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Fionanodded, her jaw set with determination, and sat on her couch with her laptopopen. Jake sat beside her. Fiona's fingers flew across the keyboard, her eyesdarting back and forth as she scanned the information on her laptop screen. Theroom was filled with the hum of the computer and their quiet breathing. Jakeleaned over her shoulder, his own gaze narrowed in concentration.
"Herewe go," Fiona whispered as she clicked on an entry. "Daniel Grove,living near Portland."
Apassport photo appeared on the screen, revealing a gaunt man with stringy hairand cold, dead eyes that sent a shiver down Jake's spine. He instinctivelytightened his fists, his apprehension only growing.
"Something'soff here," he muttered, scanning the details of Daniel's file. "Nocriminal record. In fact, it's too clean. Not even a parking ticket."
"Maybehe's just good at avoiding getting caught?" Fiona suggested, her voicetense but hopeful.
"Orhe's hiding something more sinister." Jake's voice was low and foreboding.
"Lookat this," Fiona said, pointing to a note in the file. "He livedthrough a bad apartment fire about fifteen years ago. The SomersetBuilding."
Jakefrowned, a vague memory tugging at the edge of his mind. "My mom workedthat building before she was murdered. She was a firefighter."
"Areyou sure?" Fiona asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Prettysure, yeah. She told me stories about that fire when I was a kid. But it'sprobably just a coincidence."
"Maybe,"Fiona conceded, though the uncertainty in her voice betrayed her doubt. Theyboth knew that coincidences rarely turned out to be so innocent.
"Lookat this," Jake said, his voice low and deliberate. He pointed to a sectionon the screen that Fiona had missed. "He's changed addresses several timesover the years. And there's an RV registered in his name."
Fionaleaned in closer. "Do you think he's living in it?"
"Mostlikely," Jake replied, his eyes narrowing as he mentally pieced togetherthe information. "It would make sense if he's trying to stay under theradar, constantly moving from place to place."
Hepaused for a moment, and Fiona could see the wheels turning in his head.Finally, he spoke again. "This Daniel guy, or Damien, or whatever he wantsto call himself... he's obviously crafty. And good at not getting caught."
"Whichmeans we need to be even craftier to find him," Fiona said withdetermination.
"Exactly."Jake took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. "I'll putout an APB on the RV. Someone has to have seen it recently. We'll find him,Fiona. I promise."
"Thankyou, Jake." Fiona looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. He seemedso sure of himself, so determined, that she couldn't help but believe him. Andshe desperately needed to believe that they would find her sister's kidnapper.
Jakenodded, and for a brief moment, their eyes locked. The air between them seemedto crackle with intensity as if charged by some unseen force. It was aconnection that went beyond mere friendship, a bond forged by their shareddetermination to uncover the truth.
"Alright,"Jake said, breaking the moment. "Let's get to work."
As Jakemade calls and coordinated efforts to track down the elusive RV, Fiona couldn'tshake the feeling that they were finally closing in on the man who had hauntedher nightmares for the past ten years. She knew that Jake wouldn't rest untilthey found him, and that knowledge brought her a level of comfort she hadn'tfelt in a long time.
"Staystrong," she whispered to herself, gripping the edge of the table."We're close. We have to be."
Witheach passing second, the search for Daniel Grove grew more urgent. And Fionacould only pray that when they finally found him, it would bring them one stepcloser to discovering what had happened to her sister, Joslyn.
***
The sunhung high in the sky, casting its bright rays upon the world like a judgmentaleye. Fiona squinted against the light as she stared out the car window, herheart pounding with equal parts anticipation and dread. They were driving downa dusty road on the outskirts of Portland, heading towards the location wherethe old RV had allegedly been seen.
"Areyou alright, Red?" Jake asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"Fine,"she lied, swallowing hard. "Just...nervous."
"Understandable,"he replied, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "We're close, Fiona. Ican feel it."
"Metoo," she whispered, although she wasn't sure whether that was a goodthing or not. Was she ready to confront the man who had kidnapped her sisterten years ago? Would she even know what to say?
The carrumbled to a stop, and Fiona blinked away the thoughts that clouded her mind.In front of them lay a small, makeshift campsite, complete with a fire pit, afew scattered belongings, and the old RV itself. The vehicle looked worn andweathered, like a relic of a bygone era. It seemed almost incongruous amidstthe vibrant green trees and the wildflowers that dotted the landscape.
