the door of Josie's room. Jake took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Inside was a small hospital room with a bed in the center. Josie Gregory was propped up against the pillows, her eyes closed in exhaustion. She looked so fragile, almost like she could break if someone touched her too hard.

  But then her eyes opened and met theirs, and Jake saw a fire in them that he was sure had been there when she'd escaped from captivity--a determination to find justice for all that had been done to her.

  Jake smiled at her reassuringly as he stepped forward into the room. "Hello, Josie," he said softly. "We're here to help. I'm Agent Jake Tucker with the FBI, and this is my partner, Agent Lauren Price."

  Josie nodded slowly, gathering all of her strength. "Hello... I was told you would be coming."

  "We're glad to see you safe," Jake said. He pulled up a chair beside her while Lauren sat at the foot of the bed. The poor woman looked like she'd been through hell, her auburn hair splayed over the white pillows, but she managed a smile.

  "I got away," she said. "I thought I was dead."

  "But you're not," Jake said, relieved. "You got away from this guy, and now we can find him."

  "I'm so grateful," Josie said, her voice trembling slightly. "It was a miracle I managed to escape when I did--a real miracle."

  Jake smiled at her again. He couldn't believe it--Josie had gotten away from this guy alive. It was the first time someone had been able to escape his clutches, as far as Jake knew, and he felt so happy for her. The fact that she'd managed to survive such a terrifying ordeal made him feel even more determined to make sure they caught this guy and brought him to justice.

  "We'll make sure he pays for what he's done," Jake said firmly, his voice full of determination. "But we need your help. I know it's painful, but we need to know exactly what happened. Did you see the man's face?"

  She sighed, shaking her head. "I wish I did, but I didn't. He assaulted me when it was dark outside, and when I woke up, I was in a dark room. He talked to me a bit then went upstairs, and I passed out again. Then, when I woke up, I could hear him upstairs... I think he was going to kill me. The most I can tell you is that I think he was older, white, and he seemed oddly frail."

  "Frail," Jake noted.

  "Yes. He was shaky. His voice was strained."

  "What did he say to you?" Lauren asked.

  "He said I was special to him," Josie managed. "He said he was going to keep me until his last breath..."

  A shudder ran through Jake, imagining this terrifying situation. "That must have been very scary," Jake said. "You're very brave for attempting an escape, Josie."

  "On that," Lauren said, "do you remember where you ran from?"

  "Honestly, I didn't look back," Josie said. "It was a house, though, and it had a very large yard and seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. I ran as fast as I could into the forest, then I wound up in the suburb where I guess I was found?"

  "Right," Jake said. "That was Greely Street, right?"

  "That's what they told me," Josie said.

  Jake nodded, exchanging a look with Lauren. The neighborhood was on the outskirts of Portland. It used to be farmland, but was converted. However, there was still a lot of farmland around the area, and based on Josie's description, she could have been kept at a farmhouse.

  "And you heard humming?" Jake asked.

  "Yes, like there were refrigerators running," Josie said.

  "Did you see any other people while you were there?" Jake asked. "Or hear anything else?"

  Josie paused for a moment before answering with a shake of her head. "No, it was just him and me," she said, her voice soft and full of fear. "He seemed so alone."

  Jake nodded, understanding the fear she must have felt in such an isolated place. He knew all too well how someone could feel completely helpless in such a situation--he'd been there himself once upon a time. But now he had the chance to help Josie and make sure this creep got what he deserved.

  "What about outside?" Jake asked suddenly, pointing to the window. "Did you see anything when you were running away?"

  "Just the forest," Josie said. "I know it's vague. In hindsight, I wish I had looked more, but I just wanted to get away."

  "You did the right thing, Josie," Jake assured.

  Lauren nodded in agreement. "Thank you for all of this," she said, offering Josie a slight smile. "We'll get this man off the streets."

  Jake reached out and gently squeezed Josie's shoulder. "Seriously, Josie," he said sincerely. "You're one brave woman. Thanks."

  Josie looked back at them, her eyes wide with gratitude as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. She gave them a small nod before wiping away the tears.

  "I'm just glad I can do something to help," she said.

  "We'll let you know when we have something," Jake said, standing. They had all they could get from Josie for now, and this testimony could be huge. They now had a pretty good geographical location of the killer's residence, which could finally make this whole thing feel less like a needle in a haystack.

  They left the room, and Jake found himself alone with Lauren in a long, empty hospital hallway. "Well?" Jake asked Lauren. "What do you think?"

  She crossed her arms and looked around. "I think we have a lot more research to do."

 

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