Let Her Be, page 15
“Lauren, I—”
“Save it, Jake,” she said. “I can tell you don’t want to do this anymore.”
“What?” His heart sank. “No, that’s not true at all.”
Her green eyes met his, full of pain. “You still didn’t tell anyone about our relationship. It was my condition, Jake. I said we needed to make it official. Instead, you doubted my instincts and went with Fiona’s, and that would be fine if you weren’t also avoiding our relationship.”
Jake didn’t know what to say. It was true that he didn’t have the guts to tell anyone yet.
“Lauren,” he said, “we caught the killer—”
“And I wasn’t there to help you,” she said. “She was.”
Jake didn’t know what to say about that. Lauren hadn’t trusted his instincts, either.
“What’s happening to us?” she said. “Our teamwork. We normally have each other’s backs on everything. But with Fiona here, I feel like we’re just… out of sync.”
“But we caught the killer,” Jake said. “She helped do that. Hell, she basically did all of it.”
Lauren frowned. “I know. I know she did. But… I feel like she’s a bit too attached to you, Jake. I’m a bit worried that she might have feelings for you that she’s not revealing.”
Jake felt his jaw drop. “What?”
Lauren stared at him in silence. “It’s just… I’ve seen the way she looks at you. It’s hard to explain, but you feel it too, don’t you?”
Jake turned away, his face growing red hot. He didn’t know how to respond to that. Could Lauren be right? Was Fiona more attracted to him than she let on? He was fairly certain Fiona wasn’t interested in Jake’s type.
“Is that what this has all been about?” Jake asked. “You think she’s a threat to us?”
“She is,” Lauren said, “even if it’s not like that. She’s changing our dynamic, and I don’t like it.”
Jake was speechless. On one hand, he understood Lauren’s feelings. But that was why it was an issue. They were FBI agents. Feelings should not be affecting their job performance.
“Lauren… we’re professionals… we can’t let our feelings interfere with our work…”
Lauren frowned. “It’s not like that for me,” she said, tears welling up in her eyes. “I care about you, Jake. I don’t want to lose you because I’m worried about her taking you away from me. I don’t want to lose our partnership.”
Jake looked at Lauren, tears already streaming down her face. It felt like a punch to the gut. Jake didn’t know what to do. On one hand, he didn’t want to lose Lauren either. On the other, this felt like the biggest distraction of his career as an agent. And Lauren’s.
How much more of it could they withstand?
“I’m going to be honest,” Jake said. “I didn’t think this was going to happen. I didn’t think you’d have any problems with Fiona. She’s so… reserved, I didn’t think she’d have any effect on you. But she does. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. It’s not. I think it’s important that we’re both aware of this. I don’t want you to think I’m not taking your feelings into account. I am. I’m not about to abandon you. We’re partners, and we’ll figure this out. I promise.”
Jake’s words were genuine. He had no desire to lose Lauren as a partner, and he cared about her more than he cared about anything else. But maybe a part of him liked having Fiona around, and he didn’t want to jeopardize that. And he wasn’t sure how to handle that.
There was a pause, and the two of them both seemed to be waiting for the other to speak.
“We should tell the chief we want her off the team,” Lauren said.
Jake paused, taken aback.
That just didn’t seem fair. Let alone professional.
“Lauren… Fiona likes this job, and it’s good for her career. I’m not interested in her like that. You’re really going to do this?”
Lauren stared back at Jake, her face hardening. “Yes.”
That’s when Jake realized this was going to be a bigger issue than he’d anticipated. Lauren was really worried about Fiona. More than he had realized.
Now, he found himself in a bigger moral dilemma than he’d signed up for. He cared about Lauren, but Fiona’s words kept ringing in his head. About how being with Lauren romantically was a distraction to their work.
That was obviously true.
Forcing a partner out because of personal feelings—whether perceived or real—was wildly unprofessional.
Jake wasn’t okay with this request.
But then Lauren rested her head on his shoulder, causing his heart to hurt.
He wanted to make this work.
But things were getting more complicated, and he wasn’t sure if they could withstand much more.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Fiona’s apartment had never felt so lonely.
She let out a sigh as she flopped down on the couch. She was exhausted and had barely slept lately, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d somehow messed up Jake and Lauren’s relationship.
Part of Fiona knew it was probably for the best if those two just broke up, or at least stopped being partners. They clearly had a high emotional impact on each other, and Fiona could see the way it distracted Jake at work.
But still, she wouldn’t wish loneliness on anyone. If Jake and Lauren found solace in each other, then who was Fiona to judge that? She was just a girl, sitting alone in her apartment, with no matches on a dating app…
She shot upright on her couch. The dating app!
Fiona had totally forgotten about her profile. She needed to delete it now.
Fiona quickly grabbed her phone and opened the app, a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. She expected to be greeted with an empty screen, but instead she was surprised to see that she had a match.
The profile picture of her match showed a ruggedly handsome man with a wide smile and sparkling eyes, standing in front of a lake. His bio said he was an avid hiker, who loved exploring new places and meeting interesting people. Fiona felt something stir inside her as she read it.
She snapped out of it. What was she thinking?
Online dating just wasn’t safe. There were too many creeps out there, and after this case, how could she ever feel safe meeting someone?
Then again, she supposed that could be applied to all facets of life.
Fiona had always been an introvert, hiding in her shell. That was why she’d made the bold step to make a dating profile. She’d never even had a real boyfriend, and she could count how many times she’d gone “all the way” on one hand.
Still, it didn’t feel right. Fiona needed to delete the app.
Just as she was about to remove it, a message popped up from the handsome guy. Mark.
Why did the mushroom get invited to the party?
Fiona paused, her finger hovering over the delete button. She didn’t know what was more surprising—Mark’s cheesy joke or his timing. The corners of her mouth slowly curled up into a smile as she thought about it.
Fiona shook her head as she looked down at her phone, deciding to take a chance on Mark. After all, he had given her an excellent first impression by being so witty and bold with his message. She quickly replied back: I don’t know! Why did the mushroom get invited to the party?
Mark responded instantly with a grinning emoji and a reply: “Because he was a fungi!”
Fiona chuckled at this corny joke and felt some of her worries melt away. Maybe she wasn’t ready to jump into meeting someone…
But some harmless jokes wouldn’t kill her.
***
Fiona walked into the police station where her childhood friend Erica worked. She had the cold case files from her sister’s case with her, ready to return them to where they belonged.
Fiona had attempted to read the files and find new information, but nothing had come up, and so she knew it was better to leave them in the cold case department’s hands.
She spotted Erica up the hallway and jogged over to her. “Erica!”
Erica turned to Fiona, wearing her officer’s uniform, and frowned. “Hey, Fi… you’re here.”
Fiona stopped in front of Erica and smiled, holding out the folder on Joslyn’s disappearance. Erica looked at it knowingly.
“Ah,” Erica said. “Don’t need this anymore?”
Fiona sighed and shook her head. “I didn’t find anything new.”
“Sorry, Fi,” Erica said. “I wish I had better news for you. Here, follow me. I’ll go put this back.”
Fiona followed Erica as she wound her way through the police station, taking a few turns until they arrived in a small room filled with countless files and boxes. The walls were lined with shelves full of case folders, some with notes sticking out of the top. In the center of the room was a large table with an old rotary phone on it, and against one wall was an ancient-looking filing cabinet that had seen better days.
Erica placed the folder onto one of the shelves and sighed. “This is where all unsolved cases come to rest,” she said softly, glancing around at all the forgotten stories that surrounded them.
Fiona couldn’t help but feel a chill in the air as she looked around at all the dusty old files that contained tales of lives lost, unsolved mysteries, and tragedies never solved. She shivered involuntarily as Erica gently patted her shoulder before leading her back out into the hallway.
Fiona’s sister’s case was just another one of these. Fiona had wished it could be different, but that was just how it was.
Erica put Joslyn’s file away on one of the shelves, then turned to Fiona with a sad smile on her face. “I’m sorry you couldn’t find anything,” she said softly, squeezing Fiona’s shoulder gently.
Fiona nodded slowly, feeling her throat tighten up as tears prickled at her eyes. She wanted to tell Erica not to worry about it—that it wasn’t her fault for getting her hopes up—but all she could do was give her friend a tight hug instead. Erica patted Fiona on the back.
Fiona pulled away with a sigh. “I don’t get to talk about her much these days. Joslyn, I mean… not many people in my life know about her, and my parents would rather not talk about it.”
Erica offered a sympathetic smile. “Well, I remember Joslyn really well. She was amazing. Seriously, your sister was so magnetic… I remember being so jealous of her in high school.”
Fiona gasped. “Really?!”
Erica chuckled. “Yeah, Fi. Joslyn just had that… energy, you know?”
Fiona smiled, feeling a wave of warmth wash over her. It was nice to hear someone talk about Joslyn like she wasn’t gone. “Yes,” she said softly. “She could light up a room with her presence.”
Erica nodded in agreement. “Exactly! She had such an infectious personality, and was always so kind and generous. I remember how she’d offer to help anyone who needed it, even if they were complete strangers.”
Fiona felt tears welling up in her eyes again as the memories of Joslyn filled her mind. Despite all the sadness and grief that had followed since Joslyn’s disappearance, Fiona couldn’t help but smile at the thought of her sister’s strength and resilience.
“I miss her so much,” Fiona said softly, wiping away a tear from her cheek.
Erica wrapped an arm around Fiona’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I know. That was so hard on you and your family. I remember feeling bad that we’d grown so far apart.”
“I always knew you cared,” Fiona said. “That meant something to me.”
Erica smiled. “It did? Well… I’m glad you felt that way. It was so hard to see you go through that, you know? But I’m so glad you pulled through.”
Fiona smiled. “I’m glad too. I’m still not the same, but… I don’t think I would’ve been able to handle it if I wasn’t able to do something productive with my life. I’m really glad I went to Harvard.”
Erica nodded in agreement. “Me too. You were always a brainiac. Joslyn was the sporty one, but you were destined for something like Harvard. Working in a lab for the FBI is so you, too.”
Fiona smiled. “Well… I do a bit more than lab work now.”
Erica lifted an eyebrow. “You do?”
Fiona laughed. “I actually saved an agent’s life. Special Agent Jake Tucker. He didn’t want me to come along, but I went anyway, and I ended up actually helping!”
Laughing, Erica shook her head. “Wow, you’ll have to tell me the full story over a drink.”
Fiona chuckled and brushed her hair behind her ear. “Well, it wasn’t that impressive. Jake had saved my life before too, after I was a total idiot, so… I owed him one.”
Erica leaned back and crossed her arms. “Do you like this Jake guy?”
Instantly, Fiona’s cheeks went up in flames. “What?”
But it was too late—Erica was onto her. An amused smile tugged at her lips, and she playfully punched Fiona’s arm. “What the hell, Fi? You never like a guy. But you’re into this Jake Tucker?”
“No!” Fiona exclaimed, flustered. “He… he’s with someone else, Erica. It’s nothing. Really.”
She rolled her eyes. “Like hell it’s nothing. You were practically drooling over him.”
“I was not!” Fiona cried, her face going even redder. She had been, and she knew it.
Laughing, Erica nudged Fiona. “You were totally drooling. Fine, I won’t tease you about it.”
Fiona smiled, grateful. She didn’t mind Erica teasing her, but she didn’t want her to be right. “Thanks.”
Liking Jake was not on the table. Ever. Fiona knew that. Maybe it was a good thing she’d started talking to that Mark guy on the dating app—he could distract her from this crush on Jake, because that could never happen.
“Anyway, let’s get out of here,” Erica said.
Fiona nodded with a smile.
As Fiona turned away, she noticed a file folder sticking out of the box beside Joslyn’s case file. She peered at the file and saw the word MISSING GIRL.
Her breath caught in her throat as she realized she was looking at a file on another missing girl, just like Joslyn. Fiona felt a wave of sadness wash over her as she brushed her fingers across the folder and opened it up. Inside were pictures of a young woman with bright eyes and dark hair, just like Joslyn’s. Fiona looked at the file, feeling an ache deep within her heart.
It was a reminder that there were still so many other families out there who hadn’t found closure yet.
“Interested in that one?” Erica asked.
“I’m… just looking,” Fiona said, flipping through the file.
It was about a girl, a sixteen-year-old, who had been abducted about three years before Joslyn. The case had been cold for even longer than Joslyn’s. Apparently, the girl had vanished under mysterious circumstances from a mall, leaving only her flip-flop behind.
But that wasn’t all.
There was an entomology report attached.
Fiona frowned. Entomology, but no body? Why?
Curious, she looked deeper. Apparently, the girl had left behind a flip-flop, and on that flip-flop was an insect.
Fiona’s eyes widened as she read the report.
The insect they found on the girl’s flip-flop…
It was not endemic to Portland, where the girl went missing.
Fiona frowned. Then where did it come from?
And why was it in the report?
It seemed like a strange, insignificant detail, but to Fiona—an entomologist—it stood out. It was probably insane for her to think these cases could somehow be related.
But the investigator in her wanted to know more.
“Hey, Erica,” she said, “do you mind if I take this file with me?”
NOW AVAILABLE!
LET HER HOPE
(A Fiona Red Mystery—Book 3)
A new serial killer leaves a trail of victims killed by an extremely rare bug, and only brilliant FBI forensic examiner and entomologist Fiona Red stands a chance at tracing its origins. In her lab lies the key to stopping him before he strikes again. But can she solve it fast enough?
“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery.”
—Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)
LET HER HOPE is book #3 in a long-anticipated new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller Once Gone (a free download) has received over 7,000 five star ratings and reviews.
Fiona Red, a brilliant but quirky FBI loner, spends most of her time in the lab or at crime scenes. She comes from a family used to being around death and bodies, her parents having ran a funeral parlor, and she would have ran the family business if not for a tragedy in her past: her sister was abducted when she was a teenager, and never found.
Fiona remains determined to crack her sister’s case. But in the meantime, as an FBI agent, she applies her brilliance to catching killers and cracking cases that no one else can, as bugs are the first visitors to dead bodies.
With her FBI partner out in the field, Fiona expects to stay behind the scenes.
But Fiona, obsessed with catching killers, takes it one step too far, and may just find herself in the crosshairs of a killer herself.
A page-turning and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured FBI agent, the Fiona Red series is a riveting mystery, packed with non-stop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. Fans of Rachel Caine, Teresa Driscoll and Robert Dugoni are sure to fall in love.
Future books in the series are also available!
“An edge of your seat thriller in a new series that keeps you turning pages! ...So many twists, turns and red herrings… I can't wait to see what happens next.”
—Reader review (Her Last Wish)
“A strong, complex story about two FBI agents trying to stop a serial killer. If you want an author to capture your attention and have you guessing, yet trying to put the pieces together, Pierce is your author!”
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