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"Luke was pacing in the break room, muttering to himself," the first receptionist explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "It wasn't like him. He's usually so...calm and friendly. But I mean, Luke wouldn't do something like that. He's quiet, but that doesn't make him some killer."
"What's going on here?" A sudden voice said, stepping into the room. It was Dr. Grayson, the woman from earlier. She had an authoritative energy, her eyes cool and hard, but Fiona couldn't let that intimidate her.
She held up the warrant. "We have the authority to look into your clinic and its files. I understand someone named Luke works here?"
"Luke Harris, yes," Dr. Grayson said.
The receptionist exchanged guilty looks.
"What about him?" Dr. Grayson pressed.
"It seems he has a reputation for being strange," Fiona pointed out. "And, according to your employees, he was acting agitated and pacing earlier today. We need to speak with him."
Dr. Grayson frowned, her arms crossing over her chest. "Luke is a good employee. He's never caused any trouble before."
"We understand that," Fiona replied gently. "But we have reason to believe that he might have information that could be useful to our investigation."
After a long moment, Dr. Grayson nodded. "Alright. Well, I can give you his address. He already went home for the day."
"Thank you," she said, her voice firm and resolute. "I appreciate your cooperation."
As Fiona waited for Dr. Grayson to return with the information, she stood in the reception area, and the staff went about their business.
Her eyes roamed the room, taking in everything she could. There was something off about this place. The air was thick with tension, and the staff seemed to be on edge. Fiona wondered how long they had been hiding something and what it was they were trying to protect.
Suddenly, Dr. Grayson returned with a slip of paper. "Here's Luke's address," she said, handing it over. "I hope this helps."
Fiona took the paper, her mind already racing with plans. "Thank you," she said, then turned to leave.
Just as her hand was on the doorknob, she heard a snippet of conversation that stopped her cold.
Two of the receptionists were talking in hushed tones, their voices barely audible.
"Hey, have you seen Rebecca Sinclair's file? I can't seem to find it anywhere," one girl whispered.
"Missing? That's odd. I know I saw it just a little while ago," the other murmured, her brow furrowed.
The mention of a missing file sent a shiver down Fiona's spine; it felt like too much of a coincidence, given their current investigation. She couldn't let this go without looking into it further.
"Who is Rebecca Sinclair?" Fiona asked, turning back to face the two women. Their eyes widened at her sudden interjection, but they knew better than to withhold information now.
"Uh, she's a new patient," one of the receptionists stammered, nervously twisting a strand of hair around her finger. "She just started coming here today."
"Does she have any abandonment issues?" Fiona inquired, her gut telling her this could be crucial.
"Um, let me check," the second receptionist said, quickly tapping away at her computer. The silence dragged on for what felt like an eternity as she searched for the answer. Finally, she looked up at Fiona with a somber expression. "Yes. Her brother was kidnapped years ago."
Fiona felt the blood drain from her face as the implications of the revelation crashed over her like a tidal wave. Could Rebecca Sinclair be the next victim? Perhaps the killer had sought her out, believing her guilty of abandoning her brother when he was taken. It was a twisted perspective, but it fit the MO they'd uncovered so far.
"Where is she now?" Fiona demanded, her voice laced with urgency.
"Rebecca left a few hours ago. She lives nearby, I think," the first receptionist replied, her voice wavering with uncertainty.
"Get me her address," Fiona ordered, her mind racing as she considered the potential danger Rebecca could be in at this very moment. As the receptionist hastily scribbled down the information, Fiona's thoughts churned relentlessly.
Fiona clenched her fists, determination flaring within her like a raging inferno. She would not allow another victim to be claimed. She would find Rebecca Sinclair and put an end to this nightmare, no matter what it took.
"Thank you," Fiona said tersely, snatching the paper from the receptionist's trembling hand. Her eyes burned with resolve as she strode out of the clinic, her heart thudding wildly in her chest.
