One Last Breath Sarah Sutton (free e books to read online .TXT) 📖

her step. She knew how quickly time passed. They needed answers fast if they were going to stop this killer before he struck again.

***

Tara stared out the window, watching the beach grass dance in the wind as the car sped past. Warren had insisted on driving, as usual.

They had been in the car for nearly twenty minutes, but they had barely spoken, each too immersed in their own thoughts. Tara looked back down at her lap, where Sofia’s case file sat open. She had already gone through each case file twice already, trying to see if there was anything she had missed. But after going through them once more, she sighed and turned again to the window.

She focused on the memory card. If it was in fact the killer’s, she could think of only one reason why the killer would have it: to take pictures of the victims. Tara and Warren now knew that there was time between when Sofia was taken and when she was buried. It was possible that the killer had lured his victims somewhere to kill them and document it with photos before finishing them off. The thought made Tara nauseous.

She turned to Warren. “You think the killer could be taking pictures of victims as a trophy?” She knew that it was common for serial killers to take some sort of trophy to remind them of the crime. Sometimes it was just to reminisce. Other times, it was to represent ownership over what they did, like an athlete holding on to a medal as an accomplishment.

Warren nodded. “I think so. We’ll know more once we find out what’s on it.”

He was right. They needed to know what was on it before they could jump to conclusive theories. She knew it was just as likely that the memory card could show images of the killer stalking the victims instead. Either way, the information was valuable. But all they could do now was wait.

 Tara turned back to the window as her mind wandered. The name Mackenzie James still sat in the back of her mind. She still didn’t quite know what to do with the information, and it pained her.

“You all right?” Warren interrupted her train of thought, and she immediately felt guilty for letting her mind wander from the case.

She hadn’t even realized how intently she was staring out the window until she heard Warren’s voice. She adjusted herself in her seat, sitting up straighter as she faced forward. “I’m fine,” she replied, trying to sound as convincing as possible, but her words hung heavy with her doubt.

Warren picked up on it. “You sure?” He glanced over at her before turning his eyes back to the road, and Tara was careful not to make eye contact. She knew she would give herself away. “I’ve noticed you haven’t had one of your…” He thought for a second on how to word it. “Moments,” he finally uttered. “Since the last case.”

Tara could feel her face redden. He was referring to the panic attacks she had experienced during her first and most recent case. Those moments had almost cost her career, and she had gone into this case with the fear that they would happen again. It was a sensitive subject. She was lucky they hadn’t reoccurred, but she also knew it was evidence that she had worked on herself, that she had gotten to the root of what troubled her. And that root she now knew linked to Mackenzie James.

“Not trying to pry,” Warren finally said when Tara didn’t respond. “It’s a good thing.” He smiled at her. “But I have noticed you’ve been a bit distracted at times.”

Warren’s words sidelined her. Had she seemed distracted? It hadn’t even occurred to her. But if Warren were saying it, she knew she must’ve. Maybe it was when he called this morning, when I seemed groggy from falling asleep on the couch? Or maybe when I was short with him about my visit to New York? Questions rolled around in her head until she realized she had been quiet for too long.

“How so?” She fished for clarification.

Warren shrugged. “I don’t know,” he sighed, trying to make light of it. “You just seem kind of tired lately and in deep thought.” He looked over at her again, but Tara’s eyes stayed focused in front of her, and he turned away. “You don’t have to tell me. I just want to make sure everything’s okay, that’s all.”

Tara remained quiet. Part of her wanted to tell him what she had been going through. After all, Warren had opened up to her about his wife and daughter, and he already knew about her mother’s murder at the hands of her father. Why was this so different?

She hadn’t told anyone except John what she had been going through, and it felt odd opening up to someone else. She had no idea how he would react. If she would look crazy, digging into a past that was already put to rest. But at the same time, she almost craved Warren’s opinion.

She took a deep breath. “I visited my father,” she finally said.

Warren raised his eyebrows, his gaze still ahead of him. “Woah. And how was that?”

“It was…” She paused for a moment. “Interesting. But I think I needed it.”

Warren nodded understandingly, but Tara’s heart still pounded. She wanted to tell him the rest. It felt as if it were about to burst out of her. “There’s just some answers I need from him,” she added. It was unprompted, and Warren seemed a bit surprised by the sudden openness. But Tara didn’t focus on it. She wanted to finish getting out what she held inside her. “I think I’ve realized why I had those ‘moments.’” Warren looked over at her, his eyes darting between her and the road. “I’m starting to think that someone else might be involved in my mother’s death. It’s a lot to get into, though.”

Warren was quiet. His eyebrows knitted as he