After taking everything in, Jake turned back to Michael, who had been patiently observing them from across the room.

  "What's this all about?" Michael asked. "I've never had the honor of having the FBI in my home."

  Jake met Michael's gaze, trying to figure out his best play here. Would Michael turn on them when the accusation came out? He could have more weapons. Then again, he could also be innocent, and he'd done everything right so far.

  "We noticed you have a high electricity bill," Jake commented. "Abnormally high, especially for a place so remote, only occupied by one person."

  Michael's eyes flashed. "What's my electricity got to do with anything? What's going on?"

  "As we said, we're looking into a case," Lauren added in. "We noticed your high energy use and came to ask what it's being used for."

  "Well, I'm not growing pot, if that's what you're thinking." Michael laughed. He gestured to a deer head above the fireplace. "As you can see, I'm a proud hunter, born and raised. I want to help the world eat less processed garbage and get back to the naturals. So in the past few months, I've been hunting a lot more and selling my kills to locals. I've got freezer after freezer of game downstairs."

  Game. Dead animals. So, that was what he was using the energy for. Still, Jake needed to see it for himself, because it could very well be nothing but a good cover.

  "I can show ya, if you like," Michael said.

  Jake and Lauren exchanged a glance, both wondering if they should follow him. Jake was still on edge, afraid that if they followed Michael, he’d try to pull something else, while they were both vulnerable inside his home. Jake felt for his gun on his belt. He had to see the freezers, no matter the outcome, and risks were part of the job.

  He would just have to be ready.

  "Yes," Jake said finally. "Please."

  Michael led the way downstairs to his basement, where several large freezers were lined up against the walls. Jake and Lauren followed him down.

  "Here we go," Michael said, lifting up the first freezer. It contained a variety of wild game such as deer, rabbit, beaver, and even bear meat. All of it was neatly packaged in butcher paper with labels indicating the date it was killed and its weight. So far, Jake had to admit, Michael's story was checking out.

  The second freezer contained racks upon racks of fish that had been caught in nearby rivers or lakes - each one labeled with its species and date caught. The third freezer was filled with fresh fruits and vegetables that Michael had grown in his garden or purchased from local farmers when in season. Finally, there was a fourth freezer containing various cuts of beef.

  "All raised locally and bought from people I know personally," Michael said.

  As they took it all in, Jake couldn't help but admire Michael's dedication to hunting and sustainable living. He seemed like an honest man who was just trying to make a living off the land. With that thought in his mind, he knew that Michael was innocent. This was a perfectly legitimate reason to have a lot of freezers running, and there were no signs of dead humans anywhere in sight.

  This was a man who cared about his community and the environment, not someone who would be involved in any shady business.

  "Thank you for showing us around," Jake said, putting his hands in the pockets of his pants. "We appreciate your cooperation."

  "Well, no problem," Michael said. "But what's this all about?"

  "Unfortunately, it's classified," Lauren said.

  "Something tells me you're looking for more than meat freezers," Michael said gruffly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you folks out more, but I’ve got an honest life out here.”

  Jake swallowed but said nothing. He could see it, as clear as day, that Michael wasn’t their guy. Which meant this had only been yet another waste of time. This lead had gone nowhere, and hours of the day were ticking away.

  If they didn't get a solid lead soon, Jake feared there would be another body to examine.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Fiona let out a breath as she sat on her couch in her one-bedroom apartment.

  With no more work left to do, she'd finished up at the lab and went home; but how could she just sit here and go on like normal, when she was so eager to know if the agents found anything related to her tip? She hadn't heard anything from Jake, but she hoped he was diligently looking into it. Until then, Fiona supposed she just had to sit and wait.

  She sighed and looked around her apartment, which was small and cozy. She had decorated the walls with a few photos of her family and close friends, with an assortment of plants scattered around. The soft glow of the lamp on the end table illuminated a comfortable couch and the warm colors of her patterned rug. The small kitchen had all the necessities, including a few snacks for when she was feeling peckish. Fiona's apartment smelled of freshly brewed coffee, a faint hint of sandalwood incense, and lavender from the diffuser near her bed. Although she was twenty-six, sometimes living alone still felt jarring. She had grown up with such supportive parents, and sometimes she missed living with them. Of course, she was an adult now; she'd been on her own for years, and there was definitely something liberating about it. Living in the dorms at Harvard had been close to adulthood, but having her own home was its own thing entirely.

  Still… when she was younger, Fiona had always imagined she'd spend much of her twenties being roomies with her sister. It had been ten years since Joslyn vanished, and Fiona's heart still ached from her absence. Fiona had been sixteen, Joslyn seventeen; Fiona still didn’t know entirely what had happened. Well, no one really did.

  It had been a summer day, almost too hot to be outside. Fiona and Joslyn were at the beach, digging through the sand to find seashells in a shallow part of the ocean. Joslyn had found a particularly large clam shell and was running back up the shoreline with it when she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. Fiona remembered calling out for her but there was no answer. She looked around for a moment before deciding to go after her sister.

  But as soon as she stepped onto the beach, Fiona felt an overwhelming chill that seemed to envelop her completely; it was like all sound had disappeared, and everything around her was still and silent. When she recovered from this sudden wave of unease, Fiona saw that Joslyn was gone--just vanished into thin air without so much as a trace left behind.

  No matter how many times they searched the beach, or how many people they asked about what happened--no one seemed to know where Joslyn had gone or why she'd left so abruptly. The running theory was that someone had kidnapped her in broad daylight; other theories said she'd gone out into the water and been taken away by the undertow... but Joslyn's body had never been found.

  Fiona had always held out hope that her big sister would return one day. That she was alive, somewhere out there. But this case... the fact that the killer had been keeping women in freezers for seemingly months... it struck a chord for Fiona. It told her that just because someone was missing, and a body was never found, that didn't mean there wasn't a body out there, somewhere.

  Her stomach lurched, imagining her beautiful big sister, dead somewhere in a freezer. Fiona clenched her eyes shut and brought her knees to her chest, burying her face between them. No! She couldn't think of this, she had to block out the images, but they were burning themselves into her brain.

  She could feel her breathing become shallow and erratic as her heart raced. Her chest felt tight, like an invisible hand was squeezing it with all its might. Every muscle in her body tensed as she tried to control the panic that was welling up inside her. She desperately wanted to scream, but no sound came out; instead, tears started streaming down her face uncontrollably. The room seemed to spin around her, and Fiona felt like she was on the brink of losing total control of herself.

  Fiona didn't know how long she stayed like that--curled up into a ball and sobbing until it felt like there were no more tears left--but eventually, the panic attack subsided. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally drained from such an intense emotional surge. All she wanted now was to crawl into bed and get some rest, but she couldn't will herself to do that, either. The thought of someone taking away Joslyn without a trace caused an intense pain that threatened to consume Fiona whole; no matter how hard she tried to push it away, it lingered like a dark cloud.

  She felt deeply for the families of the people on this case; they probably held out hope that their loved ones would be found alive too, but that hadn't happened for them. All Fiona could do now was hope she could be a useful asset to Agents Jake Tucker and Lauren Price--to use her knowledge of entomology and forensics to help catch a killer.

  This was her job. Her calling. She liked to think Joslyn would have been proud to know Fiona had put her "dorkiness" to good work.

  Fiona sighed as she stretched her legs out on her couch, unsure what to do with herself. She had a whole night ahead of her, a whole night to sit with her thoughts, mull over the case, and remember Joslyn.

  Finally giving in to the emptiness of her apartment, Fiona decided she'd make herself a snack. Some energy couldn’t hurt. She forced herself to get up, pushing away the memories of Joslyn that threatened to overwhelm her. She walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, surveying the sparse contents with a sigh. There wasn't much there - just some leftover takeout and a carton of eggs - but it was enough for an omelette.

  She decided to spice it up by adding some diced onion, peppers, and tomatoes from her pantry; along with a generous sprinkle of cheese and herbs for extra flavor. As she cracked open each egg one-by-one and whisked them together in a bowl, Fiona felt calmer than she had all day. The simple act of cooking allowed her mind to wander freely without getting caught in any dark corners; it was almost like meditation to her.

  Once the omelette was finished cooking on the stovetop, Fiona plated it and grabbed herself some cutlery from the drawer before sitting down at her kitchen table with a contented sigh. She slowly savored each bite, letting all the flavors meld together on her tongue as she thought about Joslyn's favorite foods--how she used to always add extra hot sauce or ketchup depending on what she was eating.

  As Fiona finished her meal and brought her plate back to the kitchen, she felt a buzz in her pocket--her phone ringing. Perplexed as to who might be calling her, she took it out--and there was Agent Jake Tucker's name on her screen. Her heart leapt; maybe there was news on the case? She answered the phone, saying a tentative, "Hello?"

  "Fiona?" Jake's gritty voice came through the phone.

  "Yes?" Fiona managed. She reminded herself not to be nervous around Jake just because he was good-looking, but part of her couldn't help it.

  "Bad news," Jake said, his voice urgent. "Another body has been found in the woods."

  Fiona's stomach dropped. "What? No, but--"

  "Can you meet us?" Jake asked.

  Fiona frowned. "Meet you?"

  "Yes, at the crime scene."

  Fiona swallowed hard. She hadn't been to many crime scenes; her job was mostly in the lab, but she wasn't opposed to seeing the body exactly where it had been left. It might provide her more insight.

  "Well, yes, of course," Fiona said. "When?"

  "Now. Get there ASAP. Agent Price and I are on our way."

  Fiona's heartrate accelerated. She was about to be thrown into the thick of things, and she wasn't sure if she was ready.

  But she had to be ready. Being a useful asset to the FBI—helping put killers behind bars, in whatever way she could—was her calling.

  "Okay," Fiona said, her voice wavering slightly. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up the phone and quickly grabbed her coat and keys, slipping on her shoes as she rushed out the door. She hopped into her car and set off toward the crime scene, gripping the steering wheel tightly with one hand while the other fiddled nervously with her necklace--a reminder of Joslyn that she wore around her neck every day.

  She took deep breaths to calm down, reminding herself that this was why she had gotten into forensics in the first place--to help bring justice to those who couldn't do it themselves. She steeled herself for whatever was waiting at the crime scene and stepped on the gas pedal a bit harder, pushing forward with determination.

  Joslyn was gone, but there were others counting on Fiona now.

  She wouldn’t let them down.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Fiona's car whipped up to the curb on the edge of the forest road. The whole drive over, Fiona had focused on getting to the crime scene as soon as possible--her mind devoid of doubt or fear--and made it there in record time. As she stepped out of the car, she saw Agents Tucker and Price, waiting for her in front of a police barricade. It was into the evening now, and the only light came from the streetlights and the multitude of cop cars flashing outside of the treeline.

  Fiona took a deep breath, inhaling the nighttime air, and walked over to them with confidence, determined to do whatever it took to catch this killer once and for all. She wanted to be taken seriously and couldn't show that she'd been having a panic attack less than an hour ago.

  "Agent Tucker, Agent Price," she said, nodding.

  Jake and Lauren nodded back at her, silent for a moment before Jake spoke. "Fiona, thank you for coming."

  Lauren stepped forward and gestured towards the woods. "This way."

  The three of them began to walk into the darkness of the forest--the only sound being the crunching of leaves under their feet. Fiona watched as Jake and Lauren scanned their surroundings; they were so in sync with each other that it was clear they had been partners for years. Fiona had a sudden strange, intrusive thought; people like Lauren always ended up with people like Jake, and Fiona wasn’t sure why that made her feel strangely jealous. Jake was good-looking, and she knew she’d never have a chance with someone like him.

  She stopped herself. What was she thinking? She didn’t want a chance with him. Or anyone. She was happy on her own… sort of.

  Right now wasn't the time to get distracted by her feelings. She had a job to do--a job that Joslyn would've wanted her to do if she were here too--and she intended on doing just that.

  Many other officers passed by them as well, going to and from the scene, and Jake manned a flashlight to direct them through the woods. Fiona knew she'd been called in, but she still felt out of place, walking up to a crime scene with two agents. The silence was too much for her--she had to know what was going on.

  "What happened?" she managed.

  Jake looked back at her, his warm brown eyes landing on hers, and for a moment, Fiona's face felt hot. "An evening hiker found the body and called the police right away. Once we saw the scene, we knew we had to bring you in to see it yourself."

  Fiona blinked, taken aback. "My role is normally in the lab. Why did you want me to come?"

  "You'll see," Lauren added in coolly. "Let's just focus on getting there."

  Fiona took the hint to be quiet.

  After a few minutes of walking, they reached the scene--a clearing surrounded by trees and lit up by police lights. Policemen were swarming around the area, taking pictures and collecting evidence. In the center of it all was a body on the ground--a young woman with dark hair and pale skin. Not only that, but Fiona was certain she could see... ice on the body?

  Her stomach bottomed out as the realization hit her. Her freezer theory--it was right, and this was a freshly-placed body. She wasn't close enough yet to make out the details, but she felt certain this was the case. This was why Jake had personally called her.

  As they got closer, Fiona had a clearer image of the body. The girl was partially thawed, but in the police lights illuminating the dark forest, she could see the fresh charring of frost bite and the way there was still ice melting off her. Her face was frozen, staring blankly above, and she was probably in her early thirties.

  Fiona looked over to Jake and saw he was also studying the body. "May I examine it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Jake nodded and stepped aside, allowing Fiona to get closer. He gave her an encouraging smile before turning back to Lauren, and Fiona walked forward with a mix of dread and excitement in her stomach. She had been expecting a crime scene like this, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel nervous. There were a lot of eyes on her now, a lot of pressure. The other officers cleared away, allowing Fiona alone to get closer to the scene and assess the body.

  Fiona crouched down, examining the body carefully. She could see it was beginning to decompose, and there were signs of post mortem lividity - a sign that the victim had been moved after death. There were multiple bruises and cuts on her arms and legs as well, which suggested she was in a struggle before her death. Fiona also noticed there were needle marks on her arms, indicating drug use or an injection of some kind. She ran her gloved hands over the girl's cold skin, feeling grim and sad for this person. She then searched for signs of poison, checking under fingernails and around the mouth. After that, she checked for any trace evidence--swabs were taken from the clothing as well as skin samples. Finally, she examined the girl's hands to see if anything had been clenched in them prior to death, but there was no evidence of that.

  One thing was certain; this was the most well-preserved sample from this apparent killer they had yet. Fiona needed to get her down to the lab and continue a proper analysis.

  She stood up straight and peeled off her latex glove, looking back at Jake and Lauren, who watched her with scrutinizing gazes.

  "I need to take her back to the lab ASAP," Fiona said. "I'm not seeing a clear cause of death, but there is evidence of trauma and bruising, which to me, looks like she fought back."

  Jake nodded. "Do you see anything else?"

  "Track marks, but I'm not sure yet," Fiona said. "They could be self-inflicted. I need to view her in a more controlled setting. What do you think happened to her?" Fiona asked, interested to see if Jake and Lauren had any theories. They were FBI agents, after all.

  Lauren stepped forward. "It looks like she was killed by a professional," she said. "The way the body is preserved, the lack of a clear cause of death, and the needle marks suggest someone with medical knowledge. It could be a doctor or a nurse."

 

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