Page 10 of Once Marked
“We need to put every detail of the crime scene together,” Riley said.“Let’s start with the one who found her.”
“Okay,” he agreed.“She and her roommate rented a nice cottage right on the beach.They’re both software engineers, here on vacation.I’ll take you to them.”
It was just a short drive to a quaint cottage not far from Kitty Hawk.It was raised on posts that kept it above any unusual high tides.The weathered gray shingles and wide porch overlooking the shore gave it a pleasant lived-in feel.It was one of a row of similar buildings—all simple cottages, but Riley knew they were not inexpensive to rent in a location like this.
“Looks peaceful,” Ann Marie remarked, her voice betraying a hint of wistfulness.
“I don’t suppose it feels that way to the people inside,” Riley replied, her gaze lingering on the drawn curtains.She knew all too well how quickly tranquility could be shattered, how a single event could turn a vacation into a nightmare.
The three investigators left the car and climbed wooden steps to the entrance.After a soft knock, they waited for an answer.
They were greeted at the door by a woman, elegantly dressed and in her fifties.Sheriff Beeler stepped forward to make introductions.
“Agents Paige and Esmer,” he gestured toward the woman, “this is Grace Mitchell.She’s the realtor who rented this cottage to Linda Morris and Lucy North.”
Grace extended her hand to each of them in turn, her eyes reflecting a warmth that belied the circumstances.
“I’ve been spending some time with Linda and Lucy,” Grace explained, her voice holding a note of regret.“I can’t help but feel...well, responsible in some strange way.I know it doesn’t make sense - I mean, how could I have known what would happen?But I was the one who rented them this place.”
She paused for a moment before continuing.“So, I thought the least I could do was to be here for them, at least as much as I could.”
Riley found herself touched by Grace’s compassion.
“That’s very kind of you,” she said sincerely.
“But unfortunately,” Grace added with an apologetic smile, “I have another property to show soon.Duty calls.”
With a final nod of thanks from Riley and Ann Marie, Grace left the house.Sheriff Beeler led them inside, where they met Linda Morris.The pallor of her face struck Riley more than any words could have done - a stark reminder of why they were there.It was the look of someone who had seen too much, the haunted expression of one touched by death.
The Sheriff introduced the two FBI agents, then Riley said, “Ms.Morris, thank you for seeing us.We just have a few questions.Won’t take much of your time.”
Linda stepped back so they could enter, the led them through the front hall, its walls adorned with framed seaside prints, into a small sitting room.The living room was a sanctuary of soft couches and pastel hues, with knick-knacks that might have been picked up from local beachside shops adorning the shelves and tables.A book lay open, face down, on an armchair—a tableau of domestic normalcy interrupted.
Perched anxiously in a big stuffed chair, a petite woman cast her gaze around the room, her eyes bloodshot and weary.Linda gestured towards her, breaking the silence.
“This is my friend, Lucy North,” she said softly.“We work together back in Raleigh.”
“We came here to relax before starting in on a big project,” Lucy said in a near-whisper of pained irony.
“Can we sit?”Riley asked gently, indicating the sofa.Linda nodded mutely and shuffled to an armchair, curling into herself like a child seeking comfort.
Ann Marie settled on the sofa beside Riley, her posture perfect, the very picture of composed concern.The Sheriff looked around and picked a chair that looked strong enough to accommodate him.Both of them looked at Riley expectantly, a signal for her to do the questioning.
“Thank you,” Riley said to Linda again.“We’ll do everything we can to make this as quick as possible.”
The gratitude in Linda’s tired eyes was a silent acknowledgment of their shared burden.Here they were, strangers thrown together by a cruel twist of fate, bound by the need to understand, to bring order back to a world turned upside-down.
“Ms.Morris,” Riley began, aware of the delicate balance between empathy and the need for information.“Can you walk us through what happened yesterday morning?”
The words were a catalyst, and Linda’s face crumpled as she relived the moment of horror.“I’ve already …” she began to protest, looking at the sheriff.
“If you’ll go over it again,” Beeler said gently, “the FBI might be able to help us stop this killer.”
Linda swallowed hard and then recounted the early hours, when the world seemed untouched and pure, the mist floating above the water.With each word, she transported Riley to the desolate beach where serenity had been shattered by the grotesque reality of death.
“At first I wondered—who sunbathes at dawn?”Her voice broke under the weight of the memory.“But then...then I realized...something must be wrong.”
Riley absorbed every tremor in Linda’s voice, every haunted glance towards Lucy.This was more than recounting facts; it was an unburdening.
