Taken Away

CHAPTER 5

I sat up in my chair, my mind instantly racing as I processed the Chief's words. This was the last thing I expected. After days of searching and digging through Lia's personal life, finding someone who not only claims to be a witness but also knows the location of the heartless killer is a game-changer for the investigation. Before I could speak, the Chief continued to give us more information. "He has important information," he said, "and is currently waiting in the lobby with another detective." I could see the same look of surprise and anticipation on Joshua's face, as he too realized the potential significance of the Chief's words. He sat up straight in his chair, now fully engaged in the conversation.

As the Chief, Joshua, and I walked into the investigation room, I noticed a young man seated at the table. He has short black hair, pale skin, and deep blue eyes. He looked scared and was holding both of his hands below the table. He appeared to be in his early twenties, but he was hard to read due to his fearful expression. As we take our seats across from him, I can't help but feel a pang of empathy for the witness. He's terrified, and I wonder what he's experienced that has led him to come forward now. The Chief nodded in acknowledgment before he left the room, leaving Joshua, me, and the witness alone.

As the light from the overhead fluorescent bulbs reflected off of the witness's face, I noticed a sense of fear and apprehension in his eyes, but also a bit of sadness. He's anxious about what he's about to share with us, and the gravity of the situation is not lost on me.

"Can you tell us your name, sir?" I asked the witness, taking a gentle tone to put him at ease. I took out my phone and activated the recording app, turning it towards the witness. The witness took a deep breath and then slowly nodded his head as if bracing himself to share something difficult.

"My name is Jake," he says, his voice soft and somewhat shaky. "Jake Turner."

"Thank you, Jake," I said, smiling to put him at ease. "Now, why don't you tell us why you're here today?" "I-I heard about Lia's murder," Jake said, his voice shaky and his eyes filled with fear and sadness. "A-and I need to tell you something."

His words caught me off guard, as I had no idea what to expect from this witness. I look to Joshua, who seems equally surprised by Jake's statement.

"What do you need to tell us, Jake?" I ask, keeping the same calm and reassuring tone. "I saw her with a guy b-before the murder," The fear and nervousness in his voice only increase as he continues. "I-I think... he might b-be the killer."

Joshua and I looked at each other with surprise, as the gravity of the situation began to set in. If Jake's suspicions are true, then we might finally know who the killer is. We need to find out as much information as we can from him. "D-do you know Lia?" I asked, my tone still calm and reassuring. "Are you... her friend?"

Jake looked down at his hands, avoiding eye contact. It felt like he was about to admit something uncomfortable, something he had been keeping hidden.

"She's my classmate," he finally looking up at us. Now that I see his face, "Did you know that Lia knew someone named 'Leo'?" I ask, my attention glued to every word that comes out of his mouth. "No," he said, his voice taking on a slightly angry tone as he continued. "I followed her many times; she was never with a guy-"

I stopped him before he could say another word. "You followed Lia?" I cut in, my tone shifting to surprise and concern. This changes the entire dynamic of our interrogation. We're no longer just speaking to a witness; we're dealing with a potential suspect.

"Why did you follow Lia, Jake?" I asked, my voice still calm but with a hint of urgency. "I...I was just worried! Nothing else." Jake's response left me feeling skeptical. Following someone, especially a classmate, seems like a strange way to show concern. Why was he following her in the first place? What purpose did it serve? I need to dig deeper to get to the truth. "Let me get this straight," I questioned, taking on a more serious tone now. "You followed Lia out of concern for her well-being?" "Did you like her?" Joshua took over the questioning, his tone now stern and direct. Jake shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He looked down at his hands, as if considering how to respond to the question. "I... I liked her. Yes," he replied after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. As he spoke, I could see the hint of a blush on Jake's face. It seems like his following of Lia was fueled by more than just concern. There was something else going on here. "Since when?" I took over the questioning, my tone still calm and non-judgmental. I want to encourage Jake to open up and share more information with us. "When did you start liking Lia?" I asked him, trying to keep the conversation going. Jake took a few seconds to think about his answer. His voice was soft and slightly shaky. "I've known Lia for a while now," he said. "We go to the same school, and we've been in some of the same classes, but I started liking her about a year ago." "So you've been stalking her for a year?" Joshua asked, crossing his arms. He looked like he didn't believe a word that was coming out of Jake's mouth.

"No!" Jake said, getting defensive. "I wasn't stalking her; I was just...worrying for her safety." His reply didn't seem to do much to convince Joshua, who remained skeptical of his words. I, on the other hand, want to dig deeper and learn the truth. "What exactly were you worried about, Jake?" his discomfort becoming more visible. He seemed to be struggling to find the words to express what he was feeling. "A lot of guys want... to date her, and I didn't want that." As he spoke, the truth began to dawn on me. Jake wasn't just worried about Lia's safety. He was also worried about her dating someone else. He didn't want her to be in a relationship with anyone else but him. That was more than just concern; it was jealousy. "Why?" I want to understand where Jake is coming from so that I can better assess the situation. "Because they are not good for her!" His voice was filled with frustration. "She deserves someone like me!"

My jaw dropped as I heard Jake's words. He's not just jealous of Lia potentially dating someone else; he believes that she belongs with him. He thinks that he is the one who deserves her. That changed the entire dynamic of the situation. This isn't the first time we've had a stalking situation like this. It seems like the stalkers we come across are getting more and more extreme. I wonder if we're dealing with a regular stalker here or if it's something more sinister. We need to be careful about how we handle this situation to get the information we need without making Jake defensive. "So, what does he look like?" I asked, switching tactics now that we've established that Jake has an interest in Lia. "Where were they when you saw them?" Jake shifts slightly in his seat and fidgets with his hands. "It was night at that time," he said, "and they left Starbucks. It was crowded, so I only know his height and hair color." The fact that Jake never saw the man's face makes this more difficult. But if he's able to describe the man's height and hair color, that could still be a useful detail. "Do you remember anything else about the man? Any other distinguishing features?" I asked, The description of the man's physical appearance matches the profile of the killer we've been trying to find. But how can we be sure that it's the same person? I looked over at Joshua, who seemed just as puzzled as I was. This case keeps taking unexpected turns, and we still have more questions than answers. "What exactly did they do at Starbucks?" I asked Jake, trying to gather more information. "It was crowded, and...I didn't want her to see me," Jake said with a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "And they kind of just disappeared." The fact that Jake lost sight of Lia and the man after they left Starbucks makes this even more suspicious. It started to sound like they took steps to obscure their location, which is a worrying sign. I stopped the recording on my phone, then rubbed my forehead, deep in thought. These new details have given me a lot to think about. I need to re-evaluate our strategy moving forward. Lia was seen with a man at Starbucks on the day she was killed. The man was tall and had short, dark hair, and a black coat. Lia's stalker, Jake, claims that he followed Lia out of concern, but he also seems to be jealous of the man she was with, as he has feelings for her. I fixed Jack with a stern look and said, "As much as I appreciate your help, you are still a suspect in this case. We are going to keep an eye on you." I could see a hint of fear in his eyes. He knew that we were starting to see through his facade. "We haven't ruled any suspects out yet," Josh added. "And until we can do that, everyone on our list remains a priority. And that includes you, Jake."