Page 40 of Let Her Forget

Laura's eyes widened, and she instinctively leaned away from him as if she sensed the dangerous tension in the air. Her hand moved to cover her forearm, and it was then that Jake noticed the dark bruise peeking out from beneath her sleeve. His protective instincts flared to life, both as a man and an FBI agent, and he knew he had to tread carefully if he wanted to gain her trust.

Laura took a deep, shaky breath, her eyes flicking away from Jake's steady gaze for a moment before she continued. "Mark... he can get violent, abusive even. I didn't know when I married him. He had previous domestic violence charges, but I only found out after he started laying his hands on me." Her voice cracked with the weight of her confession, and she wiped away another tear that threatened to spill over.

Jake clenched his jaw, his knuckles turning white as he fought to keep his composure. The rage coursing through his veins burned hotter than ever, but he knew he needed to stay focused if he was going to help Laura. He couldn't let his anger cloud his judgment or scare her into silence.

"Thank you for telling me this, Laura. It takes a lot of courage to share something so personal," Jake said, struggling to project a calm exterior. His mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of Matilda Black's murder and the connection to Mark. "I need to locate Mark. Based on what you've told me, and other information we've gathered, I believe he may have murdered Matilda. There are also other people connected to her death who have been killed, including a police officer last night."

Laura's eyes widened in horror, her hand flying to cover her mouth. "Oh my god," she whispered, the color draining from her face. "I had no idea it was this serious." Laura hesitated, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for the right words to say. "I... I might believe that Mark killed Matilda," she admitted softly, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "But it's not possible for him to have murdered anyone last night." Her gaze met Jake's, pleading for understanding. "He was here, with me. After he got back from his trip, we had a big fight until the early hours of the morning, and he never went out. I would have known."

Jake felt his heart drop at her words, his mind racing with the implications. If Mark wasn't the one killing people connected to Matilda's death, then who was? The documents had proven Clide’s alibi… and now Mark’s was verified too. The gears in his head shifted, clicking into place as he remembered Fiona's theory about Matilda's brother, Mason. He recalled her adamant belief that Mason was seeking revenge for his sister's death.

"Listen, Laura," Jake said, his voice firm but gentle. "I'm going to send some officers here to stake out the house and get Mark when he comes home. I think it's best if you go into witness protection. They'll keep you safe."

Laura hesitated for a moment, her eyes searching Jake's face. Finally, she nodded. "Okay. I'll do it."

"Good," Jake replied, relieved. "Stay inside and only answer the door for the officer I send. I have to go now, but remember, you're not alone in this."

"Thank you," Laura whispered, her eyes filled with gratitude.

Jake hurried back to his car, his mind racing. If Mark wasn't responsible for the recent murders, then Mason was their man – and Fiona was out there somewhere, looking into him. He had to find her before it was too late.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

The parking lot outside the funeral home was deserted, save for a lone figure standing beneath a flickering streetlight. Fiona stared at the man in front of her, her heart pounding in her chest. It was Mason Black, Matilda's brother. His eyes were wild, his fists balled at his sides, and she could see the rage simmering just below the surface.

She had met Mason three years ago when she worked on Matilda's case as a student. Back then, he'd been quiet, desperate for answers about his sister's death. Now, that desperation had turned into something much darker – something deadly. Fiona couldn't help but blame herself. She had tried to keep Matilda's case going behind the scenes, but Mason didn't know that, did he? And even if he did… would it have made a difference? Fiona had no voice back then.

But still… she should have tried harder.

"Hello, Fiona," Mason sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "Been a while, hasn't it?"

Fiona forced herself to take a step back, trying to keep some distance between them. She knew she was unarmed, vulnerable, but she couldn't let him see how scared she was. She needed to stay strong, stay focused – for herself, and for Jake.

"Hello, Mason," she said calmly, her voice betraying none of the fear coursing through her veins. "I wish we were meeting under better circumstances."

"Really?" Mason scoffed, taking a step closer. "Because I can't think of a better time to finally get some answers about my sister's death."

Fiona swallowed hard, her mind racing. She needed to stall him, keep him talking until help could arrive. If she could just buy enough time, maybe she could make it out of this alive.

Fiona's heart hammered against her chest as she stared down Mason, his eyes burning with a maniacal intensity that made her shiver. She couldn't help but remember the first time they had met, three years ago, when she was still a student working on Matilda's case. At the time, it seemed like such an open and shut case: an accident, a tragedy, but nothing more. Of course, that wasn’t Fiona’s call; her gut had told her that Mason was right, but all the evidence stacked against it.

"Please, Mason, listen to me," Fiona urged, trying to reach the part of him that had been so desperate for answers back then. "I know you're angry, but hurting me won't bring Matilda back. I—I had tried back then, to keep her case going. I believed you were onto something too, but—”

“Stop.” Mason's lip curled in a sneer as he took another step towards her, fury radiating from every pore. The timid man she'd met three years ago, the one who had pleaded with her to look deeper into his sister's death even though there was no evidence of foul play, was long gone. In his place stood a monster fueled by hatred. "Angry? You have no idea," he spat, his voice shaking with barely restrained rage. "My sister didn't die in some stupid accident. Someone killed her, and I'm going to make them pay."

Fiona clenched her hands into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to keep her composure. She needed to find a way to defuse the situation, to get through to Mason before he did something they'd both regret.

"Maybe you're right, Mason. Maybe there is more to her death than we thought. But this isn't the way to find the truth," she said, her voice trembling despite her best efforts. "There has to be another way."

Mason's laughter was cold and harsh, sending chills down Fiona's spine. "You think you can just talk me down? I've waited too long for justice. There's no going back now."

As he continued to close the distance between them, Fiona's mind raced with memories of their previous encounters, searching for some shred of the man she had once known. If there was any part of him left that cared about the truth, she had to find it before it was too late.

Fiona's heart pounded in her chest as she realized Mason was beyond reasoning. The desperation she had once seen in his eyes was replaced by a wild fury that left no room for compassion or understanding. With every step he took towards her, the cold fingers of fear tightened their grip around her throat.

Gathering all the courage she could muster, Fiona made a split-second decision and bolted towards her car. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she sprinted across the parking lot, her footsteps echoing loudly in the otherwise silent night.

"Where are you going, Fiona?" Mason taunted, his voice growing closer with each passing second. "You can't outrun me!"

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