Page 23 of If She Remembered
As she walked away, Diana could barely contain her excitement.The phone acquisition had been even easier than she'd anticipated.Melissa had been so focused on being helpful and kind that she hadn't noticed the theft at all.The collision had created exactly the right amount of confusion and goodwill to mask Diana's true intentions.
She loaded her groceries into the trunk of her car, taking care to appear unhurried and normal despite the adrenaline coursing through her system.Other shoppers moved through the parking lot around her, none of them paying any attention to the minor collision they'd witnessed.To everyone else, it had been nothing more than an ordinary accident between two strangers.
Diana slid into the driver's seat and started the engine, allowing herself a moment of satisfaction as she pulled out of the parking space.She looked over and saw Melissa getting into her car with no real caution; she’d apparently not even realized her had gone missing yet.
As she drove away from the grocery store, Diana began mentally reviewing the next phase of her plan.The phone would provide valuable intelligence, but it also created a timeline.Melissa would notice the missing device within just a few minutes.Diana needed to extract as much useful information as possible before the phone was reported stolen and remotely disabled.
But for now, she was satisfied with how smoothly everything had gone.Weeks of careful observation and planning had paid off with a perfectly executed encounter.Melissa had no reason to suspect that their collision had been anything other than an unfortunate accident between two strangers.
Diana smiled as she drove through the suburban streets, already anticipating the wealth of information waiting for her in Melissa's phone.Kate Wise had no idea that her family's privacy had just been compromised, or that someone was methodically gathering intelligence about their most personal routines and relationships.
The game was progressing exactly as Diana had envisioned, and she was already looking forward to the next move.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Kate and DeMarco arrived at the Bennett house for the second time in two days; with the return trip to the Rodriguez house before it, Kate felt like she was moving in some strange time loop.As DeMarco pulled the sedan into the driveway, Kate noted that the crime scene tape had been removed and a car was parked out front—presumably Jake's.He had finally been dismissed as a subject (an event Kate thought had taken a bit too long), and she presumed he would have come back here…to grieve, to pick up the pieces, or to handle the arduous task of trying to plan his mother's funeral.
The house looked different now, less like a crime scene and more like a home where someone was trying to resume a normal life after tragedy.
"You sure he'll talk to us?"DeMarco asked as they walked up the front path."From what I understand, he wasn't exactly thrilled about being arrested and held overnight without any strong evidence.And rightfully so."
"I don't blame him for being angry," Kate replied, checking her watch.It was just after 2:00 PM, and she hoped Jake would be home rather than out on job interviews."But he wants answers about his mother's death as much as we do.Probably more.Hopefully, he’ll understand we are completely separate from the people who arrested him."
They reached the front door, and Kate knocked, waiting for a response from inside.After a moment, she could hear movement through the house, followed by the sound of someone approaching the door.The deadbolt turned, and Jake Bennett appeared in the doorway.He looked terrible.His hair was disheveled, his clothes wrinkled as if he'd slept in them, and his eyes were red-rimmed with exhaustion and grief.When he recognized Kate and DeMarco, his expression immediately shifted from neutral curiosity to barely contained anger.
"You've got to be kidding me," Jake said, his voice tight with frustration."Haven't you people done enough damage?”
"We just—," Kate started, but he wasn't quite done yet.
“I just got released from jail this morning after spending a night locked up for something I didn't do."
"Jake, I understand you're upset," Kate began, keeping her voice calm and non-confrontational."We're not here to arrest you or cause you any more problems.And we do deeply regret the way things went down earlier."
"Then why are you here?"Jake demanded, gripping the door frame as if he might slam it shut at any moment."Because from where I'm standing, if what you just said was meant to be an apology, it was awful and half-hearted.”
DeMarco stepped forward slightly."Mr.Bennett, we have reason to believe that your mother's death might be connected to another recent death—and that they may potentially be murders.We're following up on some new information."
"Another death?"Jake's anger wavered slightly, replaced by confusion and concern."What do you mean, another death?Murder?"
Kate seized on his momentary uncertainty."Jake, we think someone else might have been killed the same way your mother was.Someone who was also an empty-nester dealing with an adult child moving back home.We need your help to figure out who might be responsible.Really… we just have a few questions, and your help might be invaluable."
Jake stood silent for a long moment, processing this information.Kate could see the conflict playing out across his face as he weighed his anger against his desire to find his mother's killer.
"You're saying my mom wasn't the only one?"he asked finally.
"We think there might be a pattern," Kate said."And we believe whoever did this is still out there.”
Jake's shoulders sagged slightly, and some of the tension went out of his posture."I just...I can't believe this is happening.First Mom dies, then I get arrested for killing her, and now you're telling me there's some kind of serial killer?"
"We don't know for certain yet," DeMarco said."But we're exploring the possibility.That's why we need to ask you some follow-up questions about your mother's routine and the people who had access to her house."
Jake looked back and forth between the two agents, clearly struggling with his decision.Kate could see him weighing his distrust of law enforcement against his desperate need for answers about his mother's death.
"Fine," he said finally, stepping back from the doorway."But I want to make it clear that I'm only talking to you because I want to find out who killed my mother.Not because I trust you people."
"Fair enough," Kate said, following him into the living room."We appreciate your cooperation."
The interior of the house looked much the same as it had during their previous visit, but there were subtle signs of Jake's continued presence.A coffee mug sat on the side table next to his mother's reading chair, and a laptop was open on the dining room table, surrounded by printed resumes and job application materials.
