Page 26 of Taken from Her
Real progress, finally. The community cooperation Julia had mentioned was already bearing fruit. And that change had started when Diana herself stopped being just Chief Marten and allowed herself to be human in front of people who needed to trust her.
The irony wasn’t lost on her. Years of professional training had taught her that emotional investment compromised judgment and personal connections made her less effective. But the evidence suggested the opposite: caring more deeply about the people she protected was making her better at actually protecting them.
Diana turned off the engine, gathering case files and the now-empty travel mug that smelled like vanilla and new beginnings. Through the windshield, she could see her reflection in the station’s glass doors, but underneath her professional armor, something changed. She could feel it in the way her shoulders sat differently and how the morning light seemed brighter than normal. For the first time in years, she had something worth protecting beyond duty and reputation.
She had something worth coming home to.
Diana straightened her shoulders and walked inside the station, carrying the weight of three missing women and the unprecedented lightness of someone who remembered what it felt like to be seen as more than the sum of her responsibilities.
Today would be different. Today, she would investigate not just as Chief Marten but as someone who understood what community actually meant, what it felt like to matter to another person, and what she stood to lose if she couldn’t solve this case.
The conference room was alive with morning energy. Diana entered carrying her case files and Lavender’s empty travel mug, which she set beside her usual stack of case files without thinking.
Detective Julia Scott glanced at the handmade ceramic piece, her eyebrows lifting slightly but she said nothing.
“Morning, Chief,” Captain Michelle Reyes said, settling into her chair with her tablet and notes. “Morgan’s got interesting developments.”
Diana nodded, studying the whiteboard where three photos stared back: Tara, Isabel, and Joanna surrounded by maps and timeline markers. But today, their faces looked different. Not just case files but women who’d built their lives in spaces like Lavender’s Cafe and who’d trusted their community to keep them safe.
Detective Morgan Rivers opened her laptop, her precision masking obvious excitement. “Overnight analysis shows clear patterns. The three tip line calls about coastal trail activity? They all report the same dark sedan. Different times but consistent vehicle description.”
“License plate?” Diana asked.
“Partial. But here’s what’s interesting.” Morgan pulled up surveillance footage on the conference room screen. “Two callers provided additional context that interviews missed. Behavioral observations, timing patterns, and details about how the vehicle was positioned.”
Diana leaned forward. “What kind of details?”
“The driver was always positioned to observe foot traffic but with quick exit access, and the engine was kept running during what appeared to be surveillance periods. It points to professional behavior, not someone just passing through. More like someone conducting reconnaissance.”
Julia consulted her notes. “Chief, the community cooperation shift is significant. Yesterday’s meeting changed something. People are sharing observations they’ve been keeping to themselves.”
“Such as?”
“Corinne Vernalis, Joanna’s partner, mentioned three separate conversations where community members described feeling watched near the pool. Isabel’s housemate remembered neighbors commenting about someone asking questions near her building, claiming to be researching local businesses.”
Diana absorbed this, recognizing the intelligence Lavender had mentioned during their conversation at the cafe.
“The pattern suggested sophisticated planning,” Michelle noted. “Someone who was familiar with the community, understanding how to blend surveillance with normal activity.”
“Or someone who understands how this particular community responds to threats,” Diana said, thinking of Lavender’s observation about adaptive behavior.
Morgan nodded. “That’s another development. The technical analysis of their disappearance sites shows knowledge of community routines beyond casual observation. Timing, location selection, and approach methods all suggest someone who understands community dynamics.”
Diana stood, moving to the whiteboard where red pins marked last known locations. “Lavender said that all three women had changed their routines in the weeks before disappearing. They started varying their schedules, taking different routes, and asking for security escorts.”
Julia looked up from her notes. “Her intelligence networks are proving more comprehensive than we expected.”
“The community’s been sharing information with her that they didn’t include in formal statements,” Diana said, subconsciously touching the travel mug’s handle. “When cross-referenced with official timeline data, the patterns hold. Question is whether our perpetrator was studying those behaviors too.”
“Using community self-protection against itself,” Morgan said grimly. “Learning how they respond to perceived threats, then exploiting those responses.”
“Which suggests someone with intimate community knowledge,” Julia added. “Not an outsider studying from a distance.”
Diana nodded, thinking of the intelligence Lavender had shown her. “Morgan, expand the surveillance analysis. If someone was studying them long enough to learn their adaptive responses, there should be earlier contact points.”
“Already started. Initial data suggests surveillance periods extending back several weeks before each disappearance.”
“Julia, coordinate with community networks for additional timeline intelligence. People may have noticed things they didn’t realize were significant until now.”
