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"Please, call me Nancy," she replied with a sad smile. "Now, what do you need to know?"
Fiona sat down first, her eyes scanning the room and taking in the details, while Jake chose a seat closer to Nancy, hoping to establish some rapport. He could feel the tension in the air, thick like fog, and knew that every moment they spent here was crucial in finding justice for Nadine—and Harry.
"Mrs. Howe," Jake began, his voice gentle but firm, "we're doing everything we can to find out who did this to your daughter. We'll need to ask you some questions and gather as much information as possible."
Nancy blinked back tears, her chin quivering. She straightened her shoulders, determination shining through her grief. "I'll do whatever it takes to help you find whoever did this to my Nadine."
Jake nodded his appreciation, inwardly steeling himself for the emotional turmoil that would no doubt accompany their line of inquiry. He knew he couldn't afford to lose focus—not when the fate of two victims hung in the balance, and especially not when his own personal life threatened to unravel at any moment.
"Can you tell us a bit about Nadine?" he asked, his voice soft yet authoritative. "Did she have any enemies or anyone who might want to hurt her?"
Nancy's eyes drifted towards a family portrait, a wistful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Nadine was...she was loved by everyone," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I can't imagine anyone wanting to harm her."
Jake observed the pain etched across Nancy's face and felt a pang of sympathy deep in his chest. He realized that every question they asked would force her to relive the horror of losing her daughter, but it was a necessary ordeal if they hoped to bring Nadine's killer to justice. In a way, he could relate to Nancy’s pain; he had never lost a child, of course, but his mother had been murdered when he was a teenager, and he had been the one to find the body. Jake carried that burden with him on every case he worked.
Nancy hesitated for a moment, her eyes drawn to a photograph on the mantelpiece. In it, a younger Nadine smiled brightly, her chestnut hair cascading over her shoulders as she cradled a soccer trophy against her hip. "She was…she was a good girl. She had a big heart, always helping others," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "She was well-liked at her job as an EMT. Everyone respected her."
"Mrs. Howe," Fiona interjected delicately, "I noticed that Nadine still lived here with you, even though she was in her twenties. Was there a specific reason for that?"
Nancy sighed, rubbing her forehead as if warding off a headache. "She'd been living on her own for a while, but she moved back home after…after the incident."
"Incident?" Jake inquired, his brow furrowing with concern.
"Yes," Nancy murmured, her gaze distant as she recalled the painful memories. "It was a difficult time for her, and she needed to be around family. We didn't mind, of course. We loved having her here, even if it was under such unfortunate circumstances."
Fiona's confusion mirrored Jake's as she exchanged a glance with him, trying to understand what Nancy meant by "the incident." The atmosphere in the room had shifted, growing heavier with each passing second, and Fiona felt it settle over them like a dense fog.
"Mrs. Howe," Fiona asked gently, her voice betraying her concern, "What incident are you referring to?"
Nancy hesitated for a moment, seemingly gathering her thoughts before continuing. "Nadine... well, she was an EMT, as you know. There was an off-duty accident she happened upon one day, and she reacted like any good EMT would – she tried to save the person involved."
As Nancy spoke, Jake’s gaze drifted to a framed photo on a nearby bookshelf. It showed Nadine in her EMT uniform, smiling confidently at the camera. She looked so young, vibrant, and full of life – a stark contrast to the lifeless body that had been found in the woods.
"Unfortunately," Nancy continued, her voice cracking slightly, "when Nadine performed CPR on the man, she cracked one of his ribs. He survived, thank God, but the broken rib punctured his lung, causing more health complications. He sued Nadine, since she wasn’t on duty at the time."
Nancy's words sent a chill down Jake’s spine. He couldn't imagine the weight of such guilt and responsibility that must have been bearing down on Nadine, coupled with the threat of a lawsuit.
"Was the lawsuit still ongoing?" Jake asked.
Nancy nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "Yes, it was. We were all trying to support her through it, but I think the stress was taking its toll on her."
As Jake listened, his mind raced with the implications of this new revelation. Could the lawsuit have played a role in Nadine's murder? Was there a connection between her death and that of Harry Green? They needed to dig deeper to find any hidden threads that might tie these victims together.
"Mrs. Howe," Fiona said softly, "Could you please tell us the name of the man who sued Nadine?"
Wiping away her tears, Nancy replied, "His name is Sid Jackson."
"Thank you," Jake murmured, making a mental note of the name. This was just another piece of the puzzle they were trying to assemble, but it felt significant.
But they needed to know more about Harry Green too. Find the connection between the victims, and they just might find the killer.
Jake took out a photo of Harry on his phone and showed it to Nancy. “Nancy, do you recognize this man?”
Nancy pursed her lips, but shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t. Who is he?”
“He’s the other man who was found dead in the forest,” Jake explained. “His name is Harry Green. If you can think of any connection between him and Nadine, please give us a call.” Jake handed Nancy his card, which she accepted with a nod.
For now, they’d gathered all they could. Jake wanted to know more about this legal battle Nadine was in, but first, he needed to know more about Harry Green.
