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The last thing she saw was a pair of eyes, eyes that looked strangely familiar before she faded to black.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Fiona shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat of Jake's car, the leather sticking to her skin, despite the cool evening air that drifted through the open window. She glanced at Jake, his eyes fixed on the house across the street, his jaw set with determination.
"Nothing's happening, Jake," she whispered. "Maybe we were wrong."
Jake didn't look at her, but his voice was steady and calm when he replied. "We can't afford to be wrong, Fiona. Dr. Fitzgerald said no one else at the clinic has abandonment issues like this potential victim. This is our best lead."
Fiona chewed on her lower lip. It soothed her somehow, gave her something to focus on other than the mounting fear inside her chest. "But what if Fitzgerald was wrong? What if he doesn't have all the information?"
"Then we'll keep looking," Jake said, finally turning to meet her gaze. His eyes were dark, serious. "We owe it to the victims, Red. We have to catch this guy before he strikes again. If he shows up here, we can't miss him."
Just then, a call came in on Jake's phone. He took it out, answering it promptly. "This is Agent Tucker."
Fiona held her breath, watching as Jake's expression changed.
"Understood. Thank you."
He hung up the phone, eyes flashing to Fiona's. "Well, we've finally got the warrant."
Fiona's heart jumped. Now, with a warrant, they could finally look into Wellness Therapy for real--but at the same time, they were still here, staking out Matt's house..."
"Let me go back and talk to the clinic workers myself," Fiona suggested a sudden urgency in her voice. "Maybe there's something we missed, someone who knows something."
Jake hesitated, clearly reluctant to let her go alone. But after a moment, he nodded. "Alright, Red. But be careful, okay? One of the officers here will lend you an unmarked car."
"Thanks, Jake." Fiona opened the passenger door and stepped out, feeling a mix of determination and trepidation. She knew she had to try every avenue before giving up on this lead.
***
As Fiona drove toward the clinic, the night sky became darker. The once-bright day was giving way to twilight, and Fiona couldn't help but feel that time was running out for them.
She pulled into the parking lot of Wellness Therapy, her heart racing with anticipation. This was it - her chance to find out what the clinic was really hiding. Fiona scanned the area for any sign of the black sedan the witness had mentioned earlier. There was no trace of it; perhaps they'd been mistaken, or perhaps the killer had moved on to another location. Regardless, she needed to follow this lead to its end.
With a deep breath, Fiona stepped out of the car and locked the doors behind her. It was time to get some answers, even if they led her down a path she didn't want to take.
The clinic doors slid open, and Fiona strode inside. Her pulse quickened as she approached the reception desk, clutching the search warrant tightly in her hand.
"Hello again," Fiona said, forcing a smile. "I have a search warrant this time." She presented the document to the two receptionists, their eyes widening as they read it. The tension in the room thickened, but neither woman resisted.
"Of course," one of them murmured, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "How can we help you?"
Fiona scanned the faces around her, noting that all the staff currently working were women. Could one of them be their killer? It seemed unlikely, but she couldn't afford to rule out anyone at this stage. Then again, perhaps someone with access to the clinic was responsible.
"We have reason to believe someone operating in this clinic, who has access to patient files, could be responsible for three murders, specifically of people who have 'abandoned' others. Can any of you think of someone who might be responsible?"
The receptionists froze, exchanging glances of shock. After a long moment, they both shook their heads. "No," one of them finally said. "We can't think of anyone who would do something like that..."
"Tell me about any men who work here," Fiona began, her voice steady, despite the unease gnawing at her gut. "Anyone strange or unusual."
The two receptionists exchanged glances, hesitation etched into their expressions. It took a moment before one of them spoke up. "Well, there's Luke," she said reluctantly. "He's a bit...quiet. He keeps to himself mostly."
"Was he here today?" Fiona asked, her mind racing with possibilities.
"He was," the other receptionist chimed in, biting her lip. "He left earlier, though. Seemed...off. Agitated."
"Agitated? How so?" Fiona pressed, her instincts telling her this could be significant.
