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"Thank you," Jake said, nodding at Fiona as they turned to leave the office.
Outside, the air was heavy with the scent of impending rain. Fiona shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Jake, if Owen is walking home, there's a chance one of the victim's houses is on his route. What if he's hunting for another target right now?"
"Then we'd better retrace his steps," Jake replied. "We can't afford to let him slip away again."
As they climbed into the car, Jake felt the weight of responsibility settles onto his shoulders. The chase was on, and failure was not an option. They needed to find Owen before he could strike again, and with each passing moment, the stakes grew higher.
"Let's go," Fiona said, her voice resolute. "We'll find him, Jake. We have to."
As they drove along the route Owen supposedly took home, Jake couldn't help but let his thoughts wander. What had driven a man like Owen to therapy? Was it remorse for his past actions or something far more sinister?
And what would they find at the end of this long, winding road? The answers remained just out of reach, taunting him like shadows in the dark. He had a feeling Owen Peterson had more darkness inside him than even his elderly neighbor had seen.
So much darkness that he might be willing to kill.
***
The Portland streets were slick with rain, reflecting the dim city lights as they wove through the traffic. Jake's grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white. Beside him, Fiona's brow creased as she scanned the drenched sidewalks.
"Keep your eyes peeled," Jake muttered, his voice tense. "He could be anywhere."
Fiona nodded, her gaze unwavering.
Jake couldn't help but admire Fiona's determination, even in the face of such daunting odds. It was a trait he'd always respected about her and one that had served them well in their time together as partners. She was a rookie--hadn't even earned her badge and gun--yet he could feel her passion for the job in every case they worked together. Learning that her sister had gone missing made him understand Fiona and what drove her much more.
She clearly held a lot of guilt, feelings she was unable to move past. Jake knew the feeling all too well. There had been many times he'd wished something had gone differently when he found his mother dead like that. If he had just been downstairs... if he had been with her... would it be different?
Her death was final, though, and Jake knew that.
But Fiona's sister--a body was never found. Maybe there was still hope she could be alive.
As they continued down the long stretch of road, the weight of the darkening sky seemed to press down upon them, adding to the oppressive atmosphere. The shadows played tricks on Jake's eyes. Although it was daytime, the incoming storm weighed on them and cast the streets in a dark gray hue.
"Wait!" Fiona suddenly exclaimed, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "There! Up ahead!"
Jake squinted, trying to make out what Fiona had seen. His heart pounded in his chest as he caught sight of a hunched figure hobbling along the sidewalk. The man wore an oversized T-shirt, which clung to his skeletal frame. He looked unwell, each shuffling step a struggle.
"Is that…?" Jake began the question hanging in the air between them.
"It's him," Fiona confirmed, her voice carrying a mixture of relief and dread. "Owen Peterson."
Jake's stomach churned at the thought of what this man had possibly done, the lives he'd destroyed.
But now, they finally had him within their grasp.
"Okay," Jake said, forcing himself to think clearly. "We need to approach this carefully. We don't want to spook him or put anyone else in danger."
"Agreed," Fiona replied, the steely resolve returning to her voice. "Let's do this."
With a deep breath, Jake parked the car a discreet distance away, careful not to draw any attention to themselves. They got out, and Jake was immediately hit by a cool wind and the intense smell of incoming rain.
As they approached Owen on foot, he felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. If Owen really was their guy--they were about to find out. He was right there, the killer they'd been hunting.
"Ready?" Jake asked Fiona, his eyes never leaving their target.
"Always," Fiona responded, matching his determined gaze. He couldn't help but smile. Fiona had grown more competent and capable, not to mention--confident. His faith in her as his partner was growing.
As they closed the distance between themselves and Owen Peterson, Jake couldn't help but brace himself.
