Shadows of the Mind

Chapter 6: Under the Surface

Evelyn stood in the dimly lit interrogation room, her eyes fixed on the man sitting across from her. His name was Randall Marks at least, that's what the ID in his pocket said. He was in his mid-thirties, unkempt, and jittery, his hands fidgeting in the cuffs as he sat at the small metal table. His eyes flicked between her and the two-way mirror, as though he knew people were watching but didn't care.

Jake leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his jaw clenched. They'd brought Randall in for questioning, and now the real work began.

"I don't know why you're holding me," Randall said, his voice shaky but defiant. "I didn't kill anyone."

Evelyn remained calm, her eyes never leaving his. "Then why do we find a wall full of photos of women in your apartment? Including Sarah Reynolds, who was killed two weeks ago."

Randall let out a short, humorless laugh. "Photos aren't illegal. I'm just an observer. I like to take pictures."

Jake's knuckles whitened as he gripped the back of a chair. "You're more than an observer. You had Sarah's photo. Her face was crossed out. You expect us to believe that's just a coincidence?"

Randall met Jake's stare, his lips curling into a mocking grin. "Maybe I like to draw. Maybe I just got bored of her. Either way, that's not proof of anything, is it?"

Evelyn resisted the urge to slam her fists on the table. Randall was playing games. He knew what he was doing trying to manipulate them, trying to keep control. She'd seen it before, the smug attitude, the feeling of superiority. But she wasn't going to let him get inside her head.

"We have enough to hold you for now," Evelyn said coolly, her fingers drumming on the table. "We'll dig deeper into your past. I'm sure we'll find more."

Randall's grin faltered for a second, a flicker of unease in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. "You won't find anything. I'm just a guy who takes pictures. That's it."

Evelyn leaned forward slightly, her gaze unwavering. "You stalked these women. You followed them, watched them. You knew their routines. And now Sarah is dead. That doesn't look good for you."

Randall's smirk faded completely, replaced by a hard, calculating look. "You're wasting your time."

Jake couldn't hold back any longer. "Do you think we're playing around? Sarah's family is grieving, and we've got photos of her in your apartment. You think we don't know what's going on here?"

Randall glanced at Jake with a sneer. "You don't know anything."

Evelyn's eyes narrowed, her voice steady. "Maybe not yet. But we will."

She stood up and motioned for Jake to follow her out of the room. As they stepped into the hallway, the door clicking shut behind them, Evelyn felt the tension in her shoulders release just slightly.

"He's messing with us," Jake muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "He knows more than he's saying."

Evelyn nodded, her mind racing. "We need more. He's right. We don't have enough to keep him for long. The photos give us suspicion, but not proof."

They walked into the observation room where Lieutenant Harris was waiting, arms folded as he watched Randall through the glass. He turned to them, his expression grim.

"You think he's our guy?" Harris asked, his deep voice laced with skepticism.

Evelyn let out a breath. "He knows something, that's for sure. But he's careful. He's playing us."

Harris sighed, rubbing his forehead. "We need hard evidence. Something that connects him to Sarah beyond just photos. Without it, we've got nothing to hold him on."