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Which only confirmed Fiona's theory to be true.
The killer was murdering these people elsewhere and dropping them off in the fields. But why?
What did he gain?
With no understanding of his motive, it was impossible to know who he might target next. But with the escalation in his timeline, Fiona knew it was only a matter of time before another life would be claimed.
She had to stop that from happening.
CHAPTER SIX
A gust of wind swept through the tall grass of the field. A heavy sensation hung over Jake like the air itself had weight--standing at the scene where a body had been found was never a pleasant thing, even if the sun was shining over the tall, green grass.
Jake faced down Lara--Fiona had just excused herself, and now Lara was wondering if Jake wanted her on the case with them.
"Like I said, I'd be happy to stay on board," Lara said, "but if you've already started work without me, then it seems like you might not need me."
Jake rubbed his chin thoughtfully, watching Fiona in the distance as she combed through the foliage near the tree line. He couldn't shake the feeling that he needed her by his side on this case.
"Alright," Jake conceded, turning his attention back to Lara. "Why don't you head back to the office and check with Chief Whittaker? He might have another assignment for you. Ms. Red and I can handle this on our own."
Lara nodded, although her expression was tight. Jake got the sense that Lara didn't appreciate being replaced by Fiona, but the thing was, Jake wasn't even sure if she was on this case. They weren't official partners. Still, she was ambitious, always eager to prove herself, and being sent away from a high-profile investigation like this one probably wasn't what she had in mind. But Jake knew that if they were going to solve this case, he needed Fiona's expertise.
"Are you sure?" Lara asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow. "I can stay and help if you need me. You know I'm just as good at piecing together clues as anyone else."
"Of course, I know that," Jake reassured her. "But I think we'll be able to cover more ground if you work on another assignment. Besides, Fiona and I have some history with similar cases. It's nothing personal."
Lara studied him for a moment, searching for any hint of dishonesty. She seemed to accept his explanation, albeit reluctantly. "Alright, fine," she agreed with a sigh. "But you better keep me in the loop if you find anything."
"Of course," Jake promised, watching as Lara turned and walked away from the crime scene. She headed back to her car in the lot.
As Lara disappeared from sight, Jake couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. He knew that he was making the right professional decision, but his complicated feelings for Fiona made it harder to justify. He knew he had to tread carefully; the last thing he wanted was to jeopardize their partnership or hurt anyone in the process.
The tall grass whispered around Jake as he stood alone in the field, lost in thought. The weight of the investigation settled heavily on his shoulders, and he knew that time was of the essence. He turned his attention to the landscape, hoping that it might offer some clue as to what had happened to the victims.
The clouds above cast a gray pall over everything, making the trees in the distance appear more like dark sentinels. The wind picked up, rustling the grass and sending a shiver down Jake's spine. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him from beyond the edge of the field. Fiona had disappeared from sight, likely venturing deeper into the forest, knowing her.
He began to pace through the field, his eyes scanning the ground for any signs of struggle or evidence that might have been left behind. The grass, which reached nearly to his waist in some areas, obscured much of the terrain, making it difficult to see anything beyond a few feet in any direction. It was the perfect place to dump a body, he realized with a sickening jolt.
Damn it. There had to be something else.
As he made his way further into the field, Jake became keenly aware of the oppressive silence, broken only by the occasional gust of wind and the insects buzzing.
His mind raced as he tried to piece together the puzzle before him. Every detail was crucial, every clue a potential key to unlocking the mystery of the victims' deaths. And yet, despite his best efforts, he still felt as if he was grasping at straws in the dark.
He continued to search the field, his eyes never leaving the ground as he willed himself to find the answers he so desperately sought. And with each step he took, the burden of the investigation grew heavier on his shoulders.
A sudden gust of wind stirred the tall grass, forcing Jake to squint as he surveyed the scene. The clouds overhead seemed to mirror his thoughts, heavy and dark with unspoken emotions. He couldn't help but think of Fiona and how much he had missed working with her on cases like this. The thought of her brought a strange mix of comfort and anxiety. He couldn't deny that they made a great team, their different approaches to investigations complementing each other perfectly. But there was always that nagging feeling in the back of his mind, the fear that their undeniable chemistry might be the one thing that breaks them.
"Focus, Jake," he muttered to himself, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. The last thing he needed right now was to be distracted by his complicated feelings for Fiona. There were lives at stake and every second that ticked by felt like an eternity.
A rustling from the tree line caught Jake's attention, and he saw Fiona emerging from the trees, determination etched on her face. Her amber eyes locked onto his as she strode towards him, her expression unreadable. Jake swallowed hard, his heart rate quickening as he approached her.
"Did you find anything?" he asked, struggling to keep his voice steady.
Fiona shook her head, her brow furrowed in concentration. "I didn't find any wasp nests or hives nearby," she said. "It really doesn't seem like Carrie died here."
"Then they were killed elsewhere and brought here," Jake concluded, his mind racing with the implications of this discovery. The killer had gone through the trouble of transporting the bodies, leaving them exposed in a field to be found. But why?
