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"Go on," Jake encouraged, his voice steady and reassuring.
"Before I knew it, we'd stumbled upon... him." Jessica gestured weakly toward where the crime scene investigators were still at work. "Brutus growled, and I just... I couldn't believe what I was seeing."
Her cheeks had taken on a ghostly pallor, and Jake could see the fear and horror etched into every line of her face. He offered her a gentle smile, trying to ease her discomfort. "You're doing great, Ms. Fitzpatrick. Just take your time."
"Thank you, Agent Tucker," she whispered, her breath hitching. "It's just... It's not something you ever expect to see, you know? A body like that, tangled up in the branches..."
As Jessica recounted her discovery, Jake's thoughts raced with the implications of this new information. How long had the body been here before it was discovered? Every detail mattered, and he tried to remain present, focused on Jessica's words and the anguish in her eyes.
Gathering her strength, Jessica continued, "I backed away from the gruesome sight and called the police immediately. I couldn't bear to look at him any longer."
"Understandable," Jake nodded, taking mental notes of her reactions and timeline. "Did you notice anything else unusual or strange? Anything out of the ordinary?"
Jessica furrowed her brow in concentration, her eyes scanning the surrounding woods as if searching for any forgotten detail. She shook her head slowly. "No, it was just a normal morning – until that happened. I walk these trails often, and I've never seen this man before." She hesitated, then added, "Though, I did notice he looked like a hiker, like myself. I recognized the brand of his cargo pants because I have a similar pair. It's a popular brand among local hikers."
"Interesting," Jake mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He couldn't help but wonder if there was any connection between the victim's hiking attire and the circumstances of his death. Was it simply a coincidence, or could it be more significant?
"Thank you, Ms. Fitzpatrick, for your observations. They might prove crucial in our investigation." Jake offered her a reassuring smile, trying to convey that he would do everything in his power to solve this case.
"Please, Agent Tucker, find whoever did this," Jessica pleaded with an intensity that sent shivers down Jake's spine.
"I promise," Jake said, his voice steady and resolute. "We won't rest until we get answers. Thank you, Ms. Fitzpatrick.” With that, Jake went back to join Fiona and the rest of the team. One thing was certain: they needed to get Harry’s body back to the lab and determine what had really happened here.
Then, they could find who was responsible.
CHAPTER FIVE
In the sterile and quiet confines of the lab, Fiona stood alone with the bodies of Nadine Howe and Harry Green. The overhead lights cast an unforgiving glare on the cold metal tables, emphasizing the lifelessness of the two victims beneath their white sheets. Despite the unsettling scene before her, Fiona felt a sense of purpose – she was their last hope for justice.
Fiona considered the similarities between the two cases. Both victims had been found in the same woods, and both had suffered fatal head injuries. It was too much to be mere coincidence; they were dealing with a killer.
"Same MO," she mused aloud, analyzing the blunt force trauma on the back of Harry's skull. "But why you? Why Nadine?" Her thoughts swirled like the insects buzzing around Harry's corpse, seeking answers.
Fiona's eyes scanned the details of the room – the forensic tools, the fluorescent lights, the quiet hum of machinery – and she felt a momentary pang of loneliness. She pictured Joslyn’s body, out there somewhere, far more decomposed than they were. Then she shook her head. She had a job to do.
First, Fiona stepped away from the bodies and turned her attention to the files stacked neatly beside her. Flipping through the pages, she searched for the stories behind the victims – a way to humanize them beyond the gruesome reality of their deaths.
She paused at a photograph of the young EMT smiling warmly back at her. Nadine Howe had been an EMT. She had dedicated her life to saving others.
"Someone must have wanted to stop you," Fiona whispered, her voice heavy with sorrow. If only she could have met Nadine under different circumstances.
Turning to the next file, Fiona found herself staring at a picture of Harry Green, his friendly eyes crinkling at the edges as he grinned at the camera.
As she delved deeper into his life, it became clear that Harry was a seasoned hiker, and he owned an outdoor gear shop in town. He seemed like a genuine, down-to-earth man, well-loved by his community. To Fiona, there appeared to be nothing connecting Harry and Nadine, except for the manner in which they died – both found in the same woods, with head injuries that suggested murder.
Two seemingly unconnected lives. Fiona’s brow furrowed in concentration.
With a newfound sense of determination, Fiona steeled herself to continue. Fiona's eyes scanned the room, taking in the sterile environment of her lab. The cold metal examination table stood proudly in the center, bearing the weight of two bodies concealed beneath white sheets. She found herself torn between her professional duty and a gnawing curiosity that urged her to delve deeper into the lives of the departed.
Did the killer want this to look like an accident? Fiona’s fingers tapping on the edge of the table as she contemplated the killer's intentions. "Or did you just not care?"
Harry's body had been discovered in such a messy state, it almost seemed like the killer wanted him to be found. With both victims' IDs still on them, Fiona couldn't shake the feeling that they were meant to be discovered. It was as if the killer wanted their stories to be told – but why?
Shaking off the unsettling thought, Fiona turned her attention back to Harry's file. As she skimmed through the pages, she recalled Jake mentioning how Harry had been a hiker. Was his passion for the outdoors somehow connected to his death? Or was it just a coincidence that he met his end in those woods?
"Harry," she whispered, the words catching in her throat as she traced her finger over his photo. His smile seemed so genuine, so full of life. "What could have led someone to take your life?"
Her mind raced with possibilities, each more sinister than the last. But there was no clear connection between Harry and Nadine; their lives appeared to run parallel, never intersecting until they were snuffed out by the same hand.
