Page 30 of In Her Shadow

The cruiser skidded to a stop in front of the courthouse, its imposing brick facade a symbol of law and order.Jenna and Jake burst from the car and dashed through the wide front doors.

Inside, the County Courthouse seemed oblivious to the turmoil.Its marble floors gleamed under fluorescent lights, their cold sheen reflecting the pair’s hastened strides.Echoes bounced off the high ceilings, imparting an eerie sense of desolation to the space that was actually a hub of constant activity.

“Excuse me,” Jenna called out to the receptionist on duty.The woman, her hair a halo of frazzled grays and browns, glanced up with an expression of unconcern.

“We need to speak with Garth Fields,” Jenna stated, her words clipped and direct.

The woman behind the desk met Jenna’s gaze, her eyes still weary.“I’m sorry, Sheriff.Mr.Fields called in this morning.Said he’d be working from home today.”

“We need his address,” Jake demanded, and the receptionist jotted it down and handed it over without question.

Jenna and Jake turned in unison, thanking the receptionist, who offered a helpless shrug in return.

The cruiser slowed to a crawl as Jenna eyed the little house that belonged to Garth Fields, its dingy windows seeming to squint back at her through overgrown shrubbery.It was an island of decay in a neighborhood where most of the lawns seemed to compete for the title of most meticulously manicured.

Jenna stepped up to the front door and rapped sharply against the wood.“Mr.Fields?This is Sheriff Graves.We need to speak with you.”Her sharp knock was an announcement, a statement of intent that she was here on more than a courtesy call.

Silence greeted them, broken only by the distant hum of a lawnmower and the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.

“Mr.Fields?”Jenna called again, this time her voice taking on an edge that demanded acknowledgment.She thumped the door harder, the sound resonating through the still air.“We know you’re in there.Answer the door.”

Then came the groan of hinges protesting after too many seasons without care, and Garth Fields appeared, a tall shape momentarily eclipsing the dim light of the interior.He was a sturdy-looking man, his broad frame filling the doorway.His dark hair was unkempt, his face marked with deep lines showing years of hardship and labor.

“Sheriff?”His voice was rough, his rheumy eyes flickered between Jenna and Jake with the wariness of a cornered animal.“What’s this about?”

The sight of him and the way he stood blocking the entrance sent a spike of adrenaline through Jenna’s veins.This was no innocent man surprised by an unexpected visit from the law.No, she could see that Garth Fields was afraid.

“Mr.Fields,” she informed him, “we’re looking for Lily Cummings.Have you seen or heard from her recently?”

Fields’ complexion drained to a chalky hue.His voice hitched as he stammered a response.“Lily?No, I...I barely know her.Why would you ask me about her?”

He was an open book to Jenna, the too-quick denial, the involuntary glance over his shoulder — signs that he knew more than he let on.

Jake, picking up on Jenna’s silent cues, stepped forward with a reassuring presence.“Mr.Fields,” he said, “we have reason to believe Ms.Cummings might be in danger.If you know anything at all about her, it’s crucial that you tell us right now.”

Fields’ gaze sharpened, his posture stiffening.The hint of defiance in his voice clashed with his nervous behavior.“I don’t know anything.And I don’t appreciate being interrogated on my own doorstep.If you don’t have a warrant—”

“Mr.Fields,” Jenna pressed, not allowing him the comfort of retreat, “this is serious.Every minute counts here, and your cooperation could make a big difference.”

A sudden noise from somewhere within the house sliced through Garth Fields’ protests—a clattering bang of wood against wood.Jenna’s sharp gaze fixated on Garth’s face, catching the briefest flicker of guilt before it was replaced by wide-eyed panic.

“Mr.Fields,” she said, her voice carrying the authority that came with her badge, “we’re going to need to come inside and—” She didn’t get to finish the sentence.

Without warning, Fields erupted into motion, his body surging forward with unexpected vigor.He barreled between Jenna and Jake, his shoulder slamming against Jake with enough force to send him staggering.

“Jake, after him!”Jenna cried.As Jake charged after the fleeing man, she stepped inside the house.Her hand acted of its own accord, moving to her holster and drawing her weapon.

In the dim living room, she pivoted, scanning the surroundings, each step deliberate, her senses heightened to every creak and whisper of the old structure.The smell of dust and despair was pervasive, creeping into her nostrils and coating her throat.

As her eyes adjusted to the contrast from the bright day outside, she could see that the room was a minefield of clutter – stacks of newspapers, dirty dishes creating an atlas of mold patterns, and knick-knacks coated in grime.Each object seemed a testament to Garth Fields’ unraveling life.

Her weapon steady in her grasp, Jenna moved quietly, ears straining for any sound that might reveal Lily Cummings’ fate or any more dangerous presence.Jenna couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, though she knew Jake was outside, chasing Fields down.But there had been that noise from somewhere in here.Why was it so silent now?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jake charged from the threshold of Garth Fields’ ramshackle residence into the oppressive heat of a mid-July afternoon.“Stop!Police!”he yelled at the hulking figure running away from him, his command shattering the neighborhood’s stillness.

Jake sprinted across the yard after the fugitive, dodging around a rake here, a half-buried tire there—obstacles littering the ground, remnants of domestic life turned feral.His reflexes kept him upright, honed from years of navigating the unpredictable streets of Kansas City

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